The ethics of food charity

Societal struggles for food security are not new (Allen 1999). Throughout history, ancient civilizations frequently rose to power and collapsed based on their capacity to produce and sustain a secure and stable food supply (Busch and Lacy 1984). As Hopkins and Puchala note, “securing adequate food is one of the oldest problems confronting political institutions” (1978, pp. 3–4). In almost every “industrialized” country, the state has been increasingly shedding its responsibilities for social welfare. In five such countries – the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – governments have been changing welfare systems while neglecting the growing issues of hunger and food insecurity (Allen 1999; Riches 1989, 1997). The gaps have been filled instead by emergency food relief programs, such as food banks as well as soup kitchens and food pantries.