RISE AGAINST HUNGER INC

THROUGH OUR NOURISHING LIVES PORTFOLIO,THE ORGANIZATION WORKS ALONGSIDE COMMUNITIES TOWARD A FUTURE IN WHICH THEY CAN THRIVE, WHILE SUPPORTING SAFETY NET PROGRAMS THAT PROVIDE NOURISHMENT, SERVING AS A CONDUIT FOR SKILLS TRAINING OR SERVICES THAT SUPPORT THE JOURNEY OUT OF POVERTY. ONE IN THREE PEOPLE WORLDWIDE ARE ADVERSELY AFFECTED BY VITAMIN AND MINERAL DEFICIENCIES. THE ORGANIZATION'S MEALS ARE FORMULATED TO PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF MINERALS AND MICRONUTRIENTS. THE MEALS INCLUDE ENRICHED RICE, SOY PROTEIN, DRIED VEGETABLES AND 18 ESSENTIAL VITAMINS AND NUTRIENTS. THE MEALS AND OTHER FORMS OF IN-KIND AID ARE DISTRIBUTED PRIMARILY TO SUPPORT TRANSFORMATIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SCHOOL MEALS PROGRAMS, VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAMS, MEDICAL CLINICS AND ORPHANAGES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. THE ORGANIZATION'S MEALS ARE PROVIDED IN SCHOOLS BOLSTERING ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE OF STUDENTS AND IN COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMS TO OFFSET PRODUCTIVE TIME LOST WHILE ATTENDING TRAINING SESSIONS. MEALS DISTRIBUTED IN HOSPITALS AND CLINICS MAY SUPPORT PATIENTS' NUTRITIONAL NEEDS AND COMPLEMENT THEIR TREATMENT. IN 2024, THE NOURISHING LIVES PORTFOLIO MANAGED PROJECTS AND PARTNERSHIPS TO BUILD MORE EFFICIENT AND SUSTAINABLE IMPACT. WORLDWIDE 495,346 PEOPLE WERE SERVED THROUGH ACTIVITIES OF THIS PORTFOLIO, WITH THE ORGANIZATION FOOD ASSISTANCE DISTRIBUTED IN 19 COUNTRIES. IN THE NOURISHING LIVES PORTFOLIO, THE ORGANIZATION DISTRIBUTED MEALS TO 52% MALES AND 48% FEMALES, WITH 97% OF THE FOOD ASSISTANCE USED BY YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT 6% OF PARTICIPANTS CONSUMING THE ORGANIZATION FOOD ASSISTANCE WERE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 5, WITH THIS LIFE STAGE BEING EXTREMELY CRITICAL FOR HOLISTIC DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH. AS THE ORGANIZATION ALIGNS WITH U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOAL #2 TARGETS AND INDICATORS, WHICH SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES ENDING MALNOURISHMENT IN CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE, IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON REACHING THIS CRUCIAL AGE GROUP.

THROUGH OUR EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES PORTFOLIO, WE AIM TO INCREASE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND INCOMES THROUGH PROGRAMS PROMOTING IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL METHODS, BUSINESS SKILLS AND MARKET SYSTEMS. IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES, FARMERS ARE SOME OF THE MOST FOOD-INSECURE MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. FARM YIELDS ARE CONSTRAINED BY AVAILABILITY AND AFFORDABILITY OF QUALITY SEEDS AND FERTILIZERS. CLIMATE CHANGE HAS MADE WEATHER PATTERNS UNPREDICTABLE, AFFECTING PLANTING AND HARVESTING SEASONS, AS WELL AS THE AVAILABILITY OF FODDER FOR ANIMAL HERDS. THOSE IN RURAL AREAS OFTEN LACK ACCESS TO MARKETS WHERE THEY CAN GET FAIR PRICES FOR THEIR PRODUCE. OUR PROJECTS HELP SMALLHOLDER FARMERS BUILD RESILIENCE TO THE SHOCKS AND STRESSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE BY PROMOTING ECOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO AGRICULTURE, AS WELL AS DIVERSIFICATION. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT GROW THEIR OWN FOOD, INCOME IS A KEY DETERMINANT IN ACQUIRING ADEQUATE NUTRITION. THROUGH BUSINESS TRAINING, WE HELP INDIVIDUALS INCREASE THEIR EARNING POTENTIAL AND THUS THEIR CONSISTENT ACCESS TO FOOD. IN 2024, OUR OBJECTIVES WERE TO BOLSTER LONG-TERM SELF RELIANT PROJECTS THROUGH EFFICIENT USE OF RESOURCES, STRATEGICALLY STEWARDING PARTNERSHIPS AND FUNDS TO STRENGTHEN STRATEGY FORMULATION AND DECISION-MAKING. THE ORGANIZATION'S COMMITMENT TO TACKLE COMPLEX, UNDERLYING ISSUES THAT GIVE RISE TO HUNGER AND FOOD INSECURITY WAS ATTESTED THROUGH EIGHT ON-THE-GROUND PROJECTS IN INDIA,MALAWI, MALI, PHILIPPINES,SOUTH AFRICA,SOUTH SUDAN AND ZIMBABWE. THROUGH THESE INITIATIVES, 1,056,079 PEOPLE RECEIVED BOTH DIRECT AND INDIRECT SUPPORT, SUCH AS TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THAT ENABLED THEM TO BENEFIT FROM INCREASED ACCESS TO FOOD AND IMPROVED NUTRITION AT HOUSEHOLD LEVEL,,INCREASED FOOD PRODUCTION AND INCOME GENERATED. THE EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES PROJECTS FOCUS ON SEVERAL OVERARCHING THEMES AIMED FOR GREATER EFFICIENCY AND IMPACT: INCREASED FOOD PRODUCTION, SKILLS TRAINING, ACCESS TO WATER, BUSINESS FINANCING, NUTRITION TRAINING, CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND INCREASED INCOMES. OVERALL, THE SUPPORT FROM THE ORGANIZATION FOR PROJECTS WITH WORK TOWARDS ADDRESSING THESE COMPLEX ISSUES DIRECTLY AFFECTING FOOD INSECURITY AND HUNGER HAS HAD AN EXPONENTIAL GROWTH SINCE INCEPTION OF OUR PATHWAYS TO END HUNGER IN 2016 REFLECTING THE CHANGING NATURE AND UNDERSTANDING OF FOOD SECURITY.