Are you looking to get more involved in your community? Maybe you want to make a difference in someone’s life, but you’re not sure where to start. Whatever the case may be, you’ll be glad to know that there are many things that you can do to help your community. One of the best ways to do so is to partner with an organization that does good in your area. One such organization is Rise Against Hunger. Read on to learn more about this organization and how it could help you to play a part in making the world a better place.

Understanding Rise Against Hunger

To begin with, you’re probably wondering what Rise Against Hunger is and how it works.

stop hunger now

This organization, which once went by the name Stop Hunger Now, is a non-profit organization. Its goal is to both package and distribute food and other necessary products to people in need around the world.

The organization has been in existence since 1998 and has done a lot of good in that time. If you are looking for a reputable, longstanding organization to get involved in, this one is an excellent option.

Rise Against Hunger Has Many Opportunities for Service

Everyone has different strengths, abilities, and preferences in terms of how they wish to serve others. Fortunately, the organization understands this and offers many different ways to get involved, no matter what your interests or comfort levels.

One thing you can do, for example, is to host a meal packaging event. This is a great way to bring together a school, a club, or any group to all do something great together.

While events vary in terms of time, length, and the number of participants, the general ratio is that approximately 50 volunteers can package around 10,000 meals in two hours!

If you’d be interested in hosting an event or finding one in your area to join, you can contact the organization to learn more.

volunteers in feeding program

If packing meals isn’t your thing, don’t worry. There are many other ways to be of service. For example, you can simply make a donation to the organization. Rise Against Hunger prides itself on carefully prioritizing needs and putting donations to work where they will do the most good.

If you own a business, there are also ways to get your entire organization involved. By becoming a corporate sponsor or organization -- which you can do by contacting Rise Against Hunger -- you can make a major impact.

There are also opportunities to travel and work directly with recipients of the program, as well as opportunities to help in the warehouse and more. No matter how you wish to serve, getting in touch with the organization and requesting more information can get you started on the right path.

Many people choose just one way to serve, while others participate in a variety of ways. How much you want to be involved in, how often, and in what terms is all up to you.

Is Rise Against Hunger a Religious Organization?

In today’s world, people have many different beliefs in terms of religion and spirituality. Thus, people often have concerns about whether or not there is any religious affiliation with this organization.

While the organization was founded by a preacher, it is not focused on ministering, witnessing, or evangelizing in any way.

knots

It serves people of all different faiths and from all walks of life, and people from different faiths and walks of life are also welcome to volunteer with the organization.

It is also important to note that in addition to not having a religious agenda or promoting any one religion, the organization also does not subscribe to any type of politics or promote any type of politics.

This organization is focused only on helping others and providing resources to those in need, not on promoting any way of thought or belief system.

More than Just a Hunger Relief Organization

While the main focus of Rise Against Hunger is, of course, to try and put an end to hunger, it is important to note that the organization has other important goals as well.

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For example, it also focuses on providing emergency services to people in need. If a developing country were to suffer from a hurricane or other natural disaster, for instance, the organization would take steps to provide aid in this situation. This is often done with the help of volunteers willing and able to travel to be a part of the service.

The organization also works to try and make communities more self-sufficient in different ways. This might include providing housing, access to clean water, and more.

Rise Against Hunger helps the world in a variety of different and important ways, which means that you can too.

Remember, There Are Real Benefits to Volunteering

If you do choose to volunteer with this organization, you will find that doing so comes with many benefits, and not just for the people you’re helping. Volunteering will benefit you as a person as well.

For example, volunteering is a wonderful way to connect with people and make new friends. Best of all, these friends are likely to be likeminded people who will encourage you to do more great things in your community.

happy volunteers

Volunteering can also boost self-esteem, lead to job connections and important relationships, and help you to overcome things like shyness and anxiety. When you help others, you help yourself in a multitude of ways.

Keep in mind too that any donations made to the organization are tax deductible, which can be helpful when tax time rolls around.

Volunteering on a corporate level can also be good for your business and its reputation. If you want to show how community-minded your organization is, partnering with Rise Against Hunger is an awesome first step. This will lead to many wonderful opportunities to do just that.

Rise Against Hunger's Reputation and Rating

Watchdog and oversite organization Charity Navigator gives Rise Against Hunger a rating of four out of four stars. They awarded this charity with an overall 92.92 out of 100 points, with 90 out of 100 for fiscal responsibility and 100 out of 100 for accountability and transparency.

Rise Against Hunger's financial record

All tax-exempt organizations, nonexempt charitable trusts, and section 527 political organizations must file a Form 990 or 990EZ with the IRS.

Rise Against Hunger’s most recent IRS Form 990 or 990EZ available is for 2016. We extracted the following financial data from the organization’s most recent publicly available tax return for the fiscal year ending December 2016. This financial data will allow you to make your own decision as to whether Rise Against Hunger is a worthwhile charity to donate to.

Percentage of donations spent on services

  • Total donations and grants: $38,790,665
  • Spent on services and grants: $32,206,942
  • Percentage of donations toward grants and services: 83.02 percent

Percentage of revenue spent on fundraising

  • Total revenue: $38,849,917
  • Fundraising expenses: $1,437,624
  • Paid to professional fundraisers: $0.00
  • Percentage of total revenue spent on fundraising: 3.70 percent

Administrative and overhead costs

  • Overhead expenses: $4,394,859
  • Property assets: $272,085
  • Investment assets: $0.00
  • Paid to officers/directors: $395,166
  • Highest paid officer/director: CEO $174,582
  • Percentage of total revenue spent on officers/directors salaries: 1.01 Percent

Other Ways to Feed the Hungry and Make an Impact

While volunteering with Rise Against Hunger is a wonderful option, it may not be the right form of service for everyone. Or, there may be people who want to do more to end hunger.

Often, experiencing what Rise Against Hunger offers will inspire people to go out and do further service on their own. So, what can you do to make a difference aside from or in addition to your efforts with this organization?

Pantry clean-out

Well, one idea is to regularly clean out your pantry. If you have items that you know you won’t use that are nearing the expiration date or just extras of anything, go ahead and donate those items to your local food bank. They can go a long way toward making up meals and grocery donations for hungry people.

pantry cabinet

If you want to get a little more “hands-on” in your approach to stopping hunger, why not pack a few bag lunches? You can include a sandwich, maybe a piece of fruit, and bottled water. You can keep these lunches in your car to hand out to people who may be in need. Or, you can drive to an area -- make sure it’s a safe one -- where homeless people are likely to be and hand out your lunches there.

Help out your local food bank

Another idea, in addition to donating to your local food bank, is to actually go and volunteer at it. Many food banks regularly need people to sort through items, throw out expired items, clean, and more. By volunteering at a local food bank, in any capacity, you can help end hunger in your area.

donation box

While food banks are great places to volunteer, you can also look into any soup kitchens in your area. Soup kitchens are all about serving hot meals to people in need. You can volunteer by cleaning up the kitchen, helping with meal prep, or anything in between.

Consider your skills and abilities and then sign up for a job that suits you. As long as you do your task -- whatever it is -- with a smile on your face, you will make a big difference in the lives of many.

Help local organizations that fight hunger

One final option is to make a monetary donation to any or all of your local organizations that fight hunger. While giving money might feel a little less personal, it’s a very efficient way to help out the organizations that are already doing so much to put an end to hunger.

Remember, All Your Efforts Count

The most important thing to remember, no matter how you volunteer or with what organization, is that anything you do counts. So, never think that any job, gift, or donation is too small to make a difference.

Everything makes a difference to someone, so find various ways for you to help and then get out there and commit to making the world a better place to be.

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