On October 16, 2015 people around the world will gather to declare their commitment to end hunger. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.S., 1 in 9 people worldwide live with chronic hunger (1). In the U.S. alone, 1 in 7 people do not have enough to eat (2). World Food Day is an action day to end hunger, and we encourage everyone to join us in this movement.
Did you know that one 15 oz. jar of peanut butter can help make up to 15 peanut butter sandwiches for a family in need?
So many of us love peanut butter for its great taste, nutrition or just for the wonderful childhood memories we get when we bite into a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. You may not realize that peanut butter helps make ends meet for thousands of people who use food banks in the United States, and that peanut butter is also part of life-saving treatment for malnourished children. Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) helps save the lives of severely malnourished children in countries stricken by poverty, political strife, natural disasters and other maleficence. Peanut Butter for the Hungry is an initiative of the peanut industry in the United States (growers, shellers, manufacturers and allied industry members) to help malnourished children in places where resources are limited.
Along with continued efforts throughout each year, the National Peanut Board will be donating 10,000 individual packs of peanut butter to the Atlanta Community Food Bank in honor of World Food Day.
Find out more about how peanut butter is fighting hunger and saving lives.
[1] FAO. (2014) The State of Food Insecurity in the World, 2014. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
[2] USDA. (2014) Household Food Security in the United States in 2013. Washington, DC: Economic Research Service / United States Department of Agriculture.