Salem-News.com Hunger articles Page 20

Almost a Billion People in the World are Starving

"Millions and millions not served..."

(TEHRAN Press TV) - The increasing price of food has spiked the number of hunger-stricken people in the world by 40 million to reach 923 million in 2008.

According to a recent report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), more people will fall under the undernourished category if the current economic trend continues in the world.

Viva Palestina Convoy Arrives in Gaza

The current convoy, which first tried to cross into Gaza on July 11th, faced numerous obstacles.

(PALOS HILLS, Ill.) - To chants of ‘Viva! Viva! Palestina!’ more than 200 members of the Viva Palestina convoy made it into the Gaza Strip Wednesday after spending about six hours at the Rafah border processing paperwork.

Israel’s two-year siege of the Gaza Strip has plunged the tiny area of 1.5 million people into a humanitarian crisis. And Israel’s three-week assault further devastated the area when the military bombed homes, schools, mosques, hospitals and universities. The attack killed more than 1,400 Palestinians, wounded more than 5,300 and left more than 50,000 people homeless.

Christina Aguilera Lends Powerful Voice in Fight to End Hunger

She becomes the Global Spokesperson for World Hunger Relief Effort this Fall; she'll Raise Awareness of Hunger Issue by Appearing in PSA, Advertising, Posters and Online Campaign, FromHungerToHope.com.

(LOUISVILLE, Ky.) - Five-time Grammy Award winner Christina Aguilera is giving hunger a powerful voice by becoming the global spokesperson for World Hunger Relief.

Aguilera will help raise awareness of the hunger issue this fall by appearing in a new public service announcement, advertising and posters.

Oregon Tops National Homelessness Tally (AUDIO)

The AHAR report on homelessness is compiled for Congress by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

(SALEM, Ore. ONS) - The number of homeless people in Oregon has climbed for the third straight year. A new national report compiled for Congress by the Department of Housing and Urban Development says about one-half of one percent of Oregonians are homeless.

That may not sound like much, but it's a higher percentage than in any other state, compared to its total population, and it means 17,000 people statewide are living in shelters or on the street.

Israel: The Spin is Coming off the Rose

American voices are growing more openly critical of Israel as U.S. taxpayer money is swallowed by the Jewish state.

(CALGARY, Alberta) - Anti-Semitism used to be about bigotry and intolerance and justifiably condemned. Today anti-Semitism is about any criticism of Israel and its actions, no matter how legitimate and justifiable the criticism.

This latter is where I was until I started working with Salem-News. I’d always been a standard issue supporter of Israel, but that was because my view was formed by the contents of the standard media. Here at S-N, I’ve become aware that there are two sides to this tragic geopolitical horror show.

Egyptians Halt Viva Palestina Aid Convoy to Gaza

Former U.S. Congresswoman McKinney is in Cairo.

(PALOS HILLS, Ill.) - Egyptian authorities have stopped a massive aid shipment from reaching the Gaza Strip, while United States officials further complicated matters by requiring 50 American volunteers to sign an affidavit waiving their right to be protected on foreign soil.

Egyptian authorities will allow the Viva Palestina convoy to take two ambulances and an unspecified amount of medical supplies into the Strip, organizer George Galloway told the American Muslims for Palestine (AMP) Monday.

Singin` the Blues for Oregon Hunger Relief (AUDIO)

Volunteers collected about 91,000 pounds of food last year; this year's goal is 100,000 pounds.

(PORTLAND, Ore. ONS) - Where else can you get a full day of live music for ten bucks and a couple of cans of food? It's Waterfront Blues Festival weekend in Portland, starting on Thursday.

More than 120,000 people attend the four-day event - not all at once, of course! The musicians and fans are international, but the donations they generate stay in Oregon to restock Oregon Food Bank Network locations around the state. Musician Patrick Lamb and his blues band will be performing on Sunday. His band is one of more than 100 acts scheduled to perform.

One in Six Oregonians Now Count on Food Stamps

The state's need for economic assistance continues to grow.

(SALEM, Ore.) - As Oregon’s unemployment figures hit historic levels, the need for basic economic support such as food stamps and cash assistance continues to grow, the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) announced today.

Need for cash assistance (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF) increased nearly 30 percent over May of 2008. Only very low-income families qualify for this assistance – the monthly income limit for a family of three is $528 – and currently 25,509 families statewide are receiving assistance.

Bringing Clean Water to the People Who Need it Most (VIDEO)

The Global Water Challenge is a coalition of diverse, non-profit organizations working to provide creative and sustainable solutions for universal access to safe drinking water and sanitation.

(ATLANTA) - Groups are teaming up to take on water quality problems in the United States and abroad. They say thousands die every day from drinking contaminated water in parts of the world where water is always scarce.

Stop Genocide Now Writes Open Letter to Obama to Help End Bloodshed in Chad

"Last weekend you upheld your promise to Michele to take her to dinner and Broadway performance in New York. What about your promise to the Darfuri people?" -Alysha Atma, Stop Genocide Now

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - The group Stop Genocide Now reports that one of the refugee camps in Chad has been bombed.

"Not only is Al-bashir embolden enough to starve his own people by expelling the aid organizations he is now bombing them, AGAIN," they report. The group's Alysha Atma has drafted an open letter to President Obama seeking help for the people there.