The ELCA's World Hunger Appeal is known nationally and internationally as one of the best managed and most effective hunger relief programs in existence. It is focused on building sustainable programs for the poor and hungry by offering not just food for today, but training, supplies, equipment and education for tomorrow. Through efforts such as "Stand with Africa" and the "Millennium Development Goals," the ELCA targets poverty, famine, epidemics, health and mortality issues. The World Hunger Appeal works cooperatively with other programs to maximize and leverage every dollar that is given.

"Stand with Africa" efforts assist communities and churches in Africa to banish hunger, overcome HIV/AIDS, and build peace. Examples? In Liberia over 300 counselors and health workers have been trained to educate others on HIV/AIDS. In Sierra Leone women leaders are taught strategies for disease prevention. In Kenya farmers are taught better farming techniques, including crop diversification. In Niger 68 farmers and others have access to loans to improve their family income. In Mali farmers are given lines of credit to purchase agricultural equipment, establish grain banks, and improve literacy and nutrition through education.

The U.S., along with 188 other countries, has adopted the "Millennium Development Goals" in a commitment to cutting extreme hunger by half by 2015. Besides attacking extreme poverty, the goals include achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS and malaria, ensuring environmental sustainability, and creating global partnerships for development. The goal of the ONE Campaign is to direct an additional one percent of the U.S. budget to help the poorest countries meet the Millennium Development Goals.

The NT-NL in assembly has urged 100% of our congregations to engage in at least one earnest effort to support the World Hunger Appeal each year.

To go to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal web site, click here.