Statement from Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America
Feeding America’s position as the largest charity on this year’s Forbes Top 100 Charities is reflective of the urgent situation that continues to unfold in the U.S. where 1 in 7 people, including 1 in 5 children, live in food insecure households - a sharp increase compared to food insecurity rates during the pandemic. While headlines often report lower unemployment and an improved economy, hunger remains an urgent crisis. Food banks in the Feeding America network are reporting increased pressure due to decreasing food donations and fundraising since the height of the pandemic, while a growing number of people are experiencing food insecurity.
People with lived experience with hunger have shared with us that food insecurity does not happen in a vacuum. The cost of living, high-price housing and healthcare are among their key concerns, as demonstrated in our Elevating Voices: Insights report, and we are working alongside neighbors in communities across the country to help ensure people have the food they need to thrive today and to address root causes to end hunger for good.
Feeding America shares the same mission as many other organizations on the Forbes 100 list – flourishing communities. It is as important as ever for us to work together with the shared conviction that each person deserves the opportunity to thrive and to contribute positively to their community. We have seen solutions that work when we act together, and we have made progress in the movement to end hunger, yet significant work still needs to be done.
We can end hunger – for good - when we decide to work together alongside people facing hunger to deepen our commitment to building resilient communities and ensuring everyone has access to the food they need to thrive.
Contact
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About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
