Advancing Nutrition through Food Aid Reform
The United States has long been a global leader in responding to humanitarian emergencies. It is the world’s largest provider of food aid, primarily through the Food for Peace program. In 2016 alone, Food for Peace reached 64 million people in 56 countries with life-saving food assistance.
In its first 60 years, Food for Peace reached more than 3 billion people living with hunger. In addition to responding to hunger crises, Food for Peace seeks to prevent them. The program works with vulnerable populations, helping communities identify and address the major underlying causes of hunger and malnutrition so that families can, in the future, feed and nourish themselves.
The most important nutrition window in human life is the “1,000 days” between pregnancy and age 2. Nutritional deficiencies during this time have significant lifelong impacts on individuals, communities, and entire countries. Even short bouts of malnutrition can have irreversible effects.
Many of the people trapped in hunger crises are pregnant women, babies, and toddlers in the 1,000-day period. Thus, food assistance that includes nutritious food for pregnant women and young children is both a life-and-death matter for individuals and an economic imperative for countries.
Even short bouts of malnutrition can have irreversible effects
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Fact Sheet: Fortified for Life. How the U.S. Government Supports Global Nutrition.
Good nutrition is a critical part of ensuring that all human beings can use their bodies and minds to live an active life and reach their full potential.
Fact sheet: Why are families leaving Central America?
People who make the decision to leave home and come to the United States generally have few other options. Factors beyond their control have made their circumstances too hungry and violent for them to remain.
For Faith
Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
Dear Members of Congress,
As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...
In Times Like These … A Pan-African Christian Devotional for Public Policy Engagement
This devotional guide invites deepened relationship with and among Pan-African people and elected leaders in the mission to end hunger and poverty.
Sermon by David Beckmann at Duke University Chapel
Remarks delivered October 1, 2017 at Duke University Chapel in Chapel Hill in North Carolina.
Thank you for inviting me to preach here at Duke University Chapel. And I especially want to thank the Bread for the World members who have come this morning.
Bruce Puckett urged...
For Advocacy
U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.
Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2017
Unnecessarily long prison sentences, combined with the lack of rehabilitative programs for people in prison, exacerbate hunger, poverty, and existing inequalities.
Overly harsh mandatory minimum prison sentences have contributed to the rapid increase of our country’s prison population. The...