Imagine the courage it takes to pick up the phone, call a total stranger and admit that you don't have enough food to feed your family.
At our office this happens dozens of times per day, and it is what drives us. Hunger hits every zip code and chances are strong that you know someone who faces or has faced hunger, even if they have never voiced their struggle. For more than two decades we have fought hunger in the Greater Philadelphia region with one guiding principle. Hunger is preventable.
Our Mission: Founded in 1996, the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger strives to build a community where all people have the food they need to lead healthy lives. The Coalition connects people with food assistance programs and nutrition education; provides resources to a network of food pantries; and educates the public and policymakers about responsible solutions that prevent people from going hungry.
BUILDING A MOVEMENT TO END HUNGER
We fight hunger through a three-pronged approach:
1. Immediate Relief: We connect people in need with, and provide hands-on support to, food pantries and soup kitchens; and we provide close to 200,000 lbs of food for pantries each year!
2. Short-Term Relief: We help thousands of people apply for SNAP (food stamp) benefits through our SNAP Hotline, case management, and community outreach efforts. We participate in over 100 community events each year to reach people where they are, helping them connect to food and food resources, including summer meals.
3. Long-Term Relief: At the local state and federal levels we call for and support responsible policies that address the realities families face putting food on their tables.We advocate on behalf of those who face food insecurity to ensure that they have a voice in shaping responsible solutions to hunger in both local and national policy recommendations.