As the edge of hunger grows sharper for millions of people around the world, it’s incumbent on Congress to Boost and expand the Global Food Security Act (GFSA).
An escalating hunger crisis demonstrates the grave state of global food insecurity. The effects of climate change, COVID-19, soaring food costs, and conflict are sending about 828 million people to bed hungry tonight. Roughly 50 million people in 45 countries are facing extreme hunger.
GFSA is designed to help prevent hunger emergencies–and, by coincidence, is due for a five-year reauthorization before expiring next year. Surely, the current crisis demands a stronger GFSA–yet legislation introduced in the US House would maintain the status quo.
Preventing hunger crises
Knowing that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, the late Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) first introduced the Global Food Security Act in December 2008, in response to a hunger crisis of that time. He and other early champions–including Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN), and Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA)–believed that the US response to hunger emergencies should involve saving lives in the short-term while also empowering local communities abroad to prevent hunger and beat poverty through agricultural development.
The bill finally became law in 2016 with an authorization of $1 billion per year. It is the primary authority behind USAID’s Feed the Future program.
Results from the initiative are encouraging. Partnerships and investment in farmers (especially women and smallholders) have boosted productivity, improved climate resiliency, and increased incomes in Feed the Future’s target countries.
Yet it is a limited program, with only twelve target countries in 2022. A temporary expansion has been announced, but this is dependent on supplemental funds, and could be a short venture without a greater funding authorization in the new GFSA. Lasting agricultural development requires time and commitment.
Empowering countries to feed people
Today’s overwhelming need, paired with the program’s potential, should have set the stage for, as former World Food Program Director Jim Morris has requested, “an ambitious expansion of GFSA to add more countries, so they can feed their [own] people despite threats from mother nature and foreign war.” Along with other NGOs, Oxfam recommends that funding be increased to $2 billion per year.
Equally, years of experience should have set the stage for a GFSA reauthorization that builds on lessons learned to increase effectiveness: prioritize women, climate adaptation, local ownership, and transparency.
This is why the initial GFSA reauthorization text in the House (H.R. 8446) is profoundly disappointing. Instead of an ambitious expansion, the bill would cut funding when adjusted for inflation (since 2016); it only moves the authorization from $1 billion to $1.1 billion per year. Instead of clearly mandating climate adaptation, the word “climate” is absent. Opportunities to better lift up women and local ownership are also missed.
Oxfam believes in Feed the Future and GFSA, imperfect though they may be; today’s hunger crisis would be even worse without them.
Time to demand a stronger, more strategic effort on hunger
While we know that the legislative process almost always involves compromise (as was true for the original GFSA), the truth is that H.R. 8446 currently falls far too short--especially in the context of a severe hunger crisis with no end in sight.
Thousands of Oxfam supporters advocated for years until the bill was passed in 2016. Nearly 33,000 people have signed a petition to Congress calling for an ambitious expansion of GFSA. We are committed to work with Congress to ensure the final bill is appropriate to the moment: with increased funding, improved priorities, and a stronger mandate.
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Take action: Sign onto our petition today.
The United Nations had been hoping for the first ship to leave Ukraine’s Odesa port with grain bound for global markets on Thursday, but procedural details for safe passage are still being worked out, the organization's chief aid coordinator said Thursday.
Martin Griffiths, UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, helped broker a deal between Kyiv and Moscow — signed in Istanbul — to facilitate vital grain exports from Ukrainian Black Sea ports to avoid a global hunger crisis.
“Getting the procedures is an essential precondition to safe movements of ships. So it's no surprise that we haven't seen a ship move yet," he told reporters in New York on Thursday.
“We had been hoping to see that happen, even today or tomorrow. But we can only see that happen safely," he said.
He noted that the parties need to get the exact location of safe passage corridors “absolutely nailed down,” adding “I think we'll see this very quickly.”
