Global Days of Service DIY Projects

February 2021: Hunger

Play FreeRice.com

FreeRice.com is an interactive vocabulary game in which players donate grains of rice to the United Nations World Food Progamme (WFP) every time a question is answered correctly. Donations are paid for by the advertisements that appear on the players screen. The amount of money generated by each advertisement can vary, but is roughly equivalent to the cost of 10 grains of rice. This money is used for many types of assistance — not just rice — depending on where needs are greatest. Regardless of the type of assistance, you can be sure that 100% of all funds generated on FreeRice go to the World Food Programme.

Volunteer Virtually with Hunger Free America

Hunger Free America is a nonpartisan, national nonprofit group working to enact the policies and programs needed to end domestic hunger and ensure that all Americans have sufficient access to nutritious food. This organization offers several ways to volunteer in a virtual space to help support individuals and families impacted by food insecurity. Opportunities include:

• COVID-19 Food Assistance - Verifying Food Sites – Help crowd-source information on food assistance resources available in your community to be added to the database used by the USDA Hunger Hotline to provide the most current information available to those in need. 
  
  
• Hunger Hotline Volunteer - The Hunger Hotline (USDA National Hunger Clearinghouse) is a toll-free hotline connecting families and individuals all over the country with local and government nutrition programs. Volunteers will provide accurate information about pertinent government and community food programs to callers from around the country. Volunteers should be comfortable speaking to diverse communities with empathy and compassion. Volunteers are asked to commit to a minimum of one 3 hour shift per week for 2-3 months.
  
  
• Phone Banking for Food Access - During the COVID-19 pandemic, countless families have faced unprecedented circumstances that have caused financial strain and limited access to basic amenities like food and shelter. The HFA phone banking initiative serves to connect families with information and resources to support them during these times.  ***This is an entirely virtual event that requires a time commitment of 2 hours. 

If you are not sure what the right opportunity for you is, please consider attending one of Hunger Free America’s weekly volunteer orientation sessions. In these sessions they will talk more about the various volunteer opportunities available through the organization.

Volunteer with your Local Food Bank

Food Banks across the country are working hard to continue to offer the resources and assistance needed in their communities. While some organizations are still offering opportunities to volunteer in person, others are looking for support in a virtual space. Find your local food bank here to get a better understanding of what the needs are near you.

Here are a few ways you could help no matter where you're located:

• Become an Advocate – Learn more about federal nutrition programs and why they matter.
• Thank a Food Bank Hero - Food Bank Staff and volunteers are on the front line during the pandemic. Take a few minutes to thank these heroes who are feeding our neighbors and giving hope.
• Host a Virtual Food Drive – It may not be possible to host a traditional food drive in your community right now. If that is the case for you, consider hosting a virtual food drive. Connect with your local food bank to learn more about their current needs.