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(HeathNewsDigest.com) – Hunger is a global health crisis. According to the State of Food Security in the World, 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – an increase of 10 million from 2018. When we imagine the face of hunger in the world, we may conjure up images of war-torn countries, refugeecamps, or homeless encampments. But today, the pandemic is changing the face of hunger, and food lines are packed with people who are our neighbors, friends, and co-workers. It is estimated that the global crisis will force over 130 million more people into chronic hunger this year. To help solve this massive health crisis, we must understand the pandemic’s impact on hunger and identify what we can do to support those who are facing food insecurity – many for the first time.
Northwestern University’s Institute for Policy Studies found that the pandemic roughly doubled food insecurity in the United States. The food assistance nonprofit Feeding America estimates that with many household finances decimated by the financial repercussions of the pandemic,, around 40% of people visiting food banks are first-time recipients of food assistance. Food insecurity occurs when people do not have enough food to lead a healthy life. While it is a devastating problem for adults, children suffer the most without adequate nutrition, resulting in medical, behavioral, and academic issues. During the pandemic, many children who rely on school meals to sustain their access to food, have gone hungry.
Nonprofit organizations are racing to fill the growing need for healthy food with food banks, funds, and supplies. Unfortunately, nonprofits
Corporations have the responsibility and opportunity to use their resources, supply chains, and products to do their part to support access to healthy food. As a global leader in nutrition, Herbalife Nutrition helps tackle the global challenges of hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition through its Nutrition for Zero Hunger initiative, and collaborates with leading nonprofit partners, such as Feed the Children and The Hunger Project. We’ve pledged $1 million to an Emergency Response Fund, which provides food and lifesaving support to people in need at the onset and during recovery from a disaster or emergency. Together with the Herbalife Nutrition Foundation, we partnered with Feed the Children to support U.S. food programs and services, targeting areas with significant needs due to school closures, which escalate food insecurity.
The pandemic has led to a sharp economic slowdown, with nearly 33 million people collecting unemployment benefits as of June 20. This number is five times the previous high of 6.6 million impacted during the Great Recession. During this global crisis, the face of hunger changes as economies sputter, layoffs loom, and food security becomes insecure. We can all pitch in to help in any way we can to support the numerous nonprofit organizations providing nourishment to the people who need it most.