Food insecurity around the world

Posted on August 29, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“Those who wish for a more peaceful, just and sustainable world are helping to make ending world hunger a major priority… Together we can end hunger.”

— Robert Alan Silverstein

That we, as a global community, could end world hunger is not a naïve notion. No, it is not as far-fetched as it seems, despite the daunting numbers and the amount of time, effort and resources needed to accomplish such a gargantuan task. As with any challenge of great magnitude, the reasonable approach is (and has been) to compartmentalize the problem into smaller, more manageable components. Since the whole is equal to (not lesser than or greater than ) the sum of its parts, each “part” (and, by extension, each of the subparts, and sub-subparts) can be (and have been) uniquely addressed. In this instance, the “parts” refer, of course, to the continents; the “subparts” are the countries, and “sub-subparts” are the cities, counties or communities. If it sounds simple enough, experience has taught us that the real bottleneck lies in the allocation and acquisition of the “time, effort and resources” required to eradicate the problem. Just how big a problem is it?

The Numbers:

According to The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization:

In 2010-2012, estimated that nearly 870 million people throughout the world (that’s one in eight people) suffer from chronic undernourishment and food insecurity.
an estimated 852 million live in developing countries; 16 million live in developed countries.
Asia and Pacific region: saw a 30% decrease (from 739M to 563M) in the number of undernourished people – due to socio-economic progress. <heatherfromthegrove: I believe that these numbers may increase by next year, as the recession makes its hasty way to Asia>
Latin America and the Caribbean: also saw a decrease, from 65M (1990-92) to 49M hungry (2010-2012).
Africa: by sharp contrast, saw a huge increase, from 175M to 239M hungry (one in four people are hungry).
In developed countries, the number increased from 13M (2004-6) to 16M (2010-12).

The Causes:

According to The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, there are five (5) principle causes of hunger:

Poverty.
Harmful/unstable economic and political systems.
Conflict (the influx of refugees from unstable, conflict-ridden regimes/countries).
Hunger (hunger causes physical and mental health issues which, in turn, bring on poverty – due to the inability to work or function properly; and this creates greater hunger).
Climate Change (drought, flooding, erratic climate patterns).

The Solutions:

According to Josette Sheeran, formerly the Executive Director (until her term ended in 2012) of the UN World Food Programme and now the Vice Chairman of the World Economic Forum, there are ten new approaches to eradicating world hunger:

Humanitarian action.
Provide free school meals.
Safety nets (for when disaster strikes or a food crisis occurs).
Connect farmers to markets.
Special focus on providing children under two years old with proper nutrition, to help them develop properly and give them fighting chance.
Empower women.
Technology is a powerful tool.
Building resiliency… against national disasters.
People power (individuals, partners, organizations, communities)
Accountability (countries’ political leaders make it their mission to ensure that no child (in their country) will die from hunger.

For a more comprehensive understanding of world hunger, please refer to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s report, The State of Food Insecurity in the World 2012.

Ending world hunger… an impossible dream, or an attainable reality?

You know where I stand.

From Aug 14-Sept 7, purchase a copy of Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, and for every $20 book purchased directly from my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either: Feeding America (US), Action Against Hunger (Canada), or The World Food Programme (Global). The purchaser chooses one of the three.

Image via blog.igt.com.

Hunger up north

Posted on August 27, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“Reducing household food insecurity, and the poverty that underlies it, is a win-win situation. It is a win for people facing low income, and for Canada as a whole. One does not need to look far to find many libraries worth of evidence that poverty is a key negative influence on health. Reducing low income leads to better health, which leads to higher levels of economic participation and lower costs related to health care and social services.”

