This guide outlines how business and industry can help alleviate the increasing food insecurity around the globe, particularly during the holiday seasons.
The holidays are a time for communities to come together, extending their appreciation and support for each other. While many individuals have purchasing power and engage in gift-giving, others are less fortunate and struggle to obtain essential resources. Over 820 million people globally lack access to sufficient quantities of food.
How to help solve food insecurity
Businesses can contribute to their communities this season by providing underfed and struggling people with food. Agricultural, technological and economic advancements may improve universal food security, but in the meantime there are various humanitarian holiday ideas for businesses to boost global nutrient intake and alleviate food insecurity.
Try the Social Business Model
Business owners may question how their companies can help with food insecurity this winter. Exploring different charity-based methods is essential. The social business model signifies companies using their profits to cover subsidies, accepting lower financial gains.
Businesses using the strategy may designate to charitably donate a set amount of money toward reducing food insecurity. They can support farmers in less developed nations and technological advancements to improve a community’s access to nutrients. Companies may also utilize a portion of their conventional profits to pay off their initial charitable investments. After owners match their investments, they can place additional profits back into the social business. Financially supporting food security enhancement programs can ensure their longevity and success.
Use a Cross-Consumer Subsidy
The cross-consumer subsidy model is another humanitarian food insecurity holiday idea for businesses. It enhances funding for food security programs by adjusting prices in specific regions to meet average income limitations. It relies on higher-income consumers to support less-served communities’ access to food.
There are two ways how businesses can contribute to their communities during the holidays using the cross-consumer subsidy model. They may utilize explicit or implicit premiums, increasing customers’ financial support of food security programs. The subsidies may be region-specific, and companies charge higher premiums for similar goods in high-income communities.
Toms shoe company utilizes the cross-consumer subsidy model, explicitly charging more for its products to support resource distribution in underserved communities. The company donates a portion of each sale toward manufacturing shoes for children in less developed countries.
After achieving specific profit levels, the company can use excess funds to support other community segments, like the agriculture sector. Businesses can support global food security by funding local farmers and giving them the necessary supplies to enhance production. Limiting industrial interferences helps companies support local economies instead of creating competition.
When businesses ship meals, nutrition bars and other food sources into less developed regions, they put local farmers out of business. Companies can reduce this by enhancing a community’s agricultural production. Providing farmers with new technologies and resources may effectively minimize hunger while improving economic stability and food insecurity.
Host a Backpack Food Drive
Individuals questioning how businesses can contribute to their communities during the holidays may evaluate the backpack food drive model to fight food insecurity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools closed and transitioned to virtual classes. While doing this increased students’ protection against the virus, it minimized individuals’ access to free and reduced-cost meals. According to a survey conducted at Hamline University, nearly 76% of students reportedly experience food insecurity.
Business owners can support students by hosting food drives on campuses this holiday season. They may use a portion of their annual profits to purchase nutrient-rich foods, distributing them throughout the academic community. Companies can also team up with campus charity organizations, helping students volunteer at the drive to build their resumes.
Irrigation Support Can Help With Food Insecurity
The evaporation rate rises as the global temperature increases from the enhanced greenhouse effect. Water displacement increases precipitation in some regions and leaves others in extended droughts. In less-developed nations, droughts can minimize farmers’ abilities to produce abundant crop yields.
Businesses may support food security in drier regions by providing agricultural professionals with advanced irrigation technology. Smart sprinklers and rainwater harvesting systems increase the efficiency of watering practices, conserving local freshwater supplies. Companies can also hire local professionals to install the systems and create more employment opportunities in underserved communities.
Hold a Soup Kitchen Volunteer Day
Companies can also increase their support for fighting food insecurity by volunteering at local soup kitchens. They may close their office for one day, allowing employees to volunteer. Helping out at local food pantries and soup kitchens is essential because of safety limitations during the pandemic.
Most volunteers are older, retired individuals who have a higher risk of developing health complications from the virus. Businesses can give back this holiday season by supporting community food security programs, increasing individuals’ access to nutrient sources.
Contact Local Government Officials and Lawmakers
More humanitarian holiday ideas for businesses involve reaching out to local government officials and lawmakers. Companies can describe their regions’ agricultural, technological or economic limitations that increase food insecurity. As more businesses support lawmaking, the influence for positive change increases.
Company owners can also ensure the security and longevity of current agricultural laws by extending their support to government officials. The CARES Act supports food security by providing nearly $850 million to food bank and agricultural purchases, increasing individuals’ access to vital resources. Employees may additionally show up to protests and show their support for positive humanitarian acts.
Influencing Engagement in the Office
Some employees may experience obstacles when engaging in food-security-enhancement practices. The holidays are high-stress times, creating distractions and low productivity rates in the office. Individuals can increase charity-related engagement by holding educational seminars.
Many employees feel more compelled to participate in agricultural development programs when they understand the severity of global food insecurity. Leaders may also provide workers with financial incentives for volunteering, which improves engagement rates.
Conclusion
Businesses have their pick of ways to fight food insecurity during this season of giving. At a time when most people in the western world are looking forward to feasts with families and friends — or even just enjoying their normal access to abundant food — we should also be helping those who cannot.
