This month, in honor of World Hunger Day (Oct. 16th), we're using our 2% for Justice commitment to support Rise Against Hunger. Rise Against hunger is a non-profit organization that is working towards eradicating hunger in the U.S, and across the world. To learn a bit more about them we asked them a few questions about the work that they do and their hunger relief impact.

How did the vision for the Rise Against Hunger come about?

Rise Against Hunger was founded in 1998 by Ray Buchanan, a United Methodist Church Minister and Marine veteran. The organization was created as a way to achieve Ray’s vision of a world without hunger, a vision that Rise Against Hunger still strives toward today, nearly 25 years later. Since its start, we have been active in 78 countries, serving millions of people worldwide.

Can you tell us a little more about Rise Against Hunger’s work and some of your organization’s programs?

Targeting remote, last-mile communities within global hunger pockets, Rise Against Hunger provides immediate nourishment for those facing hunger today and implements sustainable solutions that will lift entire communities for years to come. Our organization’s work is based upon our key pillars, known as our four Pathways to End Hunger: Empowering Communities, Nourishing Lives, Responding to Emergencies and Growing the Movement. Each of these four pathways play an important role to our mission, and house programs that inspire resilience, nutrition and awareness throughout the communities we serve.

• Our Empowering Communities pathway promotes improvements in agricultural production and rural livelihoods to help individuals increase their incomes and access to food.
• Our Nourishing Lives pathway provides nutrition and encourages education through school feeding, vocational training and health clinics.
• The Responding to Emergencies pathway deploys food and aid in communities when it is needed most.
• Rise Against Hunger recognizes that hunger will not end without Growing the Movement and engages hundreds of thousands of volunteers and advocates each year to build awareness and activation.

Hurricane Fiona Relief

In response to the recent devastating events from Hurricane Fiona, Rise Against Hunger is preparing to send a container of medical aid to the Dominican Republic. The shipment will include emergency relief items such including antibiotics, prenatal vitamins, first aid supplies and hygiene supplies worth more than $4 million dollars to address the needs of the affected communities. 

We know Rise Against Hunger has quite a few programs for helping those in other countries but can you tell us more about some of the work being done locally here in the U.S.?

Rise Against Hunger opened its first office in the United States, and it remains the primary location with six global partner locations in India, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Italy and

South Africa. While we don’t have programs catering to U.S. communities, we do provide several engagement opportunities that enable people in the United States to get involved in our mission.

Thousands of supporters, known as Hunger Champions, serve as volunteers, donors and meal packaging event hosts each year. This work in the United States drives our impact internationally and mission to end global hunger.

What are some of the best ways for people to get involved and support Rise Against Hunger?

Rise Against Hunger offers several ways for people to get involved, all of which are key in Growing the Movement to end hunger:

• Hosting a Rise Against Hunger meal packaging event gives people a way to literally lend a hand to people facing hunger. At these events, volunteers package nutritious meals that are shipped to communities around the world.
• Donating to support communities around the world as they journey out of hunger.
• Spreading the word about what’s going on with your family, friends, and network. This can be a great way to get involved as you’re helping to spread awareness and encourage action for the critical issue of global hunger.

You can learn more about Rise Against Hunger and how to get involved at their website here.