On a cold night a single mother I know — call her Ana — sat in a shelter with her eight-year-old and a folded list of phone numbers. One number was for a food pantry, another for crisis support, a third for housing help. That small list kept them from falling through a gap too many of our neighbors face every day.
What the numbers tell us
Hunger is not abstract. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, nearly 735 million people faced hunger in 2022 worldwide — a reminder that food insecurity remains a global emergency (FAO SOFI 2023). At the same time, more than 1 billion people live with some form of disability, a scale that underlines how disability support must be central to social programs (WHO).
Closer to home, the U.S. mental health crisis response was strengthened with the launch of 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in July 2022, which created a simple, nationwide way to reach help during moments of acute distress (SAMHSA). These policy shifts are steps forward, but the everyday work of nonprofits fills the gaps between policy and people.
People and organizations making a difference
Feeding America supports local food banks that provide millions of meals and emergency food access across communities (Feeding America). Habitat for Humanity works toward stable, affordable housing for families who have nowhere else to turn (Habitat for Humanity). Local crisis centers and hotlines, as well as child welfare nonprofits, step in when a family’s resources are exhausted and a child’s safety is at risk.
"Systems alone cannot carry us; neighbors, volunteers and focused nonprofits bridge the human distance between policy and survival."
What you can do today
It is normal to feel overwhelmed. Small, directed actions add up. Consider:
- Donate to a local food bank or national partner like Feeding America to support emergency meal programs.
- Volunteer or fundraise for housing programs such as Habitat for Humanity that help families move from crisis to stability.
- Share resources: Post the 988 Lifeline information in workplace newsletters, school bulletins, and community groups (988 Lifeline).
- Advocate: Contact local representatives to expand disability services, child welfare protections, and emergency food and housing funding.
Hope is not passive; it is the choice to show up. When Ana reached a shelter, a volunteer handed her a list of services, a counselor called a housing program, and a food pantry packed a week of meals. That chain of small acts is how communities keep one another alive and moving forward.
Make room in your life for one action this week: a donation, a few hours of volunteer time, a shared post about 988, or a phone call to your local shelter asking how to help. Each act strengthens the safety net for children, people with disabilities, families facing hunger, and those in crisis.
If you or someone you know is in immediate crisis, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.
