World Food Program USA Blog

Why I Volunteer - One Mother's Perspective

Last October, I returned to work after spending nearly five years raising my two daughters.  I was excited to begin a new venture, but I struggled with the guilt of being away from my daughters after having the privilege of spending so much time with them.  Soon after I started my new job, I knew I had another issue to face.  During those five years, I had completely lapsed in my volunteer work.  Always an active volunteer before having children, I felt it was my obligation to give my time to others.  I am keenly aware of the privileges I have by sheer coincidence of being born in the United States and becoming a mother had significantly heightened my sensitivity to injustices around the world.  This was a difficult choice - I already felt guilt over returning to the workforce, yet here I was potentially signing up for something else that would take me away from my daughters.  Was doing good for the world doing bad as a mother?

Earlier this year, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to join Friends of the World Food Program as Florida’s State Coordinator as part of the FWFP’s committee program.  Access to food, particularly in this day and age, is a fundamental human right and I feel honored to be working on behalf of this cause.  But in spite of my excitement, my dilemma remained - taking on this role meant offering a significant time commitment to ensure the success of this initiative in Florida and thus more time away from my girls.

Rather than taking away from my role as a mother, I have found that my volunteering has added a new depth to my abilities as a parent.  There is no nagging at the dinner table about starving children in a far away land - there are now real discussions about world hunger and its implications for us based on my role with FWFP.  They look at the red cup, a symbol of the WFP's Fill the Cup Program, with a thoughtfulness I previously believed to be beyond their years.  It’s true that my daughters may lose some face-time with me, but I also know they are gaining much from seeing me model the important role of being an advocate for others - especially those without a voice of their own.  I sense a change in my kids as they see me “walk the talk” and I feel pride knowing that I am now raising a future generation of active volunteers.  Though my intent in volunteering is to serve the world, I can’t help but find joy that my own children are reaping the benefits as well.

As I look back, I'm sorry that I let so much time pass without becoming more involved.  I thought I would be harming my kids by taking time away, but my volunteering has added much to all of our lives.  There is so much to be done and there are actions that fit into every schedule.  Too busy to serve as a volunteer?  Consider writing a letter to your member of congress.  On June 11, 2009, U.S. Representatives  Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) introduced the Roadmap to End Global Hunger and Promote Food Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2817, Roadmap Act) and your letter will make a difference in getting this key legislation passed.  Learn more about how you can help here.  Have you been looking for a way to get more involved?  There are numerous ways that you can give your time towards addressing world hunger - learn about volunteer opportunities with FWFP here.  Every action, no matter how seemingly small, makes a difference in eliminating world hunger. 

Angie Ross

State Coordinator, Florida

Friends of the WFP

Senate seeks to repeal Bumpers Amendment

This week, the Senate Agriculture Committee staff considered modification of the 1986 Bumpers Amendment, a piece of legislation restricting the use of U.S. foreign assistance. Intended to protect domestic farmers from increased international competition, the amendment forbids the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from giving money to any program that would increase the production of a crop that could conceivably compete with the United States on the world market. 

Criticism of the Bumpers Amendment has come from many, especially in the wake of the food crisis. In the Chicago Council’s report on global hunger earlier this year, they explicitly called for the repeal of the amendment, as it “does little or nothing in the current environment to help U.S. farmers, and it sends the wrong signal to poor farmers abroad regarding America’s priorities.” 

While a full repeal appears unlikely, committee staff are attempting to lift the restrictions on aid to the world’s poorest countries, opening up the possibility of more agricultural development in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Already some of the U.S. trade associations that originally supported the Bumpers Amendment have expressed a willingness to discuss the proposal.

-Martha Grant
Public Policy Intern

Friends of WFP

Lack of Funding Affects WFP Programs Around the World

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) announced yesterday that due to a shortfall in donations, the agency must cut $3 billion from its 2009 programs.  According to WFP Executive Director Josette Sheeran, WFP needs $6.7 billion to successfully fund its 2009 budget, but will only have about $3.7 billion by year's end.

WFP's funding problem is mainly due to last year's worldwide food and financial crises.  The cost of food in many poor nations has continued to rise, meaning those living on just $1 per day can only afford about one-third of the food they could afford a few years ago.  WFP's funding needs increased accordingly.

As a result, various food assistance programs around the world will receive less funding, affecting millions of WFP recipients.  In Bangladesh, WFP originally planned to feed 5 million hungry people affected by rising food prices, but must now lower that number to 1.4 million.  In Kenya, over 3 million people who already receive food will receive reduced portions so that WFP does not run out of food.  If funding remains low, some programs may be suspended altogether.

Fortunately, there are many ways for you to help.  While every donation counts, you can also raise awareness about hunger by joining your local WFP Committee or volunteering a bit of your own time.  Every contribution makes a difference.

