Thanksgiving always evokes memories of the days when, as mothers of young children, we would bundle them up to deliver turkey baskets -- family to family -- to those in Washington, DC who couldn't afford a holiday dinner of their own.
That simple act connected our children to the original spirit of Thanksgiving -- where families stop not only to give thanks for plenty, but to share with strangers in need. Thanksgiving is one of the few days where soup kitchens and food pantries around the country burst at the seams -- not just with turkey and stuffing, but with volunteers eager to serve.
Americans, in fact, are the most generous people in the world when it comes to private philanthropy: 85 percent of American families give their time or money, with private giving averaging $300 billion a year.
This year Thanksgiving strikes at a critical hour for families everywhere who have been hit hard by the global financial meltdown.
In the United States, one in nine people rely each month on food stamps. Demand at food pantries and homeless shelters is at record levels. And 17 million American households have had difficulty putting food on the table during the last year -- a 14-year high.
Yet while we concentrate our efforts on addressing hunger at home, we must remember another face of hunger in our world -- one that's largely invisible until we glimpse it on our TVs from some distant country, when a typhoon, earthquake, flood, drought or conflict makes the evening news.
It's easy to forget the silent tsunami of hunger that rips an ever-greater swath through the places where there are no streets, where mothers wonder if their malnourished babies will survive and fathers despair that they cannot provide even a single meal for their desperate families. The compounding impact of the food, fuel and financial crises has pushed the numbers of those suffering chronic hunger past one billion -- one in six people on earth -- for the first time in history.
Those in the "Bottom Billion" subsist on a dollar a day or less. Each day, hunger and related ailments claim 25,000 lives, mostly children -- making hunger the world's No. 1 public health threat. Even when chronic hunger does not kill, it maims -- shattering health, longevity, and hope.
Malnutrition in children under age two causes irreversible damage to their minds and bodies. In countries like Ethiopia, Pakistan and Guatemala, one in two children is stunted. Not only is this an incalculable human loss, but it is a quantifiable financial loss to these nations. Studies show malnutrition causes tens of billions of dollars in losses to poor countries -- or as much as 11 percent of GDP.
As we've traveled the world, the two of us have shared stories and tears with other mothers -- far from Washington -- who have watched, helplessly, as their children slipped from their grasp into the maws of hunger. For them, Thanksgiving never comes.
Although the mind reels with the huge needs of the world, the solutions are surprisingly achievable. Many nations -- Ireland, China, Brazil, and a growing number of African countries -- have beat back the worst of hunger. Inexpensive nutritional interventions can dramatically improve the health -- and lives -- of women and children. For just 25 cents a day, we can feed a child at school, giving them a real shot at forging a better future.
And with $3.2 billion a year -- or $1.5 billion less than Americans spend on Halloween annually and a fraction of America's private giving -- we can feed the 66 million children worldwide who go to school hungry. This alone won't end hunger, but it would be a huge step forward.
If we are to solve hunger, it will take the political will and resources of governments. It's encouraging that the Obama administration and Congressional leadership recognize that a sustainable, comprehensive food security strategy is vital to ensure our planet's future peace and prosperity.
Yet every one of us, at all levels, can make a difference -- especially if we work together. The World Food Programme's first Internet citizens' campaign, www.wfp.org/1billion, is mobilizing the online community: if a billion Internet users donate a dollar a week, we could transform the lives of a billion hungry people across the world.
As we enter the season of colossal Wall Street bonuses and a frenzy of holiday spending, it is time for us to once more share the privilege of plenty. It is time to declare, once and for all, that not a single child should die from -- or be irrevocably stunted by -- hunger.
Not on our watch.
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Ofendi: Pike Co. PA President Judge Kameen orders almost all DWI defendants to "donate" $500 cash-on-the-barrel to Scranton Catholic Diocese dubious High-Way Safety Program, without benefit of their health insurance paying, in defiance of PA Vehicle Code's guarantee that such ofenders shall not be denied insurance cove...rage. Know that the NEPA/anthracite coal mining region is dense with Polish-Catholic whose immigrant ancestors settled it centuries ago, still emigrate from Cairo, Pakistan, etc. to work in non-profit, faith-based area hospitals. In response, Pennstate has commenced a brand-new secular Commonwealth Medical College in Scranton (2008) to HomeGrow doctors who are more likely to profit, succeed, stay instead of fly-by-night to and fro' Karachi, Ofendi.
See: http://www.correiodobrasil.com.br/noticia.asp?c=138539
It's a joke. (It's true, but it is a joke.)
