A Post From Ryan

Stocking Stuffers for Life

If each American were to give up just $8 this Christmas, we could feed all of the World's hungriest for a year.

1. "Every 3.6 seconds a person dies of hunger, 75% are children."
2. "Hunger and malnutrition kill more people every year than war, AIDS, Malaria, and Tuberculosis, combined."
3. There is a solution.

Dear Friends, According to a World Bank report* released on December 9th, worldwide biofuel production has increased 18 percent since 2001.

Ok, but isn’t this a good thing?

Not if you're living in poverty and the cost of your food just rose 54 percent because of it. For much of the world, upwards of 70% of family income goes to pay for food.

But how are food prices related to biofuel?

Ethanol (the most common type of biofuel) is made from either corn or sugar. But we don't use sugar since we wouldn't be able to produce enough domestically to meet demand, and the government doesn't allow imported sugar since it wants to protect a small number of US sugar industry jobs from low cost producers in other countries. At the same time, ethanol is currently so expensive to produce from corn that there's not enough financial incentive to make and sell it. In response, the government pays cash incentives to corn-based ethanol producers. This has driven up demand (and the cost) of corn across the globe. But not only has it resulted in higher corn prices, since corn is a part of so much of what we eat, including livestock, the cost of all food has risen 54 percent worldwide since January, 2005. The result? Between 130 million and 155 million people (half the size of the US population) have just been thrust into what the World Bank calls “extreme poverty.” In the last 12 months alone, the number of children suffering from irreversible injuries due to basic malnutrition has soared 44 percent.

What would we do if half the US were dying of hunger?

Would we ignore it?

How is this any different?

Here’s the good news: The cost of offsetting this increase in food prices in the most affected areas is a mere $2.4 billion. (Barely a drop in the bucket when one considers that we Americans will spend $540 billion on Christmas gifts this year!) If we would each just give up an $8 stocking stuffer this year, ($2.4 billion divided by the US population) we could potentially save the lives of a population half the size of the United States. Instead of buying our loved ones cheap stocking stuffers this year, perhaps we could give them a note telling them how we donated $8 (or more) on their behalf to feed hungry families.

But what's the point? Isn't the problem more long-term than just sending a few airplanes full of food?"

The problem may be more short-term than you think! Sustainable food production and capacity are increasing in poor countries thanks to new technologies and training, and food prices are expected to equalize before long. But until then, we have the opportunity to step in and feed our brothers and sisters in crisis.

Here are just a few trustworthy organizations ready to provide solutions with our support. Click on the blue words to be linked.

World Vision

For a direct link to giving a gift in someone's name, click here.

The Hunger Project

ActionAid

* "Global Economic Prospects 2009: Commodities at the Crossroads" The World Bank: 9 Dec. 2009.