Poverty
Some facts on worldwide poverty:
- Each year more than 8 million people around the world die because they are too poor to stay alive
- Over 1 billion people - 1 in 6 people around the world - live in extreme poverty (living on less than $1 a day)
- Over half the world's population - 3 billion people - live on less than $2 a day
- More than 800 million go hungry each day
- Over 100 million primary school age children cannot go to school
- Every year, 6 million children die from malnutrition before their 5th birthday
Source: http://www.netaid.org
Additional Information on Poverty:
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html
Poverty statistics for the United States.
http://www.poverty.com
Insight into the severity of worldwide poverty and all the repercussions of this global issue.
http://www.wfp.org/english
The World Food Programme is an organization with the mission of reducing hunger around the world through all means possible.
The New York City Coalition Against Hunger (http://www.nyccah.org)
The New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH) represents the more than 1,200 nonprofit soup kitchens and food pantries in New York City and the more than one million low-income New Yorkers who are forced to use them. The Coalition works to meet the immediate food needs of low-income New Yorkers and enact innovative solutions to help them move "beyond the soup kitchen" to self-sufficiency.
Housing Works (http://www.housingworks.org/volunteer/)
The purpose of Housing Works is to ensure that adequate housing, food, social services, harm reduction and other drug treatment services, medical and mental health care, and employment opportunities are available to homeless persons living with AIDS and HIV and to their families as they define them. Volunteer at any one of six Manhattan Thrift Shop locations, the Bookstore Cafe in SoHo or with Client Services.
NYC Service Opportunities
The Partnership for the Homeless (http://www.partnershipforthehomeless.org)
The Partnership for the Homeless is committed to fostering a just society and creating lasting community change through the development of solution-oriented programs and policy initiatives that will eliminate the root causes of homelessness. The Partnership firmly believes that as a city and a nation we have both the know-how and the resources to end homelessness by 2020. Become a shelter or program volunteer, donate furniture or household goods or become involved in Partnership events.
Volunteers of America- Greater New York (http://voa-gny.org)
For more than a century Volunteers of America has been helping people leave homelessness, untreated mental illness and intergenerational poverty behind for good. Visit website for opportunities throughout the five boroughs ranging from case managers to classroom assistants to administrative aides.
Bowery Residents' Committee, Inc. (http://www.brc.org)
Helping people reclaim lives lost: The BRC restores hope and dignity by offering opportunities for health and self sufficiency. Find out more about opportunities for individuals as well as small and large groups by clicking here (http://www.brc.org/volunteer.php).
City Harvest, Inc. (http://www.cityharvest.org)
City Harvest, a non-profit organization founded in 1982, is the world's first and New York City's only food rescue program, meaning they act as a link between those who have so much and those who have too little by saving food that would otherwise be disposed of and delivering it to people in need. City Harvest was founded by a volunteer and depends on volunteers to keep it going. Visit the website for more information on ways to help.
Free Arts NYC (http://www.freeartsnyc.org)
Free Arts NYC is a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing the healing powers of the arts into the lives of abused, neglected and at-risk children and their families. Through painting, dance, drama, writing, music, sculpture, photography and other outlets of creativity, Free Arts volunteers help children and families express emotions, gain self-confidence and develop positive methods of communication. Click here to find about how to become a volunteer (http://www.freeartsnyc.org/mvolunteer.htm)
God's Love We Deliver (http://www.godslovewedeliver.org)
God's Love We Deliver improves the health and well-being of men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses by alleviating hunger and malnutrition. They prepare and deliver nutritious, high-quality meals to people who, because of their illness are unable to provide or prepare meals for themselves. They also provide illness-specific nutrition education and counseling to our clients and families, care providers and other service organizations. All of their services are provided free of charge. We also provide volunteer opportunities in our kitchen, with delivering meals and in our offices for those who wish to help people living with serious illnesses. Volunteers prepare meals in the kitchen, deliver meals to clients, assist at events and pitch in at the offices of Development and Finance. To find out more click here (http://www.godslovewedeliver.org/volunteer_home.html).
Office of Community Service at NYU (http://www.nyu.edu/community.service)
VolunteerMatch.org (http://www.volunteermatch.org)
Active Citizenship Continuum (http://www.alternativebreaks.org/Active_Citizen_Continuum.asp)