Financial Times Partners with Action Against Hunger for its Seasonal Appeal

LONDON & NEW YORK | 13 September 2010: The Financial Times has selected Action Against Hunger | ACF International, an international humanitarian organisation with life-saving programmes in over 40 countries, as its partner for its 2010-2011 seasonal appeal to readers.

FOLLOW THE APPEAL HERE

The seasonal appeal, taking place from November to mid-January 2011, has raised £5 million over the past four years for its featured charities. Chosen in a vote by Financial Times staff around the world, Action Against Hunger directly assists nearly five million people a year through innovative programmes that save the lives of malnourished children. The programmes also provide communities with sustainable solutions to hunger and access to safe drinking water.

This year’s seasonal appeal will be launched at on 4th November at the FT annual Action Against Hunger Benefit Gala Dinner in New York.

Lionel Barber, editor of the Financial Times, said: “The FT is delighted to be working with Action Against Hunger on this year's seasonal appeal, and we look forward to visiting some of the many countries in which it operates to bring its work to life for our readers. With the global economic recession contributing towards further hardship for vulnerable populations around the world, the cause could not be more urgent or the appeal more timely."

Raymond Debbane, board chairman for ACF-USA’s US board chairman, said: “We are thrilled and honored that the Financial Times staff chose Action Against Hunger for their seasonal appeal. The funds raised this year will enhance our ability to reach children suffering from life-threatening malnutrition.”
 
Paul Wilson, board chairman for ACF- UK, added: “The FT seasonal appeal presents a tremendous opportunity to shed light on the global hunger crisis and the proven solutions that our teams employ all across the globe.”

Founded in 1979, Action Against Hunger now has headquarters in London, Madrid, Montréal, New York and Paris. The organisation works to save lives through the prevention, detection and treatment of malnutrition. Its programmes in nutrition, food security, and water, sanitation and hygiene are implemented by a global team of more than 4,600 professionals and technical experts.

Hunger now afflicts more than a billion people worldwide. Severe acute malnutrition is the most immediate killer: it threatens the lives of 19 million children. Every year an estimated 3.5 million of them die from malnutrition-related causes. By integrating its programmes with national health systems and working in close collaboration with local communities, Action Against Hunger seeks to ensure that short-term interventions become long-term solutions. The organisation is currently responding to humanitarian emergencies in a number of countries, including Pakistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Niger, where millions of people face severe food shortages.