-Alli Bailey

Communications Assistant

Friends of WFP

Ending "Hunger Season" in Darfur

Recent reports from northern Darfur in Sudan outline the dangers inherent in what is known locally as “hunger season,” the months between harvests when food is scarce. In conflict-ridden Darfur, access to food plummets during hunger season, exacerbating the challenges of surviving in the troubled land, where 1 in 4 people are undernourished and 41 percent of children under 5 are underweight.

After learning of the devastating effects of hunger season in northern Darfur, the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) responded with emergency rations of food to supplement the assistance that they had been providing for years. Particularly targeting young children, WFP will feed 245,000 children under the age of 5 in 2009, as Laurent Bukera, the WFP Head of the North Darfur Area Office, pledges that “we can’t let anyone of them slip through the cracks.”

WFP is expanding current operations by investing in machines that blend nutritious food items such as corn soy in an El Fasher warehouse and distributing them along with dried skim milk and tins of vegetable oil to families with hungry children. WFP is also collaborating with the Sudan Red Crescent Society and other organizations to maximize the number of people it can reach.

WFP’s coordinated efforts include projects, like Purchase for Progress, that have a long-term impact, in the hope that the “hungry season” will soon be no more than a distant memory for people in northern Darfur.

Learn more about WFP’s role in current events, and click here to support WFP programs in the field.

-Brooke Barron
Outreach Intern
Friends of WFP

New Volunteer

Hi everyone! I am a new volunteer.  

After learning about Friends of WFP on the internet and attending a Friends of WFP Committee Outreach Seminar conducted by Margot Hoerrner in my hometown of Evansville, Indiana, I knew that I wanted to help. I began to work on poems about hunger with the intent of starting a website dedicated to increasing awareness, volunteerism and donations. I recently finished one poem and would like to share it with you. It’s a tribute to all of you who fight the battle against hunger every day.

The Artist Child
When you spoke for her
and when you gave,
you filled her empty palette
with the yellows, reds and blues
of hope.
With barren canvas dry,
her artist life yet lived,
she smeared the hues
onto her head
and held her painting high
that all might view
the beauty of the life
you saved.

-Ron Mayer 

Volunteer 

Friends of the World Food Program

WFP Reaches Remote Areas in Nicaragua

The United Nations World Food Program’s executive director, Josette Sheeran always says, “Nothing can get between food and a hungry child.”  This holds true for the Miskito people in Nicaragua.  Miskito villages are located in the most remote areas in Nicaragua.   This does not get in the way of WFP doing their work, they sailed down the Coco River to delivery 600 tons of food for 100 Miskito communities. 

 

These communities are still recovering from Hurricane Felix that hit in 2007.  These villages live with no electricity or running water and no connecting roads to major cities within Nicaragua.  About 80 percent of the people have no formal job, most are subsistence farmers and one-third of the children suffer from chronic undernutrition.

 

WFP continues to be on the front line to alleviating hunger in some of the most remote areas throughout the world.

 

-Brian J. Ward

Outreach Associate

Friends of WFP

Learning about WFP's Food Security Analysis Program

I have had a passionate interest in humanitarian causes for as long as I can remember. My mother grew up in a country torn apart by war and sometimes had to go hungry so that her younger brothers and sisters would have enough to eat. With a bit of good fortune, she managed to escape this life, and as a result, her children grew up being a few of the fortunate people that have never known what it is like to be hungry. With that in mind, I know that I could just have easily been born into a very different sort of reality. So when I hear facts like "1 in 6 people are hungry," I take it to heart. It is more than a statistic to me - that 1 in 6 could as easily have been a member of my family, a dear friend, my neighbor or a fellow countryman.

Since I was a teenager, I continuously volunteered for a variety of causes and, after college, interned for a human rights organization in DC. However, life's circumstances forced a relocation back home and into a private sector job. Thankfully, I had the perfect way to remain informed about the goings-on of the humanitarian organizations I respect -- the internet! One of the organizations I sought more information about was the World Food Program and I "Googled" my way to Friends of WFP. One of the things I most love about the Friends of WFP is how open and accessible they are. They are on Facebook and they even have a Twitter! 

I have long been familiar with the works of the World Food Program. It has always been difficult for me to imagine how every single day, WFP can effectively maintain so many ongoing operations in various parts of the world, or what happens when a political situation results in a large-scale refugee exodus and humanitarian crisis. The WFP Food Security Analysis Program plays an important part in making sure that these efforts are timely and efficient. I was delighted to have the opportunity to sit in on a Friends of WFP-hosted call with Joyce Luma, the chief of the WFP's Food Security Analysis Program. 

One thing is for certain - the World Food Program's Food Security Analysis Program is no "fly by night" operation! There are over 100 people placed at vulnerable points throughout the globe, constantly monitoring a number of factors. The information that the Food Security Analysis Program tabulates is integral in WFP's determination of not only what do they need to respond to a situation, but also how they need to respond, when they need to respond and for how long. 

I was particularly impressed with how thorough their level of analysis is for every possible situation. They not only assess the level of current needs, but also what needs they might have in the future. They monitor developing environmental, economic and political situations. The Food Security Analysis Program collects an enormous amount of data to account for any possibility. For example, after an earthquake, they might have to determine if the local market can still function or how long it will be until it can. 