In Brazil we have the largest concentration of wealth in the world. The richest 5% hold about 80% of all financial resources, the remaining 95% divided among themselves the other 20% of the money. They all know each other. They are a club. Tribe.
It's a joke. (It's true, but it is a joke.)
It seems we don't want to admit how broke we are. We want to ignore the massive trade deficits and the massive federal debt. We are trillions in the hole. We are losing all our middle class jobs. The size of the lower class is exploding. All the wealth and our jobs are moving up and out.
So its a nice distraction to dream that we are still a wealthy nation who can give aid to the lesser unfortunate nations of poor poor Africa.
I guess it makes people feel better to imagine the glory days gone past. But if you want reality then go visit Detroit. That is Americas future and that is real America.
I see unemployment for young blacks hitting 35% in the US. For all Americans, we see people just out of college and over 50 being hit hard.
I see my friends getting laid off. I see the federal government importing workers from foreign lands to replace Americans in America. We now have over 10 million (some say 20 million) illegal aliens in the land. We have a huge disconnected federal government that only listens to Wall Street and multi-national corporations.
These not the worst of times. But these are the conditions that can in a generation turn us into a failed state. We are becoming like a failed latin American state from the 1980's.
We need to start focusing on America and Americans. At this point, we have given away all our jobs we can't give away anything else. Again, we gave away all our jobs!
The US is broke. We are in massive debt. You can't give away aid by borrowing. That just insane. We are not a rich nation. We just have a credit card. But that is not the same as being wealthy!
I am old enough to remember when many of musicians gathered together to feed Ethiopia. I maybe wrong on the percentages but I believe there was a tariff set by the Ethiopian government of 220%.
In other words if we gave them a can of food worth $1 we had to pay the government $2.20 for the privilege of feeding the people of Ethiopia.
Do any of you realize that Ethiopia and Eritrea both have air forces and war on each other occasionally?
NKoreans are starving yet their govt more often than not refuses our help. The idea must be control of the people and keep them weak on purpose..
IAre the strong taking from the weak? Are our own charities paying what basically amounts to bribes in order to give humanitarian aid.
Alot of our money seems to be fattening the bank accounts of regional dictators and possibly even buying weapons so they can control the people
However, I would like to help those in need.
If anyone knows of a charity that will air drop supplies to those in need then please post a link.
It maybe illegal to flyover certain countries but if they are dropping food surely the punishment will be nil compared to the good it will do.
And we also give money to the dictators which makes the oppositions job very difficult. Sometimes the US finds itself fighting the dictators opposition.
"And with $3.2 billion a year -- or $1.5 billion less than Americans spend on Halloween annually"
What does this have to do with how much the United States should give to help stem world hunger. In my view, while I can't say how much we "should " give but I do know both the private and public contributions by the United States towards ending world hunger are huge and very generous---and I am proud of it. I just wish the Arab Middle East which is awash in oil money would cease putting money into Swiss Bank Accounts of dictators, buying and shipping weapons to terrorist organizations, and investing in nuclear technology and give more money to world food programs.
We can and should make the difference ..no child should ever be hungry.
I am just back from visiting a soup kitchen in Detroit in a city with reportedly over 40k homes without water..and reports of varying numbers of homeless children and families into the thousands.
Despite the escalating numbers-
Detroit has some amazing models in place for bridging some of the outcomes of poverty-
Primarily the Capuchin Soup Kitchen where their Urban USDA Organic Certified Garden is instrumental in delivering food for the 2000 meals prepared each day.
Bill Couzens Founder Less Cancer
yes it is, IF we put limits on human population. This is what is known as a 'preventative' solution as anything else just won't work. Solving the human population problem will solve many other problems. We know that BUT no politician has the guts to say it other than in China.
If it has no effect do not worry we will miss ya and applaud you for your civic duty to mankind.
Do not be bashful recruit as many friends as you can as it is a very important mission to undertake and of extreme importance that it happens sooner than later.
By the way are you friends with Pelosi and Reid and Franks and Dodd. Anyway just hoping but even without that gift your sacrifice and those you are politically like minded with would be a great start.
However, there are neighboring nations whose population growths are leveling off as they allow women greater access to education. Allowing women access to earning power as well as the freedom to choose when to start their families has resulted in lower birthrates and better infant mortality rates in every country, and all it takes is treating women as autonomous beings who deserve to chart their own futures.
The Chinese forced people to only have one child. There is no carrot in China, just a stick.
There are very smart people who have great alternative approaches.