HOW CAN I HELP END HUNGER?
DONATE YOUR TIME, FOOD OR MONEY
Every month thousands of individuals in your community turn to food pantries and soup kitchens for help. These programs need volunteers to help collect, prepare or distribute food. Money is also needed to pay for rent, utilities, transportation, food and staff.
EDUCATE OTHERS ABOUT HUNGER
Unlike homelessness, hunger is often described as an invisible problem. Yet as many as 4 million New Yorkers may suffer from hunger each year. If more people were aware of the extent and severity of hunger in their community - and the underlying causes - more would be done to solve the problem. Participate in Hunger Awareness Day on the third Thursday in March. Write articles for your local church, mosque or temple, give a talk to a local school or civic organization, appear on radio talk shows.
WRITE TO YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS
Politicians need to know that local voters are concerned about the problem of hunger. They particularly need to hear there is public support for making the welfare system more supportive of low income individuals, (e.g. increasing benefits, providing job training and child care). The best letters are often the shortest and may be handwritten. Be as specific as possible in what you want the official to do and request a commitment in response. The Governor's address is Executive Chamber, State Capitol, Albany, NY 12224; The Senate’s address is LOB, Albany, NY 12247 and Assemblymembers can be reached at the LOB, Albany, NY 12248.
GROW AN EXTRA ROW
If you have a backyard garden or you participate in a community garden, consider planting some extra seeds and plants and donate the produce to a local emergency feeding program.
ORGANIZE, ADVOCATE, VOTE
Unlike most Third World countries, hunger in the U.S. is primarily a political and economic problem. We have enough food to feed everyone. Anti-hunger advocacy organizations are needed in every community to convince local, state and federal officials to commit the resources needed to feed everyone. At the state level, we need to increase public assistance benefits and the minimum wage above the federal poverty level. We need to make sure that local Departments of Social Services do the best job possible to make sure that everyone who needs help gets it. At the federal level we need to increase food stamp benefits. We need to cut the military budget and reinvest in domestic programs that not only help people but create jobs. Ask candidates for elected office how they stand on these issues.