Giving Compass' Take:

• Faith-based organizations have historically contributed to humanitarian aid worldwide, many of them with a focus on alleviating hunger and promoting food security. Food Tank highlights 24 such organizations. 

• What challenges does this pose and where can philanthropists play a role to help advance food security?

• Here's why food policy is important for food security. 

Sharing food is a fundamental part of many religions. In the book of Luke in the Christian Bible, for example, Christians are urged to share food: “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food let him do likewise.” A famous Hindu proverb reads: “May the person who donated food remain happy forever.” In the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam, those who feed the needy are described as those who will be among the “companions of the right” and will inherit paradise. The Buddha said “hunger is the worst kind of illness,” and that “if people knew the results of giving, they wouldn’t eat without having shared their meal with others.”

Food Tank is excited to highlight 24 faith-based organizations fighting food insecurity around the globe.

  1. Aga Khan Foundation. Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is headquartered in Switzerland and has program units in 19 countries including Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan.
  2. Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association. Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association is a men and boys group with several humanitarian projects ranging from environmental education to healthcare access initiatives.

Read the full list of faith-based organizations promoting food security by Danielle Nierenberg at Food Tank.