Author: Alan Belin

Hunger doesn’t discriminate.

It can be found in cities large and small and neighborhoods rich and poor. Food insecurity can be found in every single county in the United States.

While we may know that hunger is an issue and where it can be found, much about food insecurity is misunderstood. Alan Belin explains what everyone should know about the global epidemic of hunger.

It’s Not Just a Problem in Other Countries

In America, an estimated 35 million people cope with hunger, including 9 million children.

While hunger is stereotypically viewed as just occurring in poorer, undeveloped countries around the world, it hits closer to home than some may know.

All U.S. counties cope with hunger, even in suburban and rural areas. While many believe that large urban areas contain the most food security, more individuals (12.7%) in rural areas are considered food secure than those in urban areas (11.6%).

It’s Not Just a Problem for Someone Else

Food insecurity can occur anywhere, especially where the cost of living is high, wages don’t improve, and food prices are increasing. Some people who are secure financially can be hit with a sudden emergency, such as a hospital bill or job loss, which makes stretching a dollar almost impossible.

About 40% of adults in the U.S. say they would struggle when facing an unexpected $400 expense, according to the Federal Reserve Board. Even in rich countries, about 8% to 20% of people are considered food insecure.

It Can’t Be Fixed with Just More Food

Food insecurity is complex and connected to ingrained societal issues involving low minimum wage rates, the prohibitive cost of higher education, and the lack of access to affordable healthcare in many communities.

Without addressing these underlying issues, food insecurity will become ingrained in America as well.

It’s Not Always Fiscal Irresponsibility

A big stigma attached to food insecurity is the belief that those who are hungry are wasting money on frivolous things. In reality, it’s because of the tough choices many individuals and families need to make to eat.

Many households are regularly faced with the decision to buy food or overlook medical care, pay rent and utilities and cover transportation often needed to maintain a job.

Hunger is Unpreventable

Food insecurity is such a widespread issue that many may feel it can never improve. It can, and there is something even one individual can do about it.

In the U.S., there is a large network of food banks and charitable organizations helping community members obtain consistent and healthy meals.

Nonprofits and charities, including Rescuing Leftover Cuisine, End World Hunger, and the Chicago Food Project work tirelessly to raise money for anti-hunger activities and innovative approaches like turning food waste that’s not actually waste into free food and meals for those who need it the most.

Feeding America isn’t a stand-alone charity. It’s a network of over 200 food banks that help food insecure people, whether their situation is temporary or long-term — and help them on the path to a less hungry future.

Non-profits have a duty to disclose various information to the public. Creating transparent practices within a non-profit organization can help to build trust with the public and employees, helping to foster further support for the cause that is being targeted. Making information and policies widely available can also help to keep non-profits accountable and able to be policed both internally and externally.

Alan Belin discusses more about essential transparency practices that can help non-profit organizations.

Building Trust

Undertaking measures to increase transparency within a non-profit organization helps to foster a community of trust.

Non-profits often rely upon donations of time, money, and resources from well-meaning members of the public. Therefore, being open about what impact their donation has in realistic terms and what the money has gone towards is essential in not only putting current donors’ minds at ease but also in encouraging contributions from future ones, too.

Creating an open and transparent working culture can also benefit a non-profit immensely. Not only can it assist in employee recruitment and retention, but it can also help a business to gain valuable insight and contributions from its staff in a symbiotic relationship that can propel it forward.

Mandated Transparency

Although most details within a non-profit are up to the discretion of that particular organization to disclose, it is important to be aware that there are some pieces of information that must be made publicly available.

These include the last 3 annual information return forms from the IRS (form 990), as well as the documentation and application for tax exemption.

As these documents are non-negotiable and to save time with freedom of information requests, many non-profits choose to place these documents on their website so that they can be accessed on demand.

Ways to Increase Transparency

Although the above section looks at what is essential to disclose, there are other transparency practices that can benefit non-profit organizations in their mission to work with the public.

A Public Bank of Information

Alongside annual information returns, non-profits can share a whole host of financial information and data with the general public using their websites.

Publishing regular reports on expenditure, financial reports on fundraising, as well as making the public aware of the board of directors and anyone else involved in pivotal decision-making processes can help people to see not only where their donations are going, but also that the people in charge reflect the ethics and principles they wish to promote.

Make Policies Accessible

Non-profits should develop clear policies and procedures for governance, financial management, and programs. These policies should be made available both to employees and the general public.

This allows for greater accountability and policing of practices from both within and outside of the charity, allowing for compliance to be reviewed regularly to maintain the non-profit’s integrity.

One way to support this is to implement a whistleblower policy which will help those reporting issues to feel supported and protected and more eager to come forward without the fear of backlash or disciplinary action.

Remove Bias

Non-profits need to be aware that some of their initiatives may hold a conflict of interest for those within the organization or some of their donors. Creating an open conflict of interest policy allows employees and donors to be able to opt-out without fear of repercussions should something go against their values.

Employing the assistance of an independent oversight committee can also help to keep a non-profit accountable and remove any bias that may be involved in decision-making and work directly with leadership to ensure compliance.

Further Information

Further requirements of non-profit organizations can also vary depending upon the state in which it is registered. Non-profits seeking further guidance should consult with their local non-profit association.