Feeding the World One Montanan at a Time
April 25th, 2008 by KateOver the last few weeks, I have become increasingly alarmed by the effect that global commodity prices are having on the world’s people and governments. News that nations from Haiti to Senegal to Indonesia are facing serious shortages of basic staples like rice, corn and flour is deeply concerning. And international relief organizations like the World Food Program and USAID have reported that a global rise in food prices of almost 40-percent will lead to rationing, widespread hunger and political instability in many developing and developed nations.
Obviously, the problem of global food shortages raises uncomfortable questions about the ethics of using 20% of the world’s corn in biofuels and about how the rising cost of gasoline makes everything more expensive. But this post isn’t about energy policy, or about how corrupt governments squander international contributions with zero accountability. Instead, this post is about what you, yes you Virginia, can do to help alleviate some of the burden.
- To give directly to the nations most in need of food aid, while ensuring that your money will pay for food isntead of paper clips you can donate to Friends of the World Food Program. You can earmark money specifically for Haiti, or have it placed in a general fund and spent at the UN’s discretion. Even a little bit helps, a contribution as small as $30 buys roughly 75 meals.
- Contribute to economic growth and stability in the third world through micro-financing. Microcredit makes it possible people in the developing world to own small businesses which contributes to the success of their family, their community and their country. The donations are small (usually under $50), and the repayment rate on the loans is 98%. Some good options are Mercy Corps, and my personal favorite Kiva.org.
Another charity that provides a helping hand to individuals who need it is Heiffer International. Instead of giving money, you buy a cow, some ducks, a swarm of bees, or whatever barnyard creature strikes your fancy. Heiffer then gives these animals to small family farmers who milk the cow, sell the ducks and cultivate honey to make their living. Heiffer also makes a good gift for the Mom who has everything. My mom is getting little yellow duckies.
- If you prefer to keep your money in country, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The rising cost of food and fuel is also effecting American charities. Groups that feed the poor and homeless are reporting that contributions are drying up. And Meals on Wheels, a damn worthwhile charity, is suffering from rising food prices and a lack of volunteer drivers. So, consider donating your time to Meals on Wheels, writing a check to the soup kitchen or making a donation to the local food bank.
Stemming the rise in food costs will require long term political solutions on both a national and international scale, but those take time. And in the interim, I’m not willing to watch people starve. So, I’ll keep donating a little bit of my monthly paycheck and I hope you will too.
