By: Ashwani Mahajan

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) stands as one of the most enduring and impactful global efforts to fight childhood hunger, a crisis that continues to claim millions of young lives each year. Founded in 1987 by the late Minnesota businessman Richard Proudfit, FMSC was inspired by his life-changing mission trip to Honduras, where he witnessed firsthand the devastating effects of hunger and malnutrition on children. That experience sparked a movement that has since grown into a worldwide humanitarian mission rooted in compassion, faith, and action.

Despite global progress, hunger remains one of the leading contributors to child mortality. Each year, millions of children die from preventable causes such as pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria, and undernutrition. Nearly half of all child deaths worldwide are linked to malnutrition, with an estimated 6,200 children dying every day from hunger-related causes. These stark realities underscore the urgency of FMSC’s work. The organization partners with trusted local food distribution groups that remain committed to communities for the long term, helping them transition from emergency relief to sustainable development.

FMSC’s meals are carefully designed by food science and nutrition professionals to address critical nutritional deficiencies and reduce the long-term effects of malnutrition. Proper nutrition enables children not only to survive, but to grow, learn, and reach their full potential. Guided by its mission—“Feeding God’s starving children hungry in body and spirit until all are fed, believing hope starts with food”—FMSC is an American-based, Christian, non-profit charity that delivers both nourishment and hope. With permanent packing sites in Arizona, Illinois, Minnesota, and Texas, and mobile packing events nationwide, FMSC serves children in more than 50 countries across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and South America.

The organization’s impact is powered almost entirely by the generosity of donors and the dedication of volunteers. Donations fund meal ingredients, while volunteers from all walks of life come together to hand-pack nutritious meals that are boxed and shipped worldwide. Notably, 88 percent of all donations go directly toward meal production, with each meal costing less than 30 cents. While shipment volumes vary depending on donations and packing events, FMSC typically ships hundreds of millions of meals annually, reaching children in over 100 countries. Through this collective effort, Feed My Starving Children continues to demonstrate that with compassion, commitment, and community, hope truly can begin with food.