“It has to do with what are the exact coordinates of the channels,” he continued. “There's a general reference in the agreement. We need exact coordinates of the channels.”
Even still, Griffiths hailed the agreement, which swiftly saw the opening of a Joint Coordination Center in Istanbul, as “the most rapid stand up of an operation that I can think of” in his experience at the UN.
Russia’s attack on Odesa on Saturday, the day after the deal was signed, was “a reminder that we had no time to waste,” he added.
Also delaying the exports is the commercial side of the operation, as there is “a lot of detail that's necessary to share” with shipping and insurance companies, he continued.
“This is as much about price as it is about availability of food [...] if ships move without the right procedures to approving those movements, then they are at risk. And the commercial sector would be right not to wish to move," Griffiths said.
“My information on the commercial viability of it from colleagues in Istanbul is consistently that there is an appetite for this and there is at a reasonable price," he continued.
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) – Southeastern Grocers Inc. and the SEG Gives Foundation are offering something called the “Break from Hunger” meal.
The meal is going to be available at three different grocery stores including Winn-Dixie.
According to Southeastern Grocers Inc, “Now through Labor Day, customers and associates ages 17 and younger can purchase a specially prepared “Student Summer Lunch Pack” meal box at any Winn-Dixie deli department for only $2.”
One dollar from each purchase will then go to Feeding America.
The end goal for Southeastern Grocers Inc, is to “donate the equivalent of one million meals to the community.”
So what will be in the meal boxes?
Southeastern Grocers Inc, says the meal box will contain “either a ham or turkey sandwich, chips, a fresh fruit item and a bottle of water.”
Before going to your local Winn-Dixie, make sure they are participating in this program.
Click here to find the Winn-Dixie located closest to you.
Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer of Southeastern Grocers, said, “The challenges that our communities have faced during these past few years have magnified the struggle of many families to feed their children during the summer months. Through our ‘Break from Hunger’ program and continued partnership with Feeding America, we aim to provide children with the nutritious food they need for a healthy life. We want to do everything we can to get food on the tables of our neighbors who need a helping hand – now more than ever.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 28, 2022--
Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, together with the SEG Gives Foundation, has launched a new “Break from Hunger” program to provide accessible, healthy meal options to ensure no child goes hungry. Now through Labor Day, customers and associates ages 17 and younger can purchase a specially prepared “Student Summer Lunch Pack” meal box at any Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie deli department for only $2 1.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220728006083/en/
Southeastern Grocers' new “Break from Hunger” program provides accessible, healthy meal options to customers and associates ages 17 and younger, and can be purchased at any Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie deli department for only $2 . (Photo: Business Wire)
According to Feeding America®, 1 in 6 children across the United States may experience food insecurity 2. As the back-to-school season approaches, it is crucial to help alleviate this issue as insufficient nutrition can damage a child’s growth and development and can negatively impact their ability to thrive in academic and social situations 3.
Offering the “Student Summer Lunch Packs” at a low cost through its “Break from Hunger” program allows SEG to expand its support for combating hunger in the Southeast and provide relief to customers at a time most needed. The nourishing meal boxes will include either a ham or turkey sandwich, chips, a fresh fruit item and a bottle of water. Customers can simply request a “Student Summer Lunch Pack” from the deli at any local Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket or Winn-Dixie store. The SEG Gives Foundation will also donate $1 to Feeding America for each purchase of a “Break from Hunger” meal with the goal to donate the equivalent of one million meals 4 into the community in partnership with Feeding America network food banks.
Raymond Rhee, Chief People Officer of Southeastern Grocers, said, “The challenges that our communities have faced during these past few years have magnified the struggle of many families to feed their children during the summer months. Through our ‘Break from Hunger’ program and continued partnership with Feeding America, we aim to provide children with the nutritious food they need for a healthy life. We want to do everything we can to get food on the tables of our neighbors who need a helping hand – now more than ever.”