— Food Banks Canada, Hunger Count 2012

Here is the hunger news from our northern neighbors, and my “Home and Native Land” …

The Numbers:

According to Food Banks Canada:

each month, 882,188 Canadians need to rely on food banks to feed their families
31% more Canadians rely on food banks now, than before the recession
over one third are children and teens
14% of the elderly Canadian population who live alone, are impoverished
3.2 million Canadians live in poverty

The Solutions:

Food Banks Canada recommends some small policy changes that will help rectify some of the root causes of hunger and poverty:

make housing more affordable, and therefore more attainable
increase social investment in Northern Ontario
make pensions more adequate for the seniors who are impoverished, and who are experiencing food insecurity, as well as health issues
invest in good quality, support-intensive social assistance programs
address the issue of the decline in well-paying jobs

For more solutions, itemized in the Say No To Hunger campaign petition(sponsored by Food Banks Canada), go to:

http://www.saynotohunger.ca/SayNoToHunger/Our-Solution.aspx

Canadians, you may want to consider signing the petition!

A tribute to the unsung heroes who help others

Posted on August 26, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one.”

— Mother Teresa

They don’t have the power of money or celebrity to back them up. Nor do they receive any payment or compensation for what they do. Self-gratification is not their ulterior motive.

They are simply ordinary people who do extraordinary things… to help others − for no other reason than love and respect for humanity.

These are the people who…

… save their leftover food from their restaurant meal, so they may give it to the person standing outside… that hungry person who’s seen better times but who, for one reason or another, finds himself down and out.

… volunteer their time to work in community outreach programs.

… make daily visits to elderly neighbors who live alone, just to make sure that they are okay and to give them a little caregiving and companionship.

… regularly help out at the food banks and missions.

… notice that an exhausted single mother, trying to do it all, may need a little assistance with carpooling, babysitting, or a few ready-made meals that she can freeze and reheat later.

… sense that a friend may be going through hard times, and invite him/her over for dinner each week.

… teach their children kindness and empathy towards others.

The list is endless.

These are the people who, although not labeled as “activists”, are quietly making a difference in the lives of others.

One person at a time.

Image (of hands) via mysuccessprinciples.com.

The “Golden Years” are not always so golden

Posted on August 23, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

Unless one’s heart is made of stone, most can agree that the reality of child hunger is a heartbreaking and very unpalatable pill to swallow.

Human existence is cyclical. We begin life as children who depend on parents or family members for our food, our living conditions, and our sense of well-being and worth.

As we move towards the last chapter of our lives, our health and frailty make it impossible to survive without depending on our children, family members, or community − for our food, our living conditions, and our sense of well-being and continued worth.

The golden years are supposed to be a time in life when we, who have worked so hard and who have taken care of so many, earn the right to kick back, relax and enjoy the company of loving family and friends, as they surround us with their affection and care.

Sadly, this is not everyone’s reality. Many seniors are left to cope alone. Many have to juggle with decisions like whether to eat or pay the utility bills, whether to eat or pay for medication, and whether to eat or pay the rent.

As I mentioned earlier, human existence is cyclical.

Unless one’s heart is made of stone, most can agree that the reality of senior hunger is a heartbreaking and very unpalatable pill to swallow.

I’ll leave you with some sobering statistics, cited by the folks at Feeding America. Next week, I will be taking a virtual hunger tour around the world because, as we all know, hunger has no geographic boundaries.

According to Feeding America,

“The number of older adults is projected to increase by 36% over the next decade and continue to rise in the following decade. In 2030 there will be 72.1 million older adults, almost twice as many as in 2008. Additionally, the senior population is becoming increasingly diverse. Between 2010 and 2030, the white population of 65 and plus is projected to increase by 59% compared with 160% of older minorities.”

“These changing demographics will have profound impacts on the demand for social services, especially the need for adequate and culturally appropriate nutrition services. Seniors may have unique nutritional needs and challenges that separate them from the rest of the population and must be considered.”

“In 2011, 4.8 million Americans over the age of 60 were food insecure. This constitutes 8.4% of all seniors. “

“The number of food insecure seniors is projected to increase by 50% when the youngest of the Baby Boom Generation reaches age 60 in 2025.”

