Food Security for All - One Meal at a Time

Project Stories • Oct 31, 2022

Picture this. A world where –

ALL people, at ALL times, had physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.

This is a world with food security, described by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The current reality is that we entered 2022 with 828 million hungry people. This was roughly 150 million more people since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

And in July this year, the World Food Programme warned that 345 of the 828 million are experiencing acute hunger – where their lives or livelihoods are in immediate danger.

But even still, we can still be inspired to make progress. Alongside the many high impact causes around the world who are continuously fighting to make food security a reality for all, one meal at a time.

PROVIDING WARM MEALS FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Based in Hong Kong, ImpactHK works with people experiencing homelessness to settle into safe homes, restore their mental and physical wellbeing and self-esteem, and discover their purpose.

One key form of support includes providing warm and nutritious meals to individuals experiencing homelessness.

And through their initiative the Kind Kitchen, about 2,200 meals are prepared each week.

And on top of meals, the Kind Kitchen also provides employment and training in food and beverage skills for people experiencing homelessness, allowing them to step back into work.

RESCUING MEALS FOR THE HUNGRY

Ironically, while so many struggle with food insecurity, food is also being wasted in incredible amounts around the world.

Worthy Causes Rescuing Leftover Cuisine and Feeding Hong Kong tackle this by rescuing good quality food that would otherwise be thrown away. They then sort, store, and redistribute the rescued food to those who need it by partnering with networks of welfare organizations in the US and Hong Kong.

Each year, Rescuing Leftover Cuisine rescues an average of 3,000 lbs of food (approximately 2,400 meals). And Feeding Hong Kong has rescued over 4,900 tonnes of food and provided over 16.5 million meals since 2011!

PROVIDING MEALS TO CHILDREN IN SCHOOLS

Many children living in hardship also experience hunger daily. And Worthy Causes such as So They Can and KidsCan provide meals for children in school in Kenya, Tanzania and New Zealand. This not only provides them with the nutrition they need, but allows them to stay awake and focus in classes, and encourages their parents to continue sending them to school.

This type of support has been especially invaluable for communities such as in Baringo Country (East Pokot) in Kenya in recent times.

The current drought has led to food shortages which have gotten to a crisis point, and the food supply for the whole region is incredibly unstable. With limited food supply in schools, 50% of the parents in So They Can’s Baringo Country schools have already stopped sending their children to school. And this number is expected to rise.

Right now, So They Can is sending in food trucks to provide enough food to support students till the end of the year and provide for the children.

INSPIRED TO JOIN IN THE FIGHT TOWARDS GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY?

Beyond the projects described above, there are 68 projects on B1G1 that provide communities with direct access to the food they need.

And an EVEN LARGER number of projects that go towards causes such as supporting income generation and alleviating poverty. All of which naturally lead to communities being better equipped to access sufficient, safe, and nutritious food.

And we have the ability to make big impacts towards global food security too.

As President of Alliance to End Hunger, Reverend David Beckmann, reminds us: