About Us
Learn about our mission, values, and the team working to advance social justice and the right to food
Our Story
How we came together to fight for the right to food and human rights
Emerging from Trans-Atlantic relationships and shared analysis
From North America to Europe and beyond
Addressing systemic issues, not just symptoms
Shifting from charity to authentic solidarity
The Birth of Our Movement
The Global Solidarity Alliance for Food, Health and Social Justice (GSA RightsNotCharity) began to emerge in 2018 out of relationships built at Trans-Atlantic conferences and meetings, resulting in a growing shared analysis of and reaction to the increased use of private philanthropy and transnational corporate food banking as a response to "rich world" hunger and poverty. Much of this analysis has a long-standing history; but the lasting effects of the 2008 global recession, the COVID-19 pandemic, together with the acceleration and expansion of food banking across the world, has led to our renewed focus in organizing around these issues. While the structural issues that this alliance addresses are global, the proliferation of institutionalized corporate food banking, private philanthropy, food banks, and other "emergency measures" as permanent responses to poverty and food insecurity originated in the United States, before spreading to Canada and, since the mid 1980s, have steadily advanced across Europe and other parts of the globe. These solutions have never addressed the root causes of food insecurity, and oftentimes exacerbate poverty. They have allowed governments to look the other way, ignoring income policies and human rights, all the while creating greater openings for the corporate capture of public policy and funding. The Global Solidarity Alliance's focus on "wealthy-but-unequal" countries is a means to build a shared understanding among those in North America and Europe of the patterns of destructive policies which have taken hold in North America and are being replicated in European Countries, and beyond. In so doing, this #RightsNotCharity alliance will be better prepared to accompany our global allies who have long felt the perverse effects of resource extraction and colonialism by our governments and to open collective pathways to authentically struggle for food sovereignty as a right of all people everywhere. We invite you to join our growing global network in shifting from charity to solidarity with those whose rights have been systematically denied.
Our Mission as an Alliance
Three interconnected pillars that guide our collective work in advancing the right to food and human rights
01
Build Shared Analysis
Build a shared analysis of the increasing use of charitable food aid, private philanthropy, and transnational corporate food banking as a flawed response to hunger and poverty.
Key Focus Areas:
•
Analyze corporate food banking systems
•
Examine private philanthropy patterns
•
Study charitable food aid effectiveness
•
Document flawed response mechanisms
02
Build Collective Strategies
Build collective strategies of resistance and alternative models and practices to promote the fulfillment of the right to nutritious food in our respective parts of the world.
Key Focus Areas:
•
Develop resistance strategies
•
Create alternative food models
•
Promote nutritious food access
•
Implement rights-based practices
03
Build Global Solidarity
Build global solidarity with and accompany our global allies who have long felt the perverse effects of resource extraction and colonialism, upheld through racism and white supremacy, by our governments thereby opening collective pathways to authentic struggle for food sovereignty as a right of all people everywhere.
Key Focus Areas:
•
Support global allies
•
Address resource extraction impacts
•
Challenge colonial legacies
•
Fight for food sovereignty rights
Our Journey
Key moments that shaped our understanding and led to the formation of our alliance
- ●1980sChallenge
Corporate Food Banking Begins
Food banking and emergency measures as permanent responses to poverty originated in the United States
- ●2008Challenge
Global Recession Impact
The lasting effects of the 2008 global recession exposed systemic vulnerabilities in food security
- ★2018Milestone
GSA Founded
The Global Solidarity Alliance emerged from Trans-Atlantic relationships and shared analysis
- ●2020Challenge
COVID-19 Pandemic
The pandemic accelerated and expanded food banking across the world
- ●2021-2024Challenge
Global Expansion
Food banking patterns spread from North America to Europe and beyond
- ★PresentMilestone
Rights Not Charity Movement
Building global solidarity to shift from charity to authentic struggle for food sovereignty
Our Global Network
Connecting advocates, researchers, and organizations worldwide who are advancing the right to food and human rights
Loading summary...