World must come together to address poverty, ex-U.N. official says

Published: 2007-08-01

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) -- Some 850 million people in the world -- half of them children -- are hungry every day. A sixth of the world's population is hungry, malnourished and lives in poverty. Every day, 25,000 people -- including 18,000 children -- die of malnutrition. Those sobering and heartbreaking statistics can be eliminated, according to James Morris, if more individuals, churches, community organizations and companies support poverty-relief efforts in the U.S. and abroad. Morris, an Indianapolis resident who served as executive director of the United Nations' World Food Program, shared compelling stories about his international humanitarian ministry in a talk on "Connecting to Children: The Importance and Responsibility of Living in a Global Community and How Nutrition Impacts Kids" at St. Joan of Arc Parish and School in Indianapolis. Morris served as the 10th executive director of the world's largest food aid organization from 2002 to 2007. During 2006, the World Food Program fed 88 million people in 78 countries with $2.9 billion in contributions.

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