From Aug 14-Sept 7, purchase a copy of Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, and for every $20 book purchased directly from my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either: Feeding America (US), Action Against Hunger (Canada), or The World Food Programme (Global). The purchaser chooses one of the three.

Image (at the very top) via mycarforcharity.com.

The economics of fighting hunger

Posted on August 22, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“Investment in the eradication of hunger today is a good business decision. If we fail to make this investment, it is
doubtful that we can sustain healthy economic growth. Without this investment, our nation may disintegrate into a
country sharply divided between those who have enough to eat and those who do not.”
— Alan G. Hassenfeld, Chair & CEO of Hasbro, Inc.

If the humanitarian reasons for fighting hunger are not convincing enough, let me put an economic spin on it, by breaking the issue down to dollars and cents.

According to a recent Hunger in America report prepared by the Center for American Progress and Brandeis University, “Hunger costs our nation at least $167.5 billion due to the combination of lost economic productivity per year, more expensive public education because of the rising costs of poor education outcomes, avoidable health care costs, and the cost of charity to keep families fed.”

The hunger bill directly affects every American citizen and resident. Oh, it’s not a bill per se. The costs are embedded in our taxes and in the contributions we pay to charities. Our nation’s economy is heavily weighed down by the cost of hunger, spending upwards of $94 billion dollars a year, in federal food assistance programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as “food stamps”).

As the middle-class progressively disappears below the poverty line, the drain on our economy worsens.

Hunger adversely affects our bottom line.

Yet, even big corporate executives realize that the eradication of hunger is not simply an issue of economics, but a more fundamental problem of justice, equality, and humanity.

“America is the richest country in the world. And yet tonight, thousands of your neighbors will go to bed hungry.
It may be your child’s schoolmate who is undernourished and has difficulty learning on an empty stomach.
Or it could be a co-worker, a working mother whose low-wage job doesn’t make ends meet.
Perhaps it’s an elderly neighbor who has to make a decision whether to delay filling a prescription or buying groceries.
The faces of hunger are as broad as the faces of America.”
— David Nasby, retired vice president of General Mills (one of the world’s largest food companies)

Image (at very top) via Emmaushouse.org.

And then there’s Hope

Posted on August 21, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“They thought that attending the baptism of their friend’s baby daughter would be a welcome and much-needed distraction. For one afternoon, they could put all their troubles aside and partake in a joyous and blessed occasion. In the last two years, life had been spiraling out of control. Food and money were scarce. They had lost their car. They had nearly lost their home. They needed something to grasp on to. They needed a little hope. And so, they thought that participating in a young child’s first Sacrament would remind them of all things good — purity, innocence, new beginnings… Faith.

They gathered up what little cash they had ($58) to pay for the train and taxi that they would have to take. What would have taken them half an hour by car was going to be a three-hour transit ordeal (there was no public bus route in the area they were traveling to). They dressed up in their Sunday best and began their journey. When they got off the train, there were no taxis in sight. The afternoon heat and humidity was making their clothes stick to their bodies. They realized that they may have to walk for at least an hour or so, if they didn’t find a taxi. They would miss the Baptism. They began to walk and then spotted a cab parked nearby, hidden by a big tree. The driver was standing by the car. He was a small, wiry man with dark, wrinkled skin, grey hair and white teeth. But it was his hazel eyes that caught their attention. Or, rather, what his eyes conveyed. Old eyes (although he didn’t look more than 50) — eyes that had seen much and learned much. They had one of those déja-vu moments where they felt that they had met him before, that they knew him and he knew them. But, they hadn’t. He asked them if he could drive them anywhere. They nodded and asked how much it would cost to get to their destination. The driver said “$48.” They told him that they only had $38 left (not enough for either the taxi fare or tip). They had spent $20 on two return train tickets and were hoping to get a lift back (from friends) to the train station, after the Baptism party. The driver looked at them kindly and said, “$38 will be fine.” They were elated and hopped into the air-conditioned cab

They exchanged pleasantries and names. The driver’s name was Mohammed. He was from Pakistan and had come to America to make a better life for his siblings, wife and children. He hadn’t always been a taxi driver. Like everyone else, he had been adversely affected by the economic downturn. He worked long shifts to pay for his children’s’ tuition. He had put his sister through medical school. Education, according to Mohammed, was the key to freedom and empowerment. They agreed. He went on to say that “Faith is what helps us to put one foot in front of the other and carry on, day after day, despite the troubles looming all around us.” And he looked into their eyes from the rear-view mirror. Everyone was silent for the rest of the ride.

