Hunger is a worldwide issue that impacts the lives of hardworking individuals each and every day. In the US, 48.1 million people live in food insecure households, including 15.5 million children. The problem of hunger is being tackled by a variety of different organizations throughout the country and around the world. While the solution might not be simple, there are many who will never quit working to eradicate hunger.

In early September we volunteered at the Central Texas Food Bank, one of the 200 food banks Feeding America’s network. The Central Texas Food Bank provides aid to about 46,000 individuals in the central Texas region each week and turns every dollar donated into 4 meals!  More over, thanks to generous support from their corporate partners during the summer months, Central Texas Food Bank pushes every dollar even further and creates 8 meals- a truly incredible feat for anyone with a passion for hunger relief!

The mission at Central Texas Food Bank is simple: Nourish hungry people and lead the community in ending hunger, which it does fervently as it hosts up to 120 volunteers at a time to sort and package food.   The food is then sent out to 21 central Texas counties.

With help from influencers like Bridget Moynahan, Rachel Ray, Senator Thom Tillis, and many more, Feeding America, the Central Texas Food Bank parent organization, researches and advocates on behalf of hungry Americans nationwide. They have the capacity to bring relief to the hungry and opportunities for giving in nearly every community in the United States, allowing them to help an astounding 46 million Americans every year.

 

For 1 in 7 Americans food is not a guaranteed part of their day. It’s easy to think that cost is the only boundary for hungry citizens in our communities, but for seniors, mobility is a common limitation to their access to daily meals. Meals on Wheels has been combating hunger since 1974 when the organization recognized the disabilities of many seniors. Their efforts surround a vision for, “An America in which all seniors live nourished lives with independence and dignity.” Volunteers provide hungry seniors with a nutritious meal, a friendly visit, and a safety check each time they deliver.

 

Another organization bringing relief to Americans is Share Our Strength. Their mission, “No Kid Hungry” has been their driving force since their inception in 1984. They have developed educational programs for low-income families, forged relationships with the Food Network and other corporations as well as brought top chefs to congressional offices to advocate for the passing of the Hunger-Free Kids Act in 2010. The Hunger-Free Kids Act focuses heavily on partnerships that bring children healthy food every day by providing school breakfasts and summer meals. No Kid Hungry wants “kids to be kids” and hopes that one day no kid will have endure the stress of meal insecurity.

 

The Hunger Project is making a global impact on hunger with sustainability at the forefront of their work. The short term solution to hunger is clear – provide food to those in immediate need but this organization operates above and beyond to seek long term solutions.

The Hunger Project is currently serving and engaging 22 countries. Their success stems from the development of “epicenters” where coordinators help 5,000-15,000 people in rural villages band together to perform integrated strategies, and capitalize on a “strength in numbers” plan of action to ending hunger. With 395,000 volunteers working in 24,386 communities, The Hunger Project leverages numbers to improve the treatment of women, drive “self-reliant” initiatives, educate people on water sanitation, and much more. These vast numbers are a testimony to The Hunger Project’s role in creating global food sustainability.

 

 

How You Can Stop Hunger

Hunger hits closer to home than you would imagine, unfortunately the numbers are so high that you probably interact with someone everyday who struggles to put food on the table. Fortunately your spending can empower the charities that strive to end hunger in big ways when you use your Charity Charge World MasterCard. By allowing you to support any nonprofit Charity Charge seeks to provide you the power to choose a nonprofit that works to end hunger or for any other cause you care about.

When you buy you also give, join the movement of everyday giving by applying now.

To learn more about the Central Texas Food Bank watch their Charity Chats episode here.