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Blog Action Day 2011: A Focus on FOOD

October 16th 2011 07:09


Today, Sunday, October 16, 2011, is Blog Action Day – the day when bloggers from 100 countries around the world gather to post about a single significant topic. This year, 2,250 bloggers will be discussing FOOD! And what makes this year’s topic even more appropriate is that today is also World Food Day!


Food: A Critical Topic to Every Person on Earth

Food is important to all of us, and so many food-related issues exist that it would be impossible to address them all in a single post. So, for now, let’s discuss a few significant aspects of the topic.


World Hunger

Famine runs rampant in many parts of the world, and numerous organizations are doing their part to make a difference. Some offer direct aid, others educate and advocate. Here are just a few:

ONE: Visit the site to learn what this organization is doing to end hunger, and the ways you can help. Sign the Petition asking the U.S. Congress to fully fund the Feed the Future program. The petition’s message to Congress says this about the critical need: “The famine in Somalia has killed 30,000 children in 3 months. In 2011 we have the opportunity to make famine a thing of the past. Lives are in your hands. Please fully fund Feed the Future and help break the cycle of famine for good.”

Ending Hunger: This organization also asks visitors to sign a Petition putting pressure on politicians to end world hunger. The petition states the following: “We who support this petition find it unacceptable that close to one billion people are chronically hungry. Through the United Nations, we call upon governments to make the elimination of hunger their top priority until that goal is reached.” The original goal was 1,000,000 signatures, and to date, well over 3,000,000 people have signed.

Ending Hunger says this about its objectives: “The objectives? A critical mass of people who no longer accept the presence of one billion fellow human beings living in chronic hunger. To make a lot of noise about the problem. To build up political pressure for change.”

Food for the Poor: This Christian non-profit offers help in various forms to people in need, describing its efforts as follows: “Food For The Poor is the third-largest international relief and development charity in the United States, feeding 2 million poor every day. Our Christian relief programs and projects are helping children and the poorest of the poor by providing food, housing, health care, education, water projects, emergency relief and micro-enterprise assistance in the Caribbean and Latin America.”


Hunger in the U.S.

Many people in the U.S. go to bed hungry each night, and the following organization is working to change that:

Food Rescue: This Indiana-based non-profit addresses the issue of food waste and focuses on how food that is currently (or would currently be) wasted can be donated to area food banks to help feed hungry local residents. While Food Rescue only works directly in its own state, the organization does help people in other states put its principles into practice. It also hosts a Virtual Flash Mob that periodically joins together to simultaneously post pleas on the social media fan pages of various food-related businesses urging them to share their excess food with the hungry, rather than throwing it away.

About its efforts, the organization says the following: “Food Rescue schedules and inspires more than 2,000 "food rescues" each month, turning millions of dollars in rescued food into hundreds of thousands of meals for children and families in need through a network of volunteers working to turn discarded food into changed lives.”


Healthier, More Equitable, and Sustainable Food for All

Slow Food International: This organization describes itself as follows: “Slow Food is a global, grassroots organization whose supporters are linking the pleasure of good food with a commitment to their community and the environment. Today we have 100,000 members worldwide, as well as the Terra Madre network of 2,000 food communities who practice small-scale and sustainable production of quality foods.” Slow Food says it is “committed to good, clean and fair food for all.”

Slow Food USA: Slow Food USA’s mission states, in part, “We believe that food is a universal right. Food that is fair should be accessible to all, regardless of income, and produced by people who are treated with dignity and justly compensated for their labor.” The non-profit also says, “Slow Food USA is working to change the food system through a network of volunteer chapters all over the country.” Its visitors are invited to join their local chapter.

This organization has issued its $5 Challenge, which states, “I pledge to share a fresh, healthy meal that costs less than $5 – because slow food shouldn't have to cost more than fast food." Those who take the challenge can submit photos and descriptions of their meals on the Tips & Tricks & Challenges page.


Please Visit These Websites

The above organizations are but a few that are working to provide food for the hungry or to improve the diets of those who are tired of the modern processed foods that are slowly robbing us of our health and vitality. I hope you will take a few minutes to visit their websites, learn more about their efforts, sign their petitions, and find out what you can do to make a difference – for others as well as yourself.

Too many people battle hunger each and every day – and too many others have more than enough to eat yet are still malnourished. These are the ironies of our crazy modern world -- ironies that we will hopefully be able to work together to change in the very near future!


Here’s to that change!
Jeanne

#BAD11



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