Impacts of Food Donations
Hunger is a problem that affects the entire world, but it is also a problem that needs to be addressed at home. A Hunger in America study shows that one in eight Americans relies on donated food. About 76 percent of families that use donated food do not know where their next meal is coming from. By donating food, you can make a direct impact on a person's life within your own community or abroad.
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Survival
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For many people, the food obtained from soup kitchens or food banks means their very survival. The same can be said about the food shipments that are sent overseas as part of campaigns to fight hunger, or the packages that are delivered as aid during times of natural disasters. The donation of food by those who have food and money to spare is simply the most direct way of reaching out to those in hunger and making sure that they can survive.
Business Perspective
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The amount of food that is wasted by businesses, especially by those in the food industries, is enormous. As an example, look at the food waste in Portland, Ore., a moderately sized city. In that region, there are 180,000 tons of food put into landfills every single year according to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. Businesses have to pay for waste disposal, and this means that they are basically paying to throw away food that they bought. This can be fought by donating the food. Always consult with your lawyer or tax expert, but in most cases businesses can receive a tax deduction when they donate food rather than throw it away. This offers businesses considerable financial gain, as well as the ability to help out those in need in their city.
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Feeding America
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Feeding America is an overseeing organization that administers a network of more than 200 food banks across the nation. As the largest single organization that manages food donations within the U.S., a look at their numbers can show how critical food donations are to the survival of the people of this country. More than 37 million people receive food from Feeding America associated food banks. Of that number, a full 14 percent are children. From 2006 to 2010, the organization recorded a 27 percent increase in the number of people who needed food. Without the donations of businesses and private citizens, those millions of people could go hungry.
United Nations World Food Program
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While the importance of fighting hunger at home can not be overstated, it is also important to recognize the role that developed and prosperous nations play in feeding countries stricken by disaster or poverty. The WFP fed more than 90 million people across 73 countries in 2010. Food donations allow these types of organizations to help countries rebuild after massive disasters that could otherwise leave people totally unable to feed themselves. WFP programs quickly respond to disasters to make sure that survivors have the food they need while they rebuild, such as after the massive earthquake that struck Haiti in 2010.
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