On World Food Day, Feed the Children Calls for Unity and Compassion to End Childhood Hunger

Oklahoma City (October 16, 2025) – On World Food Day, Feed the Children stands in solidarity with communities around the world to affirm a simple yet powerful truth: every child deserves nourishment and the opportunity to thrive. This year’s theme— “Hand in Hand for Better Food and a Better Future”—underscores the urgent need for collaboration across sectors, borders, and communities to transform food systems and build a more equitable world.

Feed the Children renews its unwavering commitment to ending childhood hunger working each day to create a world where no child goes to bed hungry by delivering food, essentials, and educational resources through strategic partnerships and community-based programs. Together with local and global partners, the organization works to build stable, food-secure lives for families across the U.S. and in eight countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and the Philippines.

The Urgency Behind the Mission

Globally, hunger and malnutrition continue to impact millions of children:

“World Food Day is a powerful reminder that no child should go to bed hungry. No child. Anywhere,“ said Emily Callahan, president and CEO at Feed the Children. “We believe that having enough to eat and the essentials needed to thrive are fundamental rights, and we are working every day with hundreds of partners to make those rights a reality.”

Tackling Hunger at the Roots

Hunger is not inevitable—it is solvable. But to make lasting progress, we must address the systems and structures that perpetuate it. On this World Food Day, Feed the Children draws attention to three core drivers of hunger:

Issue 1: Poverty

Poverty is a leading cause of hunger in both low- and high-income countries. When families face economic hardship, food becomes one of many impossible choices. Globally, programs like Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), sustainable farming support, and access to clean water help communities become more stable and self-sufficient.

Issue 2: Food waste

The U.S. alone wastes up to 40% of its food supply—amounting to over 133 billion pounds annually (FDA). Worldwide, more than 1 billion tons of food goes uneaten (UN). Reducing food waste—both at the individual and commercial level—can unlock immediate impact and reduce pressure on our food systems.

Issue 3: Inequality in education

Hunger makes it hard for children to learn and grow. When children attend school hungry, their concentration, academic performance, and long-term outcomes suffer—fueling the cycle of poverty. Feeding programs and school-based nutrition initiatives play a critical role in protecting education as a pathway out of hunger.

Explore these critical issues and how Feed the Children is responding in our World Food Day feature story: Solving Hunger Together this World Food Day.

“Hunger is not always visible, but it is everywhere,” said Bre Jefferson, president of international programming and operations at Feed the Children. “From rural villages to urban neighborhoods, children go without the food and essentials they need to grow. We believe that by working together, we can help rewrite that story.”

Every Meal is a Message of Hope

Feed the Children delivered 62 million meals in FY24 alone—but more than numbers, each meal represents a story: a child who smiled for the first time in days, a parent who regained hope, a community beginning to rebuild.

This World Food Day, Feed the Children calls on everyone to be part of the solution – through volunteering, donations, or sharing the cause, every action matters. Together, we can build a future where children everywhere can grow and thrive. To learn more or to join the global movement, visit www.feedthechildren.org.