How To Help Feed The Hungry For The Holidays
It's the season of giving, and when it comes to helping out those in need, there's no time like the present. This holiday season, why not help feed the hungry by donating to a great charity? We've identified 10 leading food charities, and will also explain what the purposes of those charities are and how to donate.
How to Help Feed the Hungry for the Holidays (Slideshow)
During this season of plenty, it's easy to forget that there are millions of Americans (and hundreds of millions around the world) who can't afford to put any food on their table, much less to host a holiday feast. According to Bread.org, 14.5 percent of U.S. households, or about 48 million people, are currently struggling with food insecurity, as are more than one in five U.S. children (and nearly one in three Latino and African American children).
While the efforts of organizations like No Kid Hungry and films like A Place at the Table have helped to raise awareness of food insecurity in America, there's still much more to be done, and there's plenty that you can do to help, today.
The following charities are making great strides to help feed the hungry and raise awareness of food insecurity in the U.S. and around the world, but there are also great charities focused on making sure that nobody goes hungry in specific states and cities. In New York, for example, City Harvest collects unused food from restaurants, farmers markets, and other food outlets and distributes it to those in need; in Detroit, Forgotten Harvest is taking a similar approach. Here's an easy way to find a local food bank near you, courtesy of Feeding America.
Read on to learn about 10 organizations that are helping to feed people in the United States and around the globe, as well as how you can donate to them.
Action Against Hunger
Active in 43 countries, Action Against Hunger has more than 5,000 people in the field helping more than seven million people get access to food and water every year. You can donate here.
Bread for the World
Bread for the World Institute works with lawmakers and governments, providing "policy analysis on hunger and strategies to end it." By working from the inside, they're able to assist governments in devising strategies to combat everything from child nutrition to climate change-related hunger. You can donate here.