Alexandria, Va. – Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA), a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, issued the following statement regarding the White House’s announcement of holding a conference focusing on hunger, which impacts millions of people in the United States and many more internationally.
“Islamic Relief USA applauds the White House’s decision to hold a conference on the causes of hunger and reducing illnesses associated with it. It’s shocking and sad that the last conference was some 50 years ago, even as hunger and food insecurity remained large, seemingly intractable problems in our country and throughout the world, despite what various economic indicators may show. Just today, a report from the Global Network Against Food Crisis revealed that an additional 40 million people this year are facing ‘acute food insecurity,’ bringing the number of people suffering from this malady to 193 million people in some 53 countries.
“We need to address the underlying conditions that cause persistent hunger and food insecurity, as charitable food donations, while well-meaning, are at best, temporary solutions. This will require supporting responsible farming, mitigating climate change’s deleterious effects on food production, preventing human conflict, stifling the Covid-19 pandemic’s reach, and of course, smarter government policies that create greater access to nutritious food for at-risk populations living in food deserts. IRUSA will work to make sure that other national and local Muslim-American anti-hunger and public health organizations are engaging are engaging with the White House as it plans this conference, and will have a literal seat at the table.”
Islamic Relief USA has implemented and supported numerous programs designed to strengthen food security. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020, the organization has helped some 240 community-based organizations, either through financial assistance or programs in aid local populations whose access to nutritious food is challenging. Anecdotal and actual studies have shown that minority populations, particularly Black and Hispanic populations, faced persistently higher rates of food insecurity compared to White populations.
MEDIA CONTACT
Syed M. Hassan
media@irusa.org or
(571) 421-7032 (CELL)
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Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 40 countries around the world, including in the United States.
Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system. Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.