Follow up

I feel like I should follow up on that last post. I'm obviously pretty passionate about the situation with the global food crisis and since the media doesn't fill you in... here's the down and dirty:

What is the crisis all about?
Families in every nation on every continent are affected. Food prices for popular menu items like rice, wheat and beans have doubled in the last year. While increases in food prices have hit all budgets, it's the poor who bear the brunt of this inflation. The higher prices are forcing people who survive on just $1 a day to spend upwards of 80 percent of their budgets just on food. As a result, many people, including millions of children, are going hungry. The longer food prices rise, the more people will be plunged into hunger and poverty.

Why is it happening?
Food shortages have affected developing countries for generations. It's a cyclical problem. But this global food crisis is more rapid, urgent and devastating. Since 2005, food prices have risen a whopping 80 percent...mostly due to rising fuel costs (although my sister just called and said she saw it for $1.89 where she lives, wow!), rising food demand from populous nations like India and China, natural disasters destroying crop yields all over the world (US included), and growth of biofuels.

What can we do?
If you have a charity of choice, call them -- ask what they are doing to help, then donate. If you don't have a charity of choice, you can donate to Hope Aid or one of these other reputable organizations: Oxfam America, UNICEF, Compassion, Mercy Corps.

Then tonight, when you say your prayers and you get to the part about being thankful for your daily bread, remember to pray for all of the people who may struggle to find their daily bread.

And of course, you can join me in sponsoring a child. :) There are lots of organizations out there... Compassion is my favorite. Speaking of, I should write about them. Stay tuned, they're cute!