Food lack is one of the most menacing global challenges, currently affecting about 10 percent of the world’s population. It was previously associated with extreme poverty, but that isn’t so anymore, especially with the recent COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why we mustn’t ignore the call to take action against hunger by donations or other means.
This hunger issue has many effects on both adults and children, including malnutrition and susceptibility to certain diseases. Hunger is also a growing concern in some developed and developing countries with increased living costs and inflation, leading to more food insecurity. Thankfully, specific measures by governments, individuals, and corporations have helped.
Various Initiatives Involved
Many world hunger relief organizations exist and are working harder in this period to help provide food for those in need, including the World Food Programme, an agency of the United Nations formed for emergency food assistance. You can check out a comprehensive list of other such charities and initiatives at https://ffl.org/19006/hunger-relief-organizations/.
These establishments aim to eliminate the lack of food in various parts of the world. They ensure to meet the nutritional needs of displaced people, those facing specific natural disasters, or those who can’t afford it. Thus, the necessity of these organizations are unquestionable and it’d be best if they get adequate help and support to achieve their goals.
Things to Donate
Feeding the hungry charities like the ones in the list mentioned above thrive on donations. That’s because they’re primarily non-profit organizations and require means to raise funds if there are no sponsorships. However, it’s vital to understand that you can donate various things, not only money. Subsequently, we’ll discuss these items or services and how they help.
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Foodstuffs
One of the most logical things to donate to eradicate hunger is food. That’s why many people believe donations reduce wastage. However, you must know that it doesn’t exactly work the way some individuals imagine it. You may be able to give thanksgiving leftovers to your local food bank, but that wouldn’t work for a charity feeding a remote community.
It’d be best to know how it works so you can do it right. Another vital thing to note is that you can’t donate foodstuffs that are going bad already. Most organizations even advise people not to give out perishable foods to avoid the issue of spoilage. Preferred items include canned goods, cereals, and other dry products that are easy to transport and store.
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Utensils and Vehicles
Individuals always donate foodstuffs, but fewer people think about the utensils used. They include pots, pans, serving spoons, dishes, and cutlery. These items are necessary for preparing and serving the food, and therefore, we won’t exactly achieve the set goals without them. As hardware, these kitchen tools are easier to transport and store.
Additionally, another necessity people rarely consider is vehicles. That’s vital, especially for charities whose targets are in remote communities or areas. It aids mobility and the transportation of people, foodstuffs, and other materials. Your local food banks may also need this service to make particular tasks like purchases easier.
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Your Services and Voice
An essential way to take action against hunger is to donate your time by offering your services for the cause. Most of these charities have little or no full-time staff because they don’t make profits. That means they need people to work for free, and that’s the place of volunteering. You don’t even have to be available all the time; a few hours weekly goes a long way.
On the other hand, donating your voice involves speaking to make others aware of this cause. You may use avenues like social media platforms, blogs, vlogs, and various spaces of influence to enlighten people about hunger and ways to help. It’ll boost the number of people who care and might even spur them to give to organizations like Food for Life Global.
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Money
Money is the easiest thing to donate, especially when you don’t have much. The beauty of giving cash is that it pools donations from many people and can become a substantial amount. That means it’s not compulsory to provide a large sum like some individuals wrongly think. It’s essential because it helps provide things people can’t or don’t donate.
The Different Ways to Send Donations
Everything people provide for food charity organizations count. That’s why they ensure there’s more than one way to donate whatever you want. For materials like foodstuff, you may need to contact the charity directly for information. The general method, however, is to transport the items to their office if they have one. Meanwhile, you can send a check for monetary gifts.
Most of these establishments also accept money through various online payment platforms like PayPal to make things easier. Some organizations like FFL Global even accept cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and ethereum donations. The several methods ensure that anyone anywhere can give whenever they want to the charities.
What to Do Before Donating
Beyond knowing what and how to give to these charities, it’s vital to check out certain things about them before making donations. Unfortunately, people use non-profits as fronts for scams, so you must be careful. That’s because you can’t blindly trust anyone online who claims to be taking action against hunger without any proof or previous encounters.
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Check the Website
You must look through an organization’s website before donating to whatever cause they support. The reason for that is to check their authenticity and see if they do charity work. It’s crucial to conduct enough research to ensure that it’s not merely a well-designed way to collect money from generous citizens.
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Find out How the Organization Runs
Ultimately, you must also check how the charity runs. The real ones usually have transparent practices so donors can be sure what their money does. That includes giving updates on their progress and achievements even if the organization is new. Some of them publish data that shows the number of cents on each dollar that goes to the cause.
Conclusion
You can understand now that there are many ways to join the action against hunger by donating money, items, or your services. You’ll be helping solve the global challenge of lack of food by taking part one way or another. That results in better nutrition and also has positive impacts on the health and education in such places.
