Help Gaza, Sudan, Haiti and others facing hunger
William Lambers
Oct. 17, 2025 2:01 pm

Pedestrians cross a street in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)Pedestrians cross a street in downtown Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Monday, Sept. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Odelyn Joseph)
The Gazette offers audio versions of articles using Instaread. Some words may be mispronounced.
As we marked World Food Day (Oct. 16) there are millions of people close to starvation. Famine has been declared in Gaza and parts of Sudan. Many other nations are close to famine because of extreme food shortages.
There are 319 million people worldwide facing acute hunger according to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP). These are victims facing the most severe levels of hunger and some at risk of famine.
War is the biggest cause of hunger right now as well as natural disasters like drought. While hunger emergencies are increasing, the funding for global food aid has been going down.
"Severe funding shortfalls are forcing WFP to scale back assistance and refocus efforts on the most severe needs. With persistent access constraints also hampering support, some of the most vulnerable people are being left behind" states the WFP, the lead hunger relief organization.
We cannot have a world at peace if people are starving to death. We have to fight hunger, wherever it is taking place. But relief agencies need enough resources to meet the daunting challenge.
Everyone can help the peace process in Gaza by supporting WFP, UNICEF, Save the Children, World Central Kitchen, CARE, Edesia, Catholic Relief Services and others who are trying to feed the hungry in Gaza.
Parts of Sudan are already in famine and nearly 25 million people overall are experiencing food shortages. The civil war in Sudan is so widespread with refugees fleeing into neighboring South Sudan, which is also facing hunger.