The Greatest Crisis of Our Generation
The cost of food, fuel, and fertilizer has risen rapidly across the globe. Rising food prices mean that fewer people can afford a nutritious diet—and as many as 1.7 billion people could fall into poverty and hunger as a result.
In this context, food banks are needed now as much as any time in recent memory—they step up to meet increased need for food relief when communities are faced with unimaginably difficult situations.
The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) is the world’s most geographically diverse food bank network, active in about 50 countries and thousands of communities. To support the Network during this critical time, we are launching a global Cost-of-Living Crisis Response to help our partners maintain and increase levels of service at a time when communities need that support the most.
Hear directly from food bankers in Ghana and Ecuador on ways that the cost-of-living crisis is directly impacting their communities and how they are responding.
GFN’s Cost-of-Living Crisis Response Priority Countries are countries where we have food bank partners and that have been identified as hunger hotspots by the World Food Program and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), are eligible for FAO Food Import Financing, or are highly dependent upon Russian wheat and fertilizer imports.
Rising prices don’t affect everyone equally. People with lower incomes spend a much higher percentage of their income on food and fuel on average, and they are less likely to have savings or access to credit and other financial tools that can help during times of adversity. Learn more about the cost-of-living crisis here.
As community-led organizations designed to address local hunger needs, food banks see early warning signs of crises, and react quickly and efficiently. In 2021, GFN’s members served 39 million people in 44 countries – a 128 percent increase over pre-COVID levels of service.
GFN is committed to strengthening food systems, building the effectiveness and resiliency of our members, and expanding the reach and depth in areas where the needs are the highest.
GFN is aiming to raise $11M over the next nine months to bring this plan to scale and help mitigate the global hunger crisis. This support will be targeted to where the needs are highest.
Our Crisis Response Plan
BUILD FOOD BANK CAPACITY TO INCREASE FOOD RECOVERY AND EXPAND SERVICE DELIVERY
BUILD FOOD BANK CAPACITY TO INCREASE FOOD RECOVERY AND EXPAND SERVICE DELIVERY
GFN will use our emergency response expertise to provide technical assistance, peer learning support, and capacity-building grants to food banks. We’ll focus on countries that the World Food Program and FAO have identified as hotspots, are eligible for FAO Food Import Financing, or are highly dependent upon Russian wheat and fertilizer imports.
ENSURE CONTINUOUS ACCESSIBILITY TO KEY STAPLES
ENSURE CONTINUOUS ACCESSIBILITY TO KEY STAPLES
As food banks work to maintain heightened service delivery with decreased stock and rising prices, GFN will help our partners ensure continuous accessibility to key staples by providing technical and financial support for bulk food purchase.
PREPARE FOOD BANKS FOR CONTINUED SERVICE DELIVERY DESPITE SOCIAL UNREST
PREPARE FOOD BANKS FOR CONTINUED SERVICE DELIVERY DESPITE SOCIAL UNREST
Food and fuel price inflation are already leading to social instability in some places. GFN will issue Network-wide guidance on continuing food banking operations in the midst of civil unrest and social instability. We will draw from the learnings of food banking organizations that have faced these circumstances successfully, such as those in Ecuador, Colombia, and Hong Kong.
ENABLE ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE TIMELY AND INFORMED DECISIONS TO ADDRESS HUNGER AMIDST THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS
ENABLE ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE TIMELY AND INFORMED DECISIONS TO FIGHT HUNGER AMIDST THE COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS
GFN is already sharing information from member food banks to inform the food workstream of the United Nations Global Crisis Response Group, which helps decision-makers mobilize solutions and helps countries weather crises. And we will continue to conduct monthly surveys of the Network to understand the realities that partners face.
September 8
The Bridlington couple have five young children, and have been accessing a foodbank run by local charity The Hinge twice a month to help make ends meet. Jess has been involved with The Hinge since her eldest was born 14 years ago, and she and Neil continue to use it for food parcels and also to buy cut price goods in the community food shop.
September 6
“The cost of living crisis is leading people to a more difficult financial position even at the height of COVID. We’re seeing a great deal of people who have never needed to access food bank services before,” says Brianna Casey, Foodbank Australia’s CEO.
September 6
Research shows that at least one in eight people being assisted by food banks across Canada are employed. Despite having work, they’re still unable to make ends meet due to the ongoing economic impacts of the pandemic, inflation, and the housing crisis.
September 3
No Hunger Food Bank reports that for the last 10 months, the rising food and energy prices have resulted in about 65% increase in the number of internally displaced and vulnerable people being served by the food bank.
September 2
“In essence, since wage increases have not kept up with inflation over the past few years, low income households have to spend more to get the same basic food groceries, except that now, they have even less of their hard-earned money to spend on food,” says Andy DuPlessis, FoodForwardSA’s Managing Director.
Vicki Clarke, Ph.D., Vice President of Development
+1.312.757.2220 | vclarke@foodbanking.org
Are you interested in starting an employee giving campaign or fundraising on behalf of GFN to support food banks responding to this crisis? Contact Qiana Williams.
