Newsweek Oped on Halloween and Feeding the Hungry

The National Retail Federation says Halloween spending on candy and costumes will reach 9.1 billion this year.

To put that in perspective, the U.S. Food for Peace program, which fights world hunger, normally gets around 1.5 billion in funding a year.

The U.S. McGovern-Dole program, which feeds hungry school children overseas, might get 200
million a year from Congress.

Now imagine if even just a portion of that 9.1 billion from Halloween went to feed the hungry. The ghost of Halloween’s past tells us it can.

See my full commentary at Newsweek.

A Plan for Helping Syrian Refugee Children

Last summer in the New York Times I wrote about the importance of school meals for children victimized by the war in Syria. We can do so much more for them, as we did for children in Europe and Asia affected by World War II.

Lebanon is one of the main countries where Syrians have fled to during the last five years of civil war. But once the refugees arrive they face all kinds of challenges just to have the basics of food and shelter. They have little or no resources.

Read my full commentary at The Huffington Post.

A Holiday Gift for Hungry Children

It is the right of all children to grow up with food and education. Yet so many go without. But if we can give children worldwide a holiday gift, why not let it be school meals for the New Year.

See my  commentary at The Huffington Post.

Central African Republic gets early holiday gift

The Central African Republic (CAR) just received an early holiday gift that will benefit hungry children and farmers. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said on Friday that Germany, the United States and Japan had donated to support the Purchase for Progress plan in the CAR.

Read the full article at Examiner.

School feeding project gets boost in Myanmar

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) today announced an expansion in their school feeding project in Myanmar. Over 227,000 children will now be receiving food at school.

Along with the Ministry of Education, WFP will provide daily snacks of high-energy biscuits, which are vitamin enriched. The biscuits will be distributed in schools located in areas with high hunger rates.

Read the full article at Examiner:

Malawi determined to build home-grown school feeding

Just recently the WFP director, Ertharin Cousin, visited Malawi to see how the agency’s relief programs are helping. One of the biggest WFP relief programs is school feeding.

Read the full article at Examiner.

A Simple Step Toward Gender Equality

Last year U.N. goodwill ambassador Emma Watson, in a stirring speech, launched the HeForShe movement for gender equality. Watson called for action, not just talk, in support of girls’ rights.

Read the full article at the The Huffington Post.

International School Meals Day: From the U.S., Central African Republic to Syria

On Thursday, March 5, we can all celebrate International School Meals Day. Food for education matters whether here in the United States or in lands far away.

Read the full article at The Huffington Post. 

International School Meals Day coming in March

International School Meals Day will be celebrated on Thursday, March 5th this year. The event seeks to “raise awareness of the hunger and poverty issues being addressed through school feeding programmes (programs)” worldwide.

Read the full article at Examiner.

Good news for refugee children from the Central African Republic

A bit of hope for refugee children from the Central African Republic.

Read the article at Examiner.

Japan helps Yemen's school children

Japan knows something about the importance of school meals for children. During its own rebuilding after World War II, Japanese children received food from the United States.

Read the full article at Examiner.