Learning ensures sustainable success.
Some people take their first step into the mission to end hunger by learning. Others prefer to get actively involved and dive deeper into the educational aspect of the mission.
No matter what you’re searching for, the staff and volunteers at The Society of St. Andrew (SoSA) are eager to answer your questions.
Whether you want to volunteer for a hunger relief organization; donate food to a food bank; donate your dollars to cover costs; or something else— SoSA wants to work with you!
If you would like to speak to someone, call 800-333-4597. You can also request a speaking event or invite a SoSA Team Member to your next event.
No matter where you start, you will create longer-lasting solutions when you better understand the problems facing your community. Check out the free information and resources available to you below to learn more about the problems of food waste and food insecurity.
If you’re interested in an immersive, overnight mission camp experience, we recommend signing up for a Harvest of Hope event in 2023. One of the most thorough ways to learn in the mission to end hunger is to attend a Harvest of Hope trip.
The Society of St. Andrew, Inc. (or SoSA to friends) began as a faith-based organization and to this operates with strong support from a variety of faith-based partners across interfaith and ecumenical divisions.
If you belong to a faith group or religious organization, check out the many free spiritual resources available! Whether it’s Advent, Lent, Good Friday, Vacation Bible School, or Hunger Action Month— SoSA has a spiritual resource for your family of faith to use and to fundraise for the mission to end hunger.
Thousands of people visit SoSA’s website on their hunt for answers to burning questions, such as:
Why is there food waste? There are many causes while nearly 30% of food is lost at the retail and consumer level due to consumer habits.
- Why is food waste a problem? When food is wasted it gives off harmful Greenhouse Gases; it wastes inputs; and wastes a solution to another problem.
- Where can I learn more about food waste? It is estimated that enough to fill a football stadium is wasted every day in the U.S.
- How much food is wasted in the U.S.? Recent estimates show nearly 40% of all food grown in the U.S. is wasted rather than consumed by people.
Still, others stumble onto SoSA’s resource library because of our mission to end hunger. They’re most often searching for questions like:
- What causes food insecurity? Food Insecurity is the formal term for hunger. It is caused by and connected to many issues in our society.
- Why is being hungry a problem? In addition to malnutrition— irritability, distractibility, and chronic health issues are connected to hunger.
- What are common myths about hunger? There are many myths around hunger. One of the most harmful myths is that of the “benefits scammer”.
- How many hungry people are there in the United States? Hunger is a massive problem both domestically and internationally. Food should be a basic human right.
The Society of St. Andrew provides relevant information and resources, but its main point of recognition is that it is the nation’s largest and oldest gleaning network. Founded in 1979, SoSA has been pioneering the landscape of rescuing food from farms and sharing it rapidly across a network of connections— often food picked in the morning is on the dinner plates of families on the same day.
Commonly asked questions about gleaning include:
- What is gleaning? Gleaning is an ancient biblical practice that allows landowners to share their food with community members who might otherwise go without it.
- Does gleaning make a difference? Each year, the Society of St. Andrew rescues and shares 20-40 million pounds of good food with frontline agencies and individuals.
- Are there legal protections for donating food? There is federal legislation designed to protect food donors that donate food through nonprofits like SoSA.
- Are there tax deductions for donating food? There are federal tax deductions, and in some states, even tax credits available to food donors.
