A Mother’s Day plea to feed starving children

The best Mother’s Day gift this year would be food and peace for suffering children around the world. From Gaza to Sudan and even to Southern Africa there are millions of children dying of starvation because of war and drought.

This is the most desperate times for mothers and children since the post-World War II era. At that time the biggest famine in history threatened Europe.

For Mother’s Day in 1946 a “Food for the Children” campaign was launched to save lives. Catholic Relief Services got the food drive started, collecting donations at churches across the United States. Well over a million pounds of food was donated as reported in the Hartford Courant.

War devastated nations Greece, Italy and Poland were the first to receive aid from the “Food for the Children” campaign of 1946.

This Mother’s Day we could use an even bigger “Food for the Children” drive. The needs are growing because wars are escalating and drought is unrelenting.

Mothers in Gaza are seeing their children die from food shortages caused by the Israel-Hamas war. A whole generation of children in Gaza will either perish or be stunted for life from malnutrition.

The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) says that in Darfur, Sudan there are reports of children dying of malnutrition.

“The situation is dire. People are resorting to consuming grass and peanut shells. If assistance doesn't reach them soon, we risk witnessing widespread starvation and death in Darfur and across other conflict-affected areas in Sudan," said Michael Dunford, WFP East Africa director.

Children are also in danger of starvation because of drought. In Malawi the WFP is appealing for funds to prevent starvation as farmers are unable to grow enough food because of repeated drought.

Mary’s Meals is warning of starvation in Ethiopia as the charity seeks to expand its school meals programs in the drought and war-torn country. School meals may be something we take for granted in the United States. But in other countries these meals can be a lifesaver and allow kids to stay in school even during harsh times like drought.

A “Food for the Children” campaign today would place special emphasis on school meals and infant nutrition. It’s critical that children in the first 1,000 days receive enough food to prevent being stunted for life, or worse.

The charity CARE, in 1946, started food packages you could purchase and send overseas to feed infants. Today, you could donate to charities like the WFP, CARE, Catholic Relief Services, UNICEF, Save the Children, Mary’s Meals, Edesia, Mercy Corps and others to feed starving children. You could make the donation in the honor of your mother.

During the original Mother’s Day “Food for the Children” campaign in 1946 Monsignor Joseph Flannelly was quoted in the NY Times, “I ask you in the name of your own mother and all the mothers of the world to be generous in your contributions of food for the millions of sorrowing mothers who are starving today and watching their children starve before their very eyes.”

Today, the same horror is falling upon mothers and children. The world’s biggest crisis of war, drought and hunger calls us all into action. We must help get lifesaving food to children and mothers.

We also must plea for world peace on Mother’s Day, to end the conflicts that are causing so much hunger. Food and peace is what mothers everywhere wish for their children.

William Lambers is an author who partnered with the United Nations World Food Program on the book “Ending World Hunger.”