Hunger Hurts

We may complain of tough economic times in the US and Canada, but in Third World countries over a billion people are facing imminent starvation. Over one billion people in the world are chronically hungry. In fact today, more people die from hunger related causes than from AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. In response the United Nations has launched an online appeal for individual donations to fight hunger.

The one billion number is about 100 million more than last year. To meet the needs, the World Food Programme has to raise U.S. $6.7 billion. Donations to date stand at U.S. $2.9 billion. Will you help provide a basic food package containing foods like these to a mother with a family of hungry children?



The World Food Programme's "Billion for a Billion" campaign aims to feed one billion hungry individuals. "Feeding a billion people might seem like a challenge, but small donations can make a big difference. If a billion Internet users donate a dollar or a euro a week, we can literally transform the lives of a billion hungry people across the world," said Josette Sheeran, executive director of WFP. And you can help here.

"Governments have supported WFP in its mission to feed the world's hungriest people, but they cannot be expected to do it alone," Sheeran said. "It's time for members of the public to act. Citizen action has abolished slavery, given women the right to vote, and helped to ban the use of land mines across much of our planet," Sheeran said. " ... Why shouldn't we draw on that inspiration and try to harness the power of individual action to feed the world's hungriest people?"

Donating is easy, as you can use a credit card or your Pay Pal account. It takes only a minute or two to donate a small sum which will feed people who might otherwise starve in these difficult economic times.