As of February 8, 2001 the estimated world population stood at 6,127,298,697. Of those billions of humans around the world, nearly 1,000,000,000 suffer from malnutrition. In fact, in the past 50 years, practically 400,000,000 people worldwide have died because of starvation and diseases associated with malnutrition. That is three times as many people killed in all the wars fought in the entire 20th century.
As sobering as the above statistics are, they are made more somber by the fact that the problem of world hunger is not a lack of food production, but a lack of food distribution. The United Nations has long been maintained that there is enough food in the world to feed every man, woman and child on earth. The problem is circumventing the political, cultural, and logistical obstacles that keep so many people around the world hungry. Listed below are three of the top organizations operating today that have dedicated themselves, each in their own way, to breaking through those obstacles and freeing the world from hunger.
BREAD FOR THE WORLD:
As part of their commitment to anti-hunger advocacy, this grass roots, non-partisan organization has for over 25-years encouraged its members to write to their senators and representatives in support of legislation that assists hungry and poor people worldwide. Past efforts have seen passage by congress of two food stamp provisions in the Hunger Relief Act, benefiting over 1 million homes. They have also helped bring about major changes in International dept relief as well as over a billion-dollar increase in funding by the government for nutrition programs through out the United States.
FREEDOM FROM HUNGER:
Founded more than 50 years ago, this non-profit organization works to fight hunger in 13 of the world's poorest countries through their Credit with Education program. This program offers women low interest; short-term loans that enable them to invest in their own small businesses and allow them to increase their incomes. In addition the organization sponsors educational programs geared toward helping women understand everything from how best to invest their money, to health and nutrition. Thanks to the Credit and Education program, women all around the world are being empowered to build a life for themselves and their family free from the confines of poverty, hunger and hopelessness.
AMERICA'S SECOND HARVEST:
This organization is active through out the US and Puerto Rico, and is the nation's largest US hunger-relief charity. America's Second Harvest solicits donations of surplus food from growers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers that would otherwise go be thrown in the garbage. Working with more than 50,000 charities, and a network of some 200-food banks, Second Harvest distributes more than one billion pounds of food to over 26 million recipients each year.
Each of these organizations is steadfast in their resolve to end the threat of hunger in the world. All donations are tax deductible and according to The American Institute of Philanthropy; Freedom From Hunger and Bread For the World apply 75% of all donations toward their program costs and only 25% toward administrative costs, while 99% of donations to America's Second Harvest are devoted to their programs. 
