Hunger/Homelessness

One in every six people in America is food insecure. Meaning their access to food is limited by a lack of money. A new local nonprofit called 1Family 1Restaurant is trying to change that. 1Family 1Restaurant is a innovative new Web-based/mobile app program with a goal to cure family hunger in America.

On Thursday, June 4, a nonprofit grocery store called the Daily Table opened in Dorchester, Mass. The new store is notable for two main reasons: 1) It’s the baby of Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader Joe’s, which was recently named among America’s favorite supermarkets; and 2) The prices of many items are incredibly…

Food and hunger nonprofits City Harvest and Philabundance utilize the "brown paper bag" outer envelope technique in these direct-mail fundraising campaigns. In this video, I show viewers how each of these nonprofits gets donors engaged in the packages in different ways. For access to more mailings like the ones seen here, visit www.whosmailingwhat.com.

City Harvest of New York City took a leap of faith when it decided to expand its anti-hunger programs. Teamwork and strong branding helped raise the funds it needed to be successful. The collaborative approach to developing messaging not only helps secure the City Harvest brand, but it creates an easier transition as donors mature in their relationship with the organization.

In the March 2007 issue, freelance writer David McKenna's cover story, "Social Engagement," outlined how Mercy Corps took on two new projects to enhance its mission, encourage advocates in its campaign against world hunger and poverty, and in time, produce a new crop of deeply involved donors.

In the February 2007 issue, then-FS Managing Editor Abny Santicola wrote about an LW Robbins direct-mail piece for the Vermont Foodbank that used a mini notecard to garner outstanding results, appropriately titled, "The Little Mailing That Did."

Dunkin' Donuts is selling travel cups for $3.99, with $1 from each sale donated and distributed among four regional food banks. As an added incentive, the cup gets customers 99-cent refills until Dec. 31. Talk about a great incentive for a great cause!

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the award of nearly $100 million in grants that will help approximately 42,000 homeless and at-risk veterans and their families. The grants are going to 151 community agencies in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Leaving the Queen Elizabeth Theatre two years ago, a wealthy Vancouver couple saw a youth panhandling and decided they had to do something to help the homeless in the city.

On Friday, the city confirmed the anonymous couple had donated $30 million to pay for the operation of a supportive-housing project at Taylor Manor, a complex built by the city in 1915 to provide housing for low-income seniors. It has been closed since 2000.

North Texas Food Bank's Close the Gap fundraising campaign not only brought residents closer to their nutritional needs, but it also encouraged more symbiotic relationships among staff, volunteers and donors.