ESSAY 2
UN Photo/WFP
Americans Reaching Out
Wheat from the World Food Program will help this family from
Badakhstan in northeastern Afghanistan get through the winter.
SNAPSHOT
• Americans agree that helping hungry people is a high priority for
our country. Both today and in the past, policies and resources
that fight hunger earn the support of people across traditional
lines—political, religious, economic, generational, and a range of
others.
• The United States can use its history of successful development
programs and emergency relief efforts to help make lasting
progress against hunger and malnutrition.
• Building on past experiences is more important than ever as new
factors, such as climate change and unpredictable shifts in food
prices, further complicate the efforts of poor people to feed their
families and improve opportunities for their children.
• U.S. international development efforts are now guided by both
a new understanding of the importance of nutrition, particularly
in early childhood, and a renewed appreciation of agricultural
development as a vital ingredient in the “treatment” of global
hunger.
Concern for those who are less fortunate is
a value that resonates with Americans. Many
of us, aware of all we have, are very willing to
help people in need. Using common sense—
being practical—can be considered an American value as well. A quick “reality check” to
be sure the assistance is needed and wanted is
important to many people who are motivated
to help.
In the past, U.S. geography meant that
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