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The
number of people going hungry every day has hit a
historic high of 1 billion, or more precisely 1.02
billion, according to the U.N. World Food Program.
Millions of people who were on the brink of hunger have
now been thrown into this category by the global
economic crisis that resulted in lower incomes and job
losses.
According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization,
about an additional 100 million people are in chronic
hunger and poverty this year compared to last year. And
while the number of people with urgent food needs has
increased, aid agencies are reporting lower donations
and budget cuts.
WFP executive director Josette Sheeran said Wednesday
the agency is facing “dangerous and unprecedented”
funding shortfalls this year. “Our budget for this year
of assessed and approved needs is $6.7 billion and we
expect from our projections and working with government
to come in at $3.7 billion,” Sheeran said at a press
briefing ahead of meetings at the White House.
Sheeran said the agency is working to cut $3 billion
from its program by reducing rations and programs
throughout the world. Its goal is to feed 108 million
people in 74 countries this year. In addition to budget
cuts, aid groups are also struggling with the impact of
high food prices.
The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization reports food
prices are higher today than a year ago in more than 80
percent of developing countries. Sheeran suggested that
the food crisis is “not as dramatic at home” as in
developed countries, resulting in less of a sense of
urgency to help the world’s hungry.
But “one out of every six [people] today is on the
official list of the urgently-hungry,” she said,
according to RTTNews.com. “One-third of the world’s
children in the developing world is stunted.”
The WFP official praised the United States – the world’s
largest food aid donor – for being an advocate to
finding solutions to long term needs as well as meeting
immediate needs. The United Sates provides about half of
all food aid to needy people in the world.
Besides government agencies, Christian aid agencies such
as Food for the Hungry, Food for the Poor, and Lutheran
World Relief have also been a major contributor in
helping to feed those vulnerable to hunger.
Since 1971, Food for the Hungry has responded to
physical and spiritual hunger in more than 26 countries
worldwide.
In response to the current food and economic crisis, the
ministry calls on Christians to pray for the world’s
poor and hungry and for long-term solutions to families
at risk or on the brink of salvation, give financially
to help the ministry respond to world hunger, and
sponsor a child that will help to not only transform the
child but also his/her family and community.
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