The international nonprofit organization, founded in 1998, is recognizing 25 years of impact toward its mission and celebrating with a community event in Raleigh, North Carolina, from November 17-19, 2023.
RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Rise Against Hunger, the international hunger nonprofit, has reached its 25th anniversary, an impactful milestone as the organization has remained committed to ending global hunger since its founding.
Rise Against Hunger was founded in 1998 in Raleigh, North Carolina, where it remains headquartered to this day, by Ray Buchanan originally under the name Stop Hunger Now. Buchanan, a U.S. Marine veteran and United Methodist minister, was driven by the vision of a world without hunger and established the organization to provide food and other assistance to people facing hunger around the world. Rebranding to Rise Against Hunger in 2017, the nonprofit has remained driven by Ray's original vision of a world without hunger.
Real impact toward ending hunger has always been at the heart of Rise Against Hunger's work. Over the past 25 years, the organization expanded geographically to impact more communities around the world. Rise Against Hunger currently works with in-country partners in 29 countries and has seven international offices in the United States, Italy, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and South Africa.
Rise Against Hunger also developed its theory of change — called its Pathways to End Hunger — in 2017 to strengthen the organization's strategic approach of providing immediate nourishment for people facing hunger and implementing community-led projects that support long-term food security. Since the pathways — Nourishing Lives, Empowering Communities, Responding to Emergencies and Growing the Movement — were developed, the organization has served more than 16.8 million people. Also, communities supported by Rise Against Hunger's sustainable agriculture projects have harvested over 23,000 metric tons, equivalent to more than 51 million pounds, of food.
Rick Kearney, appointed Rise Against Hunger's CEO in March 2023, has been with the organization for 16 years. "I started with the organization in 2007, which has enabled me to see and be a part of the organization's impact for a lot of its history," said Kearney. "In that time, we have never wavered in our mission to end hunger. With as many as 783 million people facing hunger globally, the work to end hunger is not over. We remain committed to this work, looking forward to the day when a world without hunger is a reality."
In addition to serving communities affected by hunger around the world, volunteers have also played a key role in Rise Against Hunger's 25 years of impact. The organization recognizes that hunger will not end without awareness and action, so Rise Against Hunger's Growing the Movement pathway focuses on driving volunteerism and engagement. Rise Against Hunger Experience meal packaging events, just one of the organization's volunteer opportunities, have engaged 4.8 million volunteers in the packaging of 600 million meals since the packaging program's launch in 2005.
Rise Against Hunger will host a three-day celebration event November 17-19 in Raleigh, North Carolina, to recognize 25 years of impact, acknowledge the pivotal role of volunteers in Rise Against Hunger's work and continue the organization's global impact. The community event will include a 250,000-meal packaging experience, a staple Rise Against Hunger volunteer offering, at Rise Against Hunger's flagship warehouse location as well as music, food, speakers and family-friendly games at the nearby Compass Rose Brewery. Volunteers can register in advance for the event to celebrate 25 years of impact with Rise Against Hunger.
About Rise Against Hunger
Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian organization, is growing a global movement to end hunger by nourishing lives, empowering communities and responding to emergencies. Through a global network based in the U.S. and with six international offices, the organization provides immediate nourishment for those facing hunger today and implements sustainable solutions that will lift entire communities for years to come. Rise Against Hunger has facilitated volunteer meal packaging of more than 600 million meals to be distributed to countries around the world. To learn more about Rise Against Hunger's efforts to end hunger worldwide, please visit www.riseagainsthunger.org.
Media Contact
Hannah Payne, Rise Against Hunger, 1 (919) 839-0689 6, [email protected], https://www.riseagainsthunger.org/
SOURCE Rise Against Hunger
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