The World Food Program

There are approximately 400 million children chronically hungry children in the world. One hundred million of them do not attend school, and two thirds of those not attending school are girls. The World Food Program’s school feeding formula is simple: food attracts hungry children to school. An education broadens their options, helping to lift them out of poverty.

The World Food Program (WFP) is the by far the largest distributor of food relief on the planet. It was created in 1963, and is based in Rome, Italy. As a United Nations organization, it works closely with the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). While the FAO conducts research and leads the fight against malnutrition on an international level, the WFP’s job is to go on the ground to help malnourished individuals directly.

WFP relies entirely on voluntary contributions to finance its humanitarian and development projects. Donations are made either as cash, food such as flour, beans, oil, salt and sugar, or the basic items necessary to grow, store and cook food - kitchen utensils, agricultural tools, warehouses. Since WFP has no independent source of funds, all donations either in cash or in-kind must be accompanied by the cash needed to move, manage and monitor WFP food aid.

WFP’s School Lunch Program

The WFP's School Lunch Program provides children with food while they are in school, accomplishing two goals at once: Nutrition in children is increased greatly, and so is school attendance. In fact, the WFP estimates that in some cases, school attendance has risen by 100% due to school feeding programs. The WFP has partnered with the U.S. Global Food for Education Initiative since 2001 to create one of the most successful school feeding programs ever: in 2004, 16.6 million children in 72 countries received free school meals.

You Can Help

For just 25 cents, you can buy a lunch for a school child in a developing country.