The five Southeastern states SEG serves, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi, rank among the top 20 for highest child poverty rates in the country with three states falling within the top five 5. These disheartening numbers highlight a critical need, and SEG is committed to partnering with organizations that focus on creating equitable, long-term solutions to food insecurity.
SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation remain steadfast in their commitment to giving back to local communities in great times of need. Recently, the grocer and its charitable arm donated $140,000 to seven Feeding America network food banks in the Southeast to directly help fund hunger-relief initiatives. Additionally, last year alone, SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation donated more than $700,000 back into local communities to help alleviate food insecurity.
About Southeastern Grocers
Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company and home of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, is one of the largest conventional supermarket companies in the U.S. SEG grocery stores, liquor stores and in-store pharmacies serve communities throughout the five southeastern states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi. Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie are well-known and well-respected regional brands with deep heritages, strong neighborhood ties, proud histories of giving back, talented and caring associates and strong commitments to providing the best possible quality and value to customers. For more information, visit www.frescoymas.com, www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.
About SEG Gives Foundation
SEG Gives Foundation is the charitable arm of Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), parent company of Fresco y Más, Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores. The SEG Gives Foundation aligns giving with causes that are priorities to the communities SEG serves, including the fight against hunger, support for military service members and their families, relief to those affected by extreme weather and natural disasters and championing belonging, inclusion and diversity by combating social injustice to bridge the gap of inequities faced by many individuals, families and communities. Southeastern Grocers strives to be ingrained in its communities and, through the SEG Gives Foundation, better the lives of its customers and neighbors.
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 6.6 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and Boost 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.
1 One meal per child per day
2Feeding America: 2022 Map the Meal Gap
3Feeding America: Facts about child hunger in America
4 $1 helps to provide at least 10 meals secured by Feeding America® on behalf of local member food banks.
5 According to 24/7 Wall St report using data from the U.S. Census Bureau
View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220728006083/en/
CONTACT: For SEG interviews or images contact:
Meredith Hurley
Director, Public Relations and Community
Cell: (904) 612-9441
KEYWORD: GEORGIA LOUISIANA FLORIDA ALABAMA MISSISSIPPI UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA
INDUSTRY KEYWORD: MEN FUND RAISING HISPANIC FOUNDATION PHILANTHROPY FAMILY CONSUMER WINE & SPIRITS SUPERMARKET OTHER PHILANTHROPY FOOD/BEVERAGE RETAIL WOMEN PARENTING CONVENIENCE STORE CHILDREN BABY/MATERNITY
SOURCE: Southeastern Grocers Inc.
Copyright Business Wire 2022.
PUB: 07/28/2022 06:28 PM/DISC: 07/28/2022 06:28 PM
MINSK, 19 July (BelTA) – Hunger and food deficit do not threaten Belarus, economic analyst Georgy Grits said on the air of the ONT TV channel, BelTA informs.
According to him, the share of domestically made products on Belarusian store shelves reaches 90% across some food commodities. “I think that Belarus will not even face a shortage of foodstuffs, to say nothing of hunger,” Georgy Grits emphasized. “The growing number of billionaires and their net worth that expanded more than 10 times over the past two years of the pandemic suggests that the problem is not about the availability of resources, but about their fair distribution. It was the West that created this artificial deficit of resources. The cost of energy resources, fertilizers increased. This is the reason for malnutrition that has hit hard developing countries,” he said.
The expert cited the events in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Pakistan as an example. “The question is: what to do? The United Nations estimates that it would take at least $300 billion to end global hunger. However, this is only half the problem. It is necessary to change the way the agricultural industry works in favor of rational use of natural resources. Belarus has achieved a lot in this field and has turned into a big exporter of agricultural products due to the consistent and long-term agriculture support program,” the economist concluded.
On December 5, the New York Rangers hosted their annual "Garden of Dreams Night" to raise awareness of the Garden of Dreams Foundation and to help make dreams come true for children facing obstacles.
