|
|
|
|
Alliance Members Respond to the Food Insecurity Crisis During COVID-19 Pandemic
The global COVID-19 crisis has heightened the vulnerability of hungry people in the United States and around the world. Members of the Alliance to End Hunger are responding to the urgent need in a variety of ways. Below are just a few examples of how our members are making a difference in the communities in which they work. We encourage you to look through these examples and explore even further through the links provided.
|
|
|
U.S. Response
|
|
Amazon
Amazon is committed to helping the communities in which they live and operate. Click HERE to learn how they are engaging with their headquarter communities.
Thanks to a USDA Food and Nutrition Service pilot program, Amazon is working to assist SNAP beneficiaries in 10 states and counting (Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Kentucky, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, and Washington) in using their benefits to order groceries online. Further, Amazon is teaming up with food banks across the country to deliver shelf-stable and pre-packaged foods to those in need. So far Amazon has "already delivered 427,000 pounds of shelf-stable groceries, representing 336,000 meals, in Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, Orlando, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C." with plans to expand in the U.S. and globally. You can learn more about what they are doing to alleviate food insecurity in these uncertain times HERE.
Bank of America
Bank of America is supporting a number of issues related to the COVID-19 response, but has also chosen food security as one of its key focus points. As such, Bank of America is supporting a number of organizations focused on hunger issues including the World Food Programme and Alliance to End Hunger members Feeding America and the Global FoodBanking Network
Congressional Hunger Center
The Congressional Hunger Center's fellowship programs continue to prepare future leaders for challenges posed by food insecurity and its causes. "The Hunger Center’s network of fellows, alums, and partners are responding to food insecurity arising during the pandemic in many ways." Learn more about how CHC is meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis HERE.
Convoy of Hope
Convoy of Hope recently hit its initial goal of distributing 10 million meals in response to the coronavirus outbreak. This includes communities like Dayton that are a part of our Hunger Free Communities Network. But the need is still great, and millions more people still need help and hope. Read Convoy's blog on their crisis response to learn what they are doing, and how you can help with their efforts!
Farm Journal Foundation
In response to disruptions and unemployment across the country, Farm Journal Foundation offered each of its 28 Farmer Ambassadors the opportunity to donate $500 on behalf of the Foundation to any organization in their community. As active members in their communities, ambassadors were quick to recognize where help was most needed, including local church ministries, food pantries, school lunch programs, and shelters. These communities span from California to Pennsylvania, and North Dakota to Georgia.
Feeding America
Feeding America is truly on the front lines of hunger response to the COVID-19 crisis, and they are doing a number of things to ensure our nation's most vulnerable people are fed. They quickly launched the COVID-19 Response Fund. They have also been instrumental in working to with the Alliance to End Hunger and elsewhere to advocate for strong and flexible federal nutrition programs. Further, they have provided emergency grants to food banks across the country. Learn more about what they have been doing HERE.
Food Finder
Demand for FoodFinder’s digital food pantry locator has increased dramatically. On the day (March 13th) that the pandemic was declared a national emergency in the U.S., FoodFinder’s usage quadrupled from 750 people served per day to 3,000/day. This piece on FoodFinder in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is worth a read.
H-E-B.
H-E-B, a longstanding member and partner of the Alliance to End Hunger has an ongoing commitment to ending food insecurity, and it is meeting the challenge of the COVID-19 crisis with resolve. The company recently launched Texans Helping Texans, "a community-outreach initiative that’s guided by digital innovation, compassionate philanthropy and the generous spirit and strength that brings together all Texans during uncertain times."
Hunger Solutions Institute at Auburn University
The Hunger Solutions Institute (HSI), as the managing organization for End Child Hunger in Alabama (ECHA), has developed a hub of information online for government agencies and non-profit organizations throughout the state who are actively working to address food insecurity during these uncertain times. In addition to providing daily updates with information and resources, HSI has been working collaboratively with ECHA partner organizations to raise awareness about needs and services throughout Alabama.
Islamic Relief USA
"The Islamic Relief global family has built a $10 million emergency response to help our neighbors and families across the world affected by COVID-19. IRUSA specifically is dedicating $1.9 million of that to help right here in the United States." These funds are dedicated to services focused on food security, as well as medical and other emergency needs.
Meals on Wheels America
"Vulnerable seniors are at the greatest risk amid COVID-19. Local Meals on Wheels programs are on the front lines every day, focused on doing all they can to keep older Americans safe and nourished in communities across the country." To that end, Meals on Wheels America has been instrumental in advocacy efforts to ensure that seniors are fed - including through the Alliance's own advocacy efforts in coordination with other Alliance members. Additionally, Meals on Wheels America established their COVID-19 Response Fund to bolster its efforts to ensure older Americans everywhere have enough to eat.
Poetry X Hunger
Poetry X Hunger's Now More than Ever Call for Submissions -- Poems written in response to pandemic-related hunger are being solicited and posted on Poetry X Hunger's Now More than Ever page -- https://www.poetryxhunger.com/now-more-than-ever-submitted-poems. Alliance members are encouraged to "shop" the page for material that might be helpful in messaging and appeals.
Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry
No Kid Hungry has been fighting non-stop to ensure that America's children have enough to eat, especially as the COVID-19 crisis has closed schools and disproportionally impacted at-risk families. No Kid Hungry and a number of other Alliance members have collaborated and coordinated advocacy efforts to make sure child nutrition programs are sufficiently funded and flexible to meet the challenge of the pandemic. They also provide a wealth of resources and action items concerning childhood hunger and nutrition.
Society of St. Andrew
The Society of St. Andrew and its partners have been working harder than ever. Across the country, volunteers are actively gleaning fields, redirecting truckloads, sharing surpluses, and delivering food to partner agencies. New partners and organizations have even begun offering to share their surpluses, which include large quantities of specialty, non-produce, items like eggs and milk. Many of these surpluses have been simply created by supply chain disruption. Read more about this through a short article HERE.
|
|
|
Global Response
|
|
Congressional Hunger Center
The Congressional Hunger Center now has 9 of 14 Leland Fellows based in the US working remotely from various locations. Those fellows who have returned to the US are currently working with their host organizations to develop short-term work plans to guide their efforts for the next few months given the disruption in their original projects. In the coming weeks, Fellows will be participating in a series of webinars with guest speakers originally recruited to be part of their Mid-Field Retreat, initially scheduled to take place in Nairobi in March. Learn more about how CHC is meeting the challenges of the COVID-19 crisis HERE.
ELCA World Hunger
ELCA is active in direct response, engagement and education, and through advocacy. Direct response includes supporting congregations that are directly addressing food insecurity, and are already making an impact in 35 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Education includes engagement with local leaders and ELCA's broader network - which informed a number of valuable resources including “Tips for Responding to Hunger in a Pandemic” and “Four Ways COVID-19 May Impact Hunger,” Finally, advocacy activities have also been key, with ELCA's advocacy team has been hard at work ensuring that those most in need receive the help that they deserve. Advocacy efforts focus on a number of items, including food security and nutrition.
Global Volunteers
While Global Volunteers' five-village program in Tanzania has no known COVID-19 cases as of now, they are taking every precaution possible to limit - and hopefully prevent - infection. The program includes many high-risk individuals, with high rates of poverty and food insecurity where up to 50% of children are stunted. The Global Volunteers program provides packaged meals from Rise Against Hunger, container gardens from EarthBox, home hand-washing stations, and workshops on nutrition and hygiene. Fortunately, the organization has not had to change delivery of essential services because of Covid-19, but they are prepared. Learn more about the Global Volunteers Tanzania program HERE.
GrainPro
GrainPro Inc. values its contribution to food security, environmental protection and social impact equally; and prides itself on being a healthy and safe workplace for its employees. GrainPro’s manufacturing facility is in the Philippines where strict lockdown orders necessitated physically moving 35 of our workers into the production facility. The company had enough workforce volunteers to keep one full shift going, and the system has been operating successfully for more than a month now. It has been critical to continue to supply customers with our hermetic storage systems that preserve vital food stocks in a time of uncertainty and dislocation, and GrainPro continues to contribute to the safety of food supplies in the developing countries that are its main customers during this time of uncertainty and great need.
The Hunger Project and the Movement for Community-Led Development
To address the pandemic, communities must take effective action that simultaneously addresses five of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – the ones addressing poverty, hunger, health, gender, and WASH. Further, the Movement for Community-led Development has created a new resource with policy briefs addressing community-action on the 8 key SDGs related to food security in the era of COvID-19.
One Acre Fund
"Good health relies on good harvests—and 1 million farmers rely on One Acre Fund. Our mission has never been clearer: we must help farmers grow enough food to feed their families and feed their communities. We will continue to serve farmers for as long as we can do so safely and responsibly. At the same time, how we do the work we do must change significantly. Our teams are working around the clock to reimagine our operations in ways that incorporate government guidance on meeting size, hand washing, and social distancing. To give you a glimpse of how we’re adapting around COVID-19, here are a few updates from our operations in Kenya and Rwanda."
Partners Worldwide
"Throughout our network, thousands of lives and businesses have been impacted as COVID-19 continues to run its course. Our global staff is working hard to support out network where it is needed most urgently as we continue to do the important work of fighting global poverty, especially in a time of economic distress. From virtual mentorship for entrepreneurs, to helping small business owners launch online shops and provide much-needed relief to local businesses and their communities, we are committed to pursuing God's heart for human flourishing in these complex circumstances." Read more about what Partners Worldwide is doing and how you can help!
World Food Program USA
New data about the novel coronavirus is shocking: Its impact on supply chains, humanitarian access, the global economy and food supplies threatens to double the number of severely hungry people this year. For millions of these people, WFP is quite literally their only source of food. Without it, they face starvation. Learn how WFPUSA is working to support the critical operations of the World Food Programme, and how you can play your part!
World Renew
"World Renew has an active and ongoing presence in over 30 countries currently impacted by COVID-19. During this challenging period of history, World Renew, our partners, and communities are joining in efforts to slow the transmission and continue to work with the vulnerable and poor. While governments in developed nations turn their primary attention to protecting their citizens and economies, we are deeply concerned with those forgotten communities of the displaced and the poor." See just one example of the critical work World Renew is conducting in Honduras; learn more about World Renew's COVID-19 response; and find inspiration through a Moment of Hope.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