When they arrived at the church, Mohammed got out and opened the door for them. They shook his hand, thanked him, and once again apologized that they could only give him $38. He brushed their apologies aside and said “Enjoy your blessed event and the company of your friends. Leave your worries at the door.” With that, he went into his car and drove away. Feeling uplifted, they smiled at each other and walked, hand-in-hand, into the church.”

― from the vignette “Faith, a Powerful Tonic” – Casualties of the (Recession) Depression, by Heather Joan Marinos

(Copyright © 2013-2018 by Heather Joan Marinos – All Rights Reserved)

This is not fiction. This book is about real people and their stories – in vignette form.

Hope comes to us in many guises. The important thing is that we recognize it when it does.

I’m not going to add much more, because I think that the story speaks for itself. Despite all of the domino negative effects that this Recession has had on millions of families – not only in America, but around the world – there is always Hope.

This is not a cliché. I can personally vouch for the authenticity of what I am saying.

Image (at the very top) via thelifeweshared.com.

The value of a book with a local story, but a global message

Posted on August 19, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“The day that hunger is eradicated from the earth there will be the greatest spiritual explosion the world has ever known. Humanity cannot imagine the joy that will burst into the world.”

— Federico Garcia Lorca, Spanish poet

Although Casualties of the (Recession) Depression is about middle-class America, the experiences narrated in this book, along with the issue of recession, hunger, joblessness, homelessness… are experiences and issues that have no geographic boundaries. They are global. Especially in today’s world economy. Therefore, this book is applicable everywhere. As I write on the front cover: “They could be you. They could be me. They could be anyone.”

Regarding the book promotion I’ve been posting about, here’s who will find added value to buying a copy of Casualties of the (Recession) Depression:

Civics and humanities students/teachers – this book would be perfect suggested reading for the class.
If you are involved with your own organizations, in the fight for hunger, this book would be a good one to use as collateral material for your cause(s).
If you are in government, this book would be good reference/collateral material for your political platform and/or constituency.
If you are involved in your religious community and work with community outreach programs, to fight hunger and homelessness, this would be a good book to raise awareness in your congregation/religious programs.
If you work in the field of hospital administration, social work or advocacy, this book would be an interesting (and valuable) reference to have.

Please feel free to share this blog with others.

Thank You!

Image (eye) via teachthought.com (photo attribute – Flickr/irargerich).

Action Against Hunger, Action Contre La Faim

Posted on August 18, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“It is an eternal obligation toward the human being not to let him suffer from hunger when one has the chance of coming to his assistance.”

— Simone Weil

Please Note:

The Canadian non-profit organization, Action Against Hunger/Action Contre La Faim (Canada) has been added to the list of organizations (Feeding America and The World Food Programme) that I will be sponsoring with my book promotion.

I’ve updated this site, to include a “Humanitarian Efforts” tab. Please click on the tab on the top menu bar, and have a look…

All the best,

Heather

Image via reachingneighbors.org.

Book Promotion “Help Fight Hunger” Launches Today

Posted on August 14, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

As mentioned in yesterday’s post, I decided to launch a 3½-week Help Fight Hunger campaign – beginning today (August 14) and ending on Saturday, September 7, 2013, at 5:00 PM (EDT) — For every $20 book purchased directly from my website, I will be donating $5 from the proceeds of each book sale to either Feeding America or The World Food Programme (the purchaser chooses).

