Volunteering to Help Combat Food Insecurity
Employees support volunteer efforts to combat food insecurity—a challenge threatening millions each year
Hunger is on the rise throughout the world, with an estimated 343 million people in 74 countries facing acute food insecurity in 2024. It’s up in the United States, as well — more than 47 million American residents lived with food insecurity in 2023, compared to about 44 million people in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
With the shared mission of working to create a safer world, both UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement recognize the growing challenge of food insecurity and its potential impact on the global population’s safety.
“Food insecurity is a worldwide problem and far more prevalent than you might imagine — it’s not just somewhere else, it’s in our communities, too,” said Chris Cramer, Ph.D., ULRI interim president and chief research officer. “A staggering number of people confront it at some point during any given year.”
Both organizations already focus their expertise on enabling a safe transition to cleaner energy, which could help reduce climate change’s damaging impact on the world’s food supply. Still, they are committed to doing more — focusing some of their employee volunteer efforts on combating food insecurity.
“At ULRI and ULSE, we want to be part of the solution,” said George A. Borlase, Ph.D., ULSE’s vice president of standards development.
During the 2024 holiday season, ULRI and ULSE employees from Bengaluru to Houston helped meet that need through a “Nourish a Safer World” volunteer campaign. Volunteer teams around the globe leveraged their paid volunteer time and donated resources to several organizations focused on reducing food insecurity, including:
- Alimento para Todos (Food for Everyone)
- Akshaya Patra Kitchen
- Books & Breakfast
- Connections for the Homeless
- Feed My Starving Children
- Houston Food Bank
Other hunger-combating ULRI-ULSE activities included food drives organized in Evanston, IL Washington, D.C., and Columbia, Maryland. Further, ULRI-ULSE employees came together before the holidays to create reusable bags that will be filled with food items and distributed to families in need in the Evanston area.
“This is a great way to be of service to your community, no matter where you live,” said Tina Vaughn, ULRI and ULSE senior manager of community affairs and engagement. “Together, we can make a significant difference and help nourish a safer world for everyone.”
Contact Tina Vaughn, senior manager of community affairs and engagement, at tina.vaughn@ul.org to learn more about community efforts at ULRI and ULSE.
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