About WhyHunger

WhyHunger was founded in 1975 by the late musician Harry Chapin and Radio DJ Bill Ayres to provide critical resources to support grassroots movements and fuel community solutions to hunger rooted in social, environmental, racial and economic justice.

Far too many people are hungry as a result of an unjust global food system that values profit over people. Short-term interventions like food banks and soup kitchens are critical to meeting the immediate needs of people experiencing hunger now, but long-term solutions that address the underlying causes of hunger are required to nourish everyone.

WhyHunger funds and supports community solutions to protect the human right to food. In nearly five decades of innovation and evolution, our programs and our grassroots partners in 24 countries have expanded agricultural practices that are better for the planet, helped communities address the root causes of hunger, and ensured access to nutritious food for millions of people. As a grassroots support organization, we stand behind the leadership of the people most impacted by hunger and injustice. We prioritize providing resources to support the rights of communities who have been historically excluded from defining and controlling their food systems. We advocate for workers’ rights and champion agroecological food production that unites science and sustainability with Indigenous knowledge and wisdom.

WhyHunger envisions a world without hunger where all communities can nourish themselves in ways that respect people and the environment. Join our community of organizations, funders, artists, and supporters committed to uprooting hunger. Together and with the leadership of our grassroots partners, we can build socially and economically just food systems. Visit www.whyhunger.org to join us and learn more.