All too often, we waste food — sometimes without giving a second thought to whether or not the person sitting next to us may be living in a food insecure household. An alarming number of middle-class families are now, for the first time, experiencing what it is like to be hungry. Their stories will break your heart. Their stories will make you want to kneel down, bow your head and say a prayer of thanks for the food on your table, for being spared the suffering, despair, and indignity of being hungry.

Below is a vignette from my book, Casualties of the (Recession) Depression. This is a true story.

“Young and Hungry“

“He sat in the coffee shop, his fingers restlessly turning the pages of his textbook. He had been there for three and a half hours, nursing a cup of coffee. “Thank God for free refills!” – he thought to himself. He was trying hard to focus on the words in front of him, willing the gurgling in his empty stomach to go away. His hands were slightly shaky. He could smell the toasted ham and cheese sandwich that someone was eating at a nearby table. Freshly baked bread had just come out of the oven and the lady behind the counter was stacking the loaves on the shelf. His mouth started to water and he felt dizzy. He willed himself to block it all out. Two more hours passed by.

It was closing time. The coffee shop lady was rushing to close up. She grabbed all the leftover loaves of bread (two were left), bagels (all seven of them), and two donuts – and threw them roughly into a big garbage can, which she wheeled into the back room. He swallowed, throat dry. A tear escaped from the corner of his eye. He was too proud to ask. And the coffee shop lady didn’t see, nor would she probably have given him a second thought if she had. He clenched his jaw and grimly packed his book into his bag.

He glanced once at the lady behind the counter. Her face was blank when she looked back at him. Oblivious. She tapped her fingers on the glass, impatient to close the lights.

He left quietly, not looking back. He wondered whether things would get better after he graduated from college. He wasn’t so sure.”

Casualties of the (Recession) Depression – Copyright © 2013 by Heather Joan Marinos. All Rights Reserved.

Help Fight Hunger.

Drop by www.heatherjoanmarinos.com.

Image (of young man) via abcradionewsonline.com (Jupiterimages/Thinkstock).

The Intricate Web of Book Publicity, from the Author’s Perspective

Posted on August 1, 2013 by heatherfromthegrove

“A new book is just like any new product, like a detergent. You have to acquaint people with it. They have to know it’s there. You only get to be number one when the public knows about you.”
— Jacqueline Susann

For many authors, the mere idea of self-promotion fills them with dread, discomfort and distaste (the alliteration… not intentional). I was of the same mindset and so, recently, I approached a seasoned publicist and asked him how he would go about selling my book. Aghast, he said “I can’t promise book sales, only exposure.”

“E-x-p-o-s-u-r-e,” I repeated, speaking the word slowly, trying to digest its ramifications.

Sensing my skepticism, he went on to assure me that with the right exposure (which would entail a lot of dog and pony shows on radio/TV, book events and, of course, a social media blitz), my book will likely garner enough publicity that will eventually translate to sales. Note: the only word I heard was “eventually.”

In my naïveté, I (like Kevin Costner, in the movie “Field of Dreams”) truly believed that:

“If you build it, they will come.”

I thanked the publicist for his words of wisdom and decided to develop and implement a publicity plan for myself, starting with social media. Everyday, I learn something new. This wealth of knowledge will serve me well in the long run and, each week, I’ll be sharing some of my insights with all of you who may have a book, a product or a service to market. Perhaps it will be helpful. I hope so.

A few days ago, I launched a Facebook Page for my book, Casualties of the (Recession) Depression. I’m reserving judgment on this social media avenue, since it’s only been “live” for four days. Too soon to tell. Please drop by and let me know what you think. I sincerely welcome all feedback. At the top right sidebar of this blog, you’ll see the tally of “Likes” on the FB page. Hopefully, the number will increase exponentially.

I’ll sign off for now. I need to go and search through my pile of DVDs for Field of Dreams. Suddenly, I feel a bit nostalgic.

heatherfromthegrove

a writer's musings…

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