Charities that Fight Hunger

Well, here I am blogging away on my laptop from my villa in Mexico. My husband and I left on Sunday to come here and we are really glad we did, despite the worries about the flu epidemic. The villa we stay at is in a small, gated community in the province of Nayarit. Other than being the most beautiful place I have ever stayed at, the fact that this community is so isolated gives us peace of mind that we are safe. (You can go to the villa’s website here dreamvillamexico.com if you would like to see pictures or get booking info.)

When so many of us are spending money to lose weight, it makes sense to also help support charities that combat hunger and improve the lives of others.

Whenever I travel to countries that are less developed than the U.S. I am often overwhelmed with a feeling of guilt. How is it that some of us can have so much and never be happy with what we have, when so many other people in the world have so much less and seem content. I also feel terrible about my own tendencies to indulge and overeat when there are so many millions of people in the world who are starving. It is a really difficult thing to wrap my brain around. So many of us are spending countless dollars on foods, pills and programs to help us eat less and lose weight, meanwhile people in our world are starving. As someone who struggles to lose weight because I have too much, I can’t help feeling embarrassed about my predicament and lack of action to help others who are not as fortunate.

Of all the benefits of travel outside of my own country, I think the one I grow to appreciate the most is how it opens my eyes to how other people are living in our world. Many of us become so engrossed in our own lives that we fail to look outwards and seek ways to help others. For this reason, today, because I realize that I have so much and should be giving back much more, I would like to explore some charities that fight hunger.

There are few things in the world worse than watching a child or an animal suffer. Abuse aside, hunger is probably the biggest problem that these children and animals must endure. We know there are many charities that help save animals and make sure they have the food that they need, but how much do you know about charities that fight hunger for children and adults alike? There are many, and they do a good job with what they have. If you are considering donating to a cause in the future, fighting hunger is certainly a very important one.

Save the Children is one of the largest charities that fight hunger and has been around for a very long time. With this charity, you can make a straight donation or you can sponsor a child for a set price. Save the Children is very honest about where their money is going, which can help you rest easy about where your donation is going to go. They state on their web site that 90 percent goes towards their programs with the other ten percent going towards administrative and fund raising needs. That is a great ratio for a charity.

Christian Children’s Fund is something like Save the Children in that you can make a donation of any amount, or you can pay to fund a specific child for a set price. You can do both too. This organization has a good background and a good history. Their ratio for funds is a bit different, however. About 83 percent goes to programs while the remaining goes towards fund raising and management of the charity – as stated on their web site. That does not mean they are a bad charity, it just means they use more money to raise funds and run the charity than Save the Children does.

Share Our Strength is a charity that helps feed children and families in America. Many do not realize how many children within the US are hungry, as are their parents and neighbors. This charity sponsors many great events to raise money to feed the hungry, and will accept straight donations through their web site. They have many partners in American commerce to help with with their goals.

Remember that because the economy is in recession at the moment, more families are losing jobs, going hungry, and relying on food stamps for meals. Even though you may not worry about having food on your table, your neighbour many not be so lucky. One in ten families needs help with food and these charities that fight hunger do what they can, but they can not do everything. There are other great charities out there, and you can always find some in your local area to help kids and families in your immediate neighborhood if you feel your money is best spent in that direction. Also, there are places that you can make donations of food, such as the Food Bank.  Just check to see if the charity is legitimate first and then give what you can.