Friend – around the world, we're continuing to make progress in the fight against COVID-19. Multiple vaccines have been approved and are starting to be rolled out, and we're actively advocating to make sure everyone, including those living in vulnerable communities, will be able to access the vaccine to help put an end to this public health crisis. But one part of the global crisis is only worsening: pandemic-caused hunger.

Chan Banu, pictured above in Bangladesh, has experienced this hunger firsthand. She and her husband found themselves unemployed due to the pandemic. "Now, we have no way to pay rent. Everyone in our community is eating once a day," she told Oxfam.

Unfortunately, Chan's story is far from unique. Before the pandemic, an estimated 149 million people were suffering from serious malnutrition, according to the UN. But in 2021, due to the economic impacts of the crisis, the World Food Programme predicts this number will increase to 270 million people - that's the equivalent of 8 out of every 10 Americans. The hunger crisis caused by COVID-19 is impacting millions of people here in the US and around the world. We urgently need more support to help people like Chan avoid the threat of famine and keep up our efforts fighting the injustice of poverty worldwide.

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Oxfam has already provided assistance to more than 11 million people to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and provide food and cash to families struggling with hunger. We're working in more than 60 countries, including the US, with programs like providing food aid to women like Chan in Bangladesh, bringing seeds to farmers in Ethiopia who have been unable to access markets to purchase them, and pushing governments to support sustainable methods of food production to rebuild with stronger systems in place.

"I am able to cook in the morning and feed my daughter...This food is saving us from starvation," Chan said, after receiving food aid from Oxfam and our partners. We're aiming to reach 3 million more people with this kind of life-saving assistance – but we need more support to do so, friend.

Fight hunger and support families living in poverty – donate now >>

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Abby Maxman
President
Oxfam America