Throughout the evening, Garden of Dreams programming was a focal point of all areas of the game presentation and allowed for many children to enjoy once-in-a-lifetime opportunities at MSG.
The night kicked off with the Children’s Aid Society Chorus singing both the Canadian and National Anthem as the Rangers were getting set to face off against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Following the anthems, Giovanni Sheppard from the Children’s Aid Society dropped the puck for the ceremonial face-off with Ryan Callahan and then the game was underway.
Groups of children from the Uniformed Firefighters Association, Children’s Aid Society and the Steven & Alexander Cohen Children’s Medical Center were able to watch the game from a catered suite and received visits from Rangers alumni.During the first television timeout in the first period, the kids had the thrill of being welcomed on GardenVision, a moment they surely will remember for the rest of their lives. In addition, the children were entertained between periods in the suites by a magician and a caricaturist.
As a part of the night’s activities, Aurora Ismali, from the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Connecticut, served as an honorary in-arena host, Angel Jackson, from Children’s Aid Society, was afforded the chance to be an honorary Blue Crew member, Anthony Griffith, from SCO Family of Services, showed off his skills as a guest musician and Jose Ramos, from Children’s Aid Society, was an honorary stick kid for the team that night. Tyler Mejordo, from Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, even got to serve as guest PA announcer for the Rangers, welcoming the fans to the matchup between the Blueshirts and the Leafs. Children also enjoyed Zamboni rides prior to puck drop and during the intermissions.
Rangers fans also showed their support for the Foundation that night by contributing to the Annual Coat Drive. Co-branded giveaway items, including hockey glove key chains and pens, were distributed to all fans that donated a new or gently-used coat as they entered the arena.
Altogether, it was a feel-good evening for the Rangers, who despite being defeated by the Maple Leafs 4-2, were proud to brighten the lives of many Garden of Dreams children.Garden of Dreams is a non-profit organization that works closely with all areas of The Madison Square Garden Company, including the Knicks, Rangers, Liberty, MSG Networks, MSG Entertainment and Fuse to "make dreams come true for kids facing obstacles."
Garden of Dreams partners with local children's hospitals, "wish" organizations and community-based organizations to build on-going, unforgettable programs for children in the tri-state area who are suffering from devastating illness, homelessness, abuse, hunger, extreme poverty and tragedy.
A copy of the Foundation's annual report may be obtained, upon request, from the Garden of Dreams Foundation, 2 Penn Plaza, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10121 or from the office of the Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
For more information on the Garden of Dreams Foundation, call (212) 465-4170 or visit the foundation's web site at www.gardenofdreamsfoundation.org.
In addition to clothes, backpacks, hygiene products and school supplies, the nonprofit also is requesting gift cards that families will use to shop for their children. Amazon, Walmart, Target and Costco are the most popular choices, according to Preston.
The annual event serves hundreds of students in East Palo Alto and Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood who are in need of donations to reduce the outside stressors of the school experience.
Families who wish to benefit from the program can register with Ecumenical Hunger until supplies run out, according to Preston. Anyone who wishes to donate is encouraged to do so as soon as possible, although there is no deadline.
Gift cards and donations can be dropped off at 2411 Pulgas Ave. in East Palo Alto on Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 650-323-7781 or go to ehpcares.org.
Stanford Shopping Center's 'Do Good with Denim' campaign
Stanford Shopping Center will host its inaugural "Do Good With Denim" campaign Aug. 1-21 in partnership with Samaritan House, a San Mateo-based nonprofit that provides food, shelter and other services to low-income residents. Community members can donate any used denim item, including jeans, jackets, shirts, skirts and more, according to Simon Property Group, the parent company of Stanford Shopping Center.
Samaritan House plans to add the donated denim products to its Kid’s Closet, which allows children to select clothes without financial worries. The campaign organizers also hope to promote sustainability by recycling denim, rather than disposing of it.
