People facing starvation up 82 percent due to COVID-19

By January 28, 2021
children washing dishes, kids, africa

International (MNN) — World Bank says COVID-19 has impacted food security for vulnerable homes in almost every country.

In November 2020, the United Nations World Food Programme estimated by the end of the year an additional 137 million people could face “acute food insecurity” – meaning their lives or livelihoods are in immediate danger.

That’s 82 percent more than pre-COVID. And families with kids are especially at risk.

(Photo courtesy of AMG International)

Brian Dennett with AMG International has witnessed this tragedy first-hand. “I spent the last 12 years working in Guatemala. We’ve seen hunger in countries like Guatemala and Haiti and others double over this last year. You have millions of families impacted and really in a food crisis.”

AMG serves in over 35 countries providing Gospel hope and several community transformation initiatives.

“We’ve done that for the last 80 years, while at the same time, meeting the deepest needs of people — both spiritual and physical. We have education programs and health care programs and lots of different endeavors,” Dennett says.

“But this past year, we’ve had to shift a lot of our attention to just meeting the basic needs of people. And doing that in a way that doesn’t further impact local economies. So we’ve been buying locally around the world and we’ve been distributing food and basic medical care and hygiene kits to thousands of families in all of the countries we serve.”

(Photo courtesy of AMG International)

AMG wants to feed 100,000 children and adults this year. Just $43 feeds a family of four for a week in Jesus’s name. Each relief box includes dry food, oil, butter, a nutrition concentrate drink, masks, and soap.

“Our hearts just go out for these families,” Dennett says. “I personally don’t know what it’s like to be desperately hungry. I don’t know what it’s like to not know how I’m going to be able to provide for my children and my family today or tomorrow.”

Every donation truly goes a long way. Click here to support AMG’s COVID-19 Relief.

Please pray for local churches to rally around vulnerable families in their communities. Pray for the people AMG serves to know they are loved and cared for by God.

 

 

Header photo courtesy of Jordan Rowland via Unsplash.


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