New Year's Resolutions--For Our Readers!--On Helping Hungry People

Hunger Notes encourages its readers to make a "New Year's Resolution" to do more to aid poor and hungry people in 2004.

Hunger Notes encourages our readers to take three steps this year to support hungry people.

• Contribute money to an organization that supports hungry people.

• Join an organization that supports hungry people in the United States political/policy arena.

• Learn more about the situation of poor and hungry people.

If you are already doing all three, excellent!  Move on to an another resolution, such as improving your outside shot in basketball.

But if you are doing-- in your own judgment-- nothing or not enough in one or more of these three key areas we ask you to resolve to:

• Make or increase your financial contribution to assisting hungry people. Many good organizations, such as CARE, Oxfam America, and Catholic Relief Services are assisting poor people abroad.  A fuller list can be seen at  the Interaction website at http://www.interaction.org/.  In the United States, a contribution to your local food bank would be valuable, as would a contribution to national food organizations.

• Join a national organization trying to influence U.S. public policy to improve the situation for hungry people.  One might think that the U.S. foreign aid budget is mainly directed toward poor and hungry people.  This is simply not the case, as much larger amounts go to assisting U.S. allies, including military aid. Another type of fight, that of redirecting U.S. foreign assistance to help hungry people, becomes a more difficult task.  Because this fight is political-- which requires the support of you, the public-- it is really necessary to join an organization that can aggregate the support of many people in the United States on behalf of hungry people. Who moves in after the military moves out? An ongoing human relief effort. Hunger Notes will provide further information on three excellent anti-hunger organizations: Bread for the World, RESULTS, and Food First. 

• Learn more about hunger.  You are-- or can be-- an important part of reducing hunger. Your knowledge does or can lead you to action on behalf of hungry people, to help them have a better future. Hunger Notes is one source for such knowledge. Organizations included in HN web links address key aspects of the causes of hunger and poverty. Hunger Notes will be happy to answer your questions on specific areas-- part of HN's New Year's Resolutions!

May you make, and follow through on, a New Year's Resolution to help hungry people! May we, and hungry people throughout the world, enjoy a happier and more prosperous New Year!

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