Ms. Luma noted that the global financial crisis is one of the greatest present challenges facing WFP in their ongoing fight against hunger. According to recent reports, the number of individuals affected by hunger is expected to reach an astounding one BILLION this year! The work that WFP and the Food Security Analysis Program do every day is absolutely crucial. It truly can mean the difference between life and death for hundreds of millions of people.

Other fascinating topics that Ms. Luma covered in her discussion with us included the dangers and obstacles her staff faces, how they address sustainability and resistance from uncooperative governments. She also discussed how the program has technologically evolved over the years. I highly recommend listening to the podcast of this conference call with Joyce Luma! I now have every intention of downloading any Friends of WFP podcast I can get my hands on!

-Grace Gillette
Friends of WFP Supporter

WFP faces setbacks in Somalia

The past week has been a challenging one for WFP operations in Somalia.  On Monday, a WFP compound in the city of Wajid was looted by insurgents.  Increased fighting between the Somali government and insurgency groups is also making it very difficult for WFP, along with other humanitarian relief agencies, to deliver much-needed aid.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that 223,000 people have fled the capital city of Mogadishu since May 7.  But due to security concerns, many of the region's feeding centers have been forced to close. According to Moalim Mohamud Saney Warsame, deputy mayor of Mogadishu's Wadajir district, the people who have been driven from their homes most recently are facing a "severe humanitarian crisis" because they are the most difficult for aid agencies to reach.

Political conflict is only one of the factors contributing to food insecurity in Somalia.  Climate change has made it increasingly difficult to grow sufficient crops in an already dry region, and food prices have remained high due to the global economic crisis.

Nonetheless, WFP is still doing its best to provide life-saving food aid to those in need.  According to WFP spokesperson Emilia Casella, "WFP has managed to maintain our supply lines to hungry people in Somalia, overcoming obstacles that range from piracy on the seas off the coast to insecurity and attacks on our staff on the ground."

-Alli Bailey

Communications Assistant

Friends of WFP

Meet WFP's Newest Ambassador

Today the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) announced their newest ambassador, former Ghana President John Kufuor.  The purpose of WFP ambassadors are to reach out to world leaders and the general public to help build support for WFP in their campaign to end global hunger. 

 

Ambassador Kufuor was the president of Ghana from 2001 to 2009.  As head of the African Union from 2007 to 2008 he stressed the importance of investing in long-term agricultural development and funding WFP’s work in tackling urgent hunger needs.  WFP’s executive director, Josette Sheeran said that under Kufuor’s leadership “Ghana is a leader in nourishing it’s children and Ambassador Kufuor can be a leader in getting others to follow his good work.”

 

Former President Kufuor joins former U.S. Senator George McGovern, actress Drew Barrymore and many others as WFP ambassadors who are dedicated to WFP and ending global hunger. 

 

-Brian J. Ward

Outreach Associate

Friends of WFP

School Meals Fundraising Activities in the Bay Area

The WFP Committee of San Francisco has been testing out a few new ways to raise awareness of and donations for hunger relief efforts.  This year, most of our focus has been on the School Meals Program.  After polling a few friends, we felt that the combination of education (especially of young children) and hunger relief caught people's attention the most; in addition, a more focused effort for a specific WFP Program helped us shape a message that encouraged people to donate.  Below are a few ideas and some results:

1) WFP SF teamed up with our local Starbuck's for two months (we approached the SBUX manager and pitched with an official letter and plan).  We purchased a "ballot box" and decorated it with a School Meals Program flyer promoting the "25 cents a day" slogan and used the one page pdf provided by Friends of WFP as a way to further validate the great work and efforts of this Program.  This box was placed next to the area where people wait for their drinks, so far enough away from the "tip jar" as to not take away from employees, but in plain sight where all the people wait around for the drinks!

• RESULTS: We raised a total of $225 from SBUX, matched these funds with an SF Committee donation and were also able to get a corporate match for the same amount, raising $675.
• NEXT STEPS: The goal is to identify three new Starbucks and try a test run with them for another two months.  It would be great if we could make this a nationwide effort!

2) We teamed up with a local Sushi restaurant called Ace Wasabi Rock n' Roll sushi to run a three day promotion where they would donate 10% of their gross proceeds on meal tickets that came in specifically for the Friends of the World Food Program School Meals Campaign.  We set up a flyer "When We Eat, They Eat" and promoted to friends & family and to our Facebook network.  Download When_We_Eat,_They_Eat,_FINAL

• RESULTS: The restaurant will be donating $150 to the School Meals Program.  We would have loved to get more, but didn't have the manpower to promote this more broadly before the three days of the actual promotion with them.  Next time, we plan to hand out flyers and encourage people to go eat at the restaurant.
• NEXT STEPS:  We've heard places like Sports Basement are very generous with offering non-profits special promotions with their store, and hope to pitch them with a similar request!

We would absolutely love to hear about what other committees are doing and what works.