Customers who donate any denim item will be eligible to receive discounts at participating stores, according to Simon Property Group. The participating stores are Everlane, The Gap, Levi’s, Lucky Brand, Madewell, Urban Outfitters, Amour Vert and Anthropologie.
If you know of an organization hosting a back-to-school donation drive, send detailed information, including requested items, the deadline for donations and a point of contact, to Digital Editor Jamey Padojino at [email protected].
MINSK, 25 July (BelTA) - Belarus is not facing hunger, the country became food self-sufficient long time ago, Deputy Director General of Research Center for Agriculture of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Dmitry Luzhinsky said in an interview to Belarus 1 TV channel, BelTA has learned.
“Belarus does not need to grow a lot of agricultural products, especially in what concerns crop production, to ensure its food security. For example, 1 million tonnes is enough to provide all our people with bakery and confectionery products and all kinds of cereals, while we produce 6-8 million tonnes of cereals every year. This means Belarus has long become fully self-sufficient in food,” Dmitry Luzhinsky said.
Belarus will not face hunger, the deputy director general said. “The rest of the grain is used to feed livestock which means additional production of livestock. That is, by increasing the production of crop products, we can get more livestock products in the future. We are fully self-sufficient in all major food products, because we are constantly working on the development of agriculture to increase productivity and yields. I think that Belarus as a country situated in the center of Europe is not going to face hunger in any way,” he added.
NEW YORK, July 7, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Healthcare Tech Solutions, a healthcare consulting group and the makers of DICOMSync, has entered into a partnership with DocPanel, a global innovator in providing subspecialized radiology coverage, to Boost breast imaging workflows for imaging providers.
The partnership addresses the challenge facilities face displaying Legacy Hologic tomosynthesis studies in their PACS. Due to the limitations of most PACS not being able to display the multi-slice Secondary Capture Object (SCO) proprietary format, it is best practice to convert the SCO data to the industry standard Breast Tomosynthesis Object (BTO). DocPanel and HCTS have teamed up to provide breast imaging facilities with a reliable solution for converting the proprietary data, while securing subspecialty interpretations from fellowship-trained Breast Radiologists.
"DocPanel and Healthcare Tech Solutions make a powerful team. Our mission to Boost patient care united when our teams came together to help a major client implement and deploy a solution that converts SCO to BTO images in under 24 hours," says Mony Weschler, Chief Operating Officer at DocPanel. "This new capability is transforming care by eliminating delays and ensuring subspecialized interpretations for the best possible patient outcomes."
SCO to BTO conversion can be performed for prefetching, importing outside studies, and image sharing.
"If you were an early adopter of Hologic Tomosynthesis for breast imaging, then you likely have some data stored in Hologic's proprietary SCO format in your PACS or VNA. SCO to BTO can be used to convert a full archive or in an on-demand model in real-time, eliminating the need for expensive workstations," says Keith Eklund, VP of Sales & Services at Healthcare Tech Solutions. "Clients sending studies to DocPanel are not only ensuring subspecialized interpretations, but can also take advantage of workflow optimization that is key to the success of an imaging business."
Full announcement here.
About Healthcare Tech Solutions: Healthcare Tech Solutions works to solve medical imaging workflow challenges by providing strategic advisory consulting, professional staff augmentation, and a deep DICOM product offering. Through effective advisory consulting, cutting-edge DICOM solutions, and highly trained consultants, HCTS empowers the enterprise imaging vision of healthcare facilities nationwide.
About DocPanel: DocPanel is the largest network of US-based academic and subspecialty radiologists who provide final reads, protocol optimization support, new-service launch assistance, second opinions, and educational consults to clients worldwide. DocPanel's mission is to ensure every imaging exam is read by the right subspecialist.
View original content to obtain multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/healthcare-tech-solutions-and-docpanel-join-forces-to-improve-radiology-workflow-301582385.html
SOURCE DocPanel
