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[edit] The early years (1977-1990)

Werner Erhard, who also founded est (Erhard Seminars Training), formulated The Hunger Project in 1977, announcing it at an est Advisory Board meeting. ^[1] Folksinger John Denver; Oberlin College President Robert W. Fuller; R. Buckminster Fuller, environmentalist Dr. Donella Meadows, and land-reform expert Professor Roy Prosterman are also credited as being involved in establishing The Hunger Project. ^{[citation needed]}

The organization, which was subsequently incorporated as a non-profit charitable organization, articulated its commitment to “the end of starvation within 20 years” in its source document, “Nothing is as Powerful as An Idea Whose Time has Come”, authored by Erhard and published by The Hunger Project the same year. ^[2] The Hunger Project was initially financed by a $400,000 interest-free loan from est, and a $100,000 grant from the est Foundation. ^[3]

Erhard, who served on The Hunger Project’s Board of Directors from 1977 to 1990, was initially the Project’s dominant spokesperson, and gave presentations across the U.S. with Roy Prosterman. ^[4] In 1978, Erhard told Newsweek magazine, “I know miracles will happen…. Twenty years from now we’ll look back and say, ‘Why you dummies. Certainly hunger and starvation ended.’ “ ^[5]

The Hunger Project stated “that to work for any specific solution to the problem of world hunger would be only to add to the ‘pea soup’ of confusion that already exists.” Erhard articulated, “Your crummy little sacrifices won’t do a damn thing to end hunger and starvation. It might make you feel better, it may be a human thing to do … but it isn’t going to end hunger and starvation.” ^[6] Instead, The Hunger Project intended to provide what was, in its evaluation, missing - context, a “transformation of the condition in which the problem is held”, and responsibility.^[7]

In the 1970s and 80s, The Hunger Project was actively promoted by folk-singer John Denver, actress Valerie Harper (Rhoda), ^[8] actor Raul Julia, ^[9] and other celebrities. It gained some acceptance in President Jimmy Carter’s administration, when John Denver was named a member of the Presidential Commission on Hunger. ^[10]

The Hunger Project made perhaps it’s greatest impact since its inception when, in 1979 during the Cambodia famine, it spent $95,000 to run ads in major newspapers across the U.S. and raised $900,000 for direct-aid organizations. ^[11]

By 1981, The Hunger Project had established its own headquarters in San Francisco, and found its own advocate in 1973 est graduate Joan Holmes, ^[12][13] who has served as the Project’s CEO since its inception. [1] Holmes had been previously associated with Erhard Seminars Training as a "consulting educational psychologist". ^[14] As est spokesman Zev Putterman put it, “the project ‘was Werner’s baby, his money and his vision, but it’s gone way beyond him at this point.’ “^[15]

1.8 million people had enrolled (signed a statement of commitment to end hunger) and the Project had raised a total of $7 million by 1981. Nonetheless, Executive Director Joan Holmes admitted “ ‘there are no fewer hungry people around now’ than there were four years ago.”^[16] On May 30, 1981 the board of directors of Oxfam Canada passed a resolution which stated they would not endorse or support any activities or programs sponsored by The Hunger Project, nor would they accept funds from the Project. ^[17])

In 1985 The Hunger Project moved its headquarters to New York City, [2] and authored the book Ending hunger: an idea whose time has come. ^[18] It’s target date had advanced a few years, and there was a two-page declaration, in large white type on a black background:

“The end of hunger and starvation on our planet by the end of the century.
An idea whose time has come.”^[19]

By 1986, 5 million people worldwide had signed enrollment cards, and the Project raised $7 million during that year. ^[20] In 1987, The Hunger Project awarded the first Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable End of Hunger to Abdou Diouf, President of Senegal, and Kenyan scientist Thomas R. Odhiambo.^[21] The Africa Prize continues to be awarded annually. [3]

While The Hunger Project did increase public awareness of the problem of hunger, it was widely criticized during this period for its ties to Werner Erhard and est; for its guiding philosophy which avoided, as “dehumanizing”, ^[22] direct action to alleviate hunger; and for its overly-ambitious goal of ending hunger within 20 years. (See Further reading section below.) Between 1977 and 1989 The Hunger Project raised more than $67 million from around the world and 6.5 million people signed enrollment cards. During that period, it gave less than $2 million to other organizations directly involved in efforts to alleviate hunger.^[23] In 1991, the Project restructured itself and has since focused less on education and advocacy, and more on grassroots projects in developing countries.

[edit] References

1. ^ Gordon, Suzanne (December 1978). “Let them eat est.” Mother Jones. Vol. 3, No. 10, p. 44.
2. ^ Erhard, Werner (1977). "Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come". San Francisco, Ca: The Hunger Project, 30 pp. (republished 1982)
3. ^ Gordon, Suzanne (December 1978). “Let them eat est.” Mother Jones. Vol. 3, No. 10, p. 42.
4. ^ Cimons, Marlene (October 2, 1977). “est hopes to end hunger before 1997”. Los Angeles Times. Pp. I1,. 22.
5. ^ Shah, Diane K. and Reese, Michael (August 28, 1978). “Food for thought”. Newsweek. Vol. 92, No. 9, p. 78
6. ^ Shah, Diane K. and Reese, Michael (August 28, 1978). “Food for thought”. Newsweek. Vol. 92, No. 9, p. 78
7. ^ Cimons, Marlene (October 2, 1977). “est hopes to end hunger before 1997”. Los Angeles Times. Pp. I1,. 22.
8. ^ Behar, Richard and King, Jr., Ralph (November 18, 1985). "Fuzzy, but fervent", sidebar to article "The Winds of Werner". Forbes. 136, p. 44. Retrieved August 27, 2006
9. ^ Rosenfeld, Megan (February 9, 1992). “Possible dreamer: Raul Julia, loving life as Don Quixote and tilting at hunger”. The Washington Post. p. G1.
10. ^ Gordon, Suzanne (December 1978). “Let them eat est.” Mother Jones. Vol. 3, No. 10, p. 43.
11. ^ Keerdoja, Eileen, Lord, Mary, and Abramson, Pamela (June 15, 1981). “The Hunger Project feeds its coffers”. Newsweek. Vol 97, No. 24, pp. 18, 21.
12. ^ Pressman, Steven (1993). Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-09296-2 p. 158.
13. ^ Keerdoja, Eileen, Lord, Mary, and Abramson, Pamela (June 15, 1981). “The Hunger Project feeds its coffers”. Newsweek. Vol. 97, No. 24, pp. 18, 21.
14. ^ Fuller, Robert W. and Wallace, Zara (December, 1975). “A look at est in education”. est, an educational corporation.
15. ^ Keerdoja, Eileen, Lord, Mary, and Abramson, Pamela (June 15, 1981). “The Hunger Project feeds its coffers”. Newsweek. Vol 97, No. 24, pp. 18, 21.
16. ^ Keerdoja, Eileen, Lord, Mary, and Abramson, Pamela (June 15, 1981). “The Hunger Project feeds its coffers”. Newsweek. Vol. 97, No. 24, pp. 18, 21.
17. ^ Bell, Daniel and Weston, Brendan (February 13, 1985). "Hunger Project feeds itself". McGill Daily
18. ^ Hunger Project, The (1985). Ending hunger: an idea whose time has come. New York: Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0-03-005549-0.
19. ^ Hunger Project, The (1985). Ending hunger: an idea whose time has come. New York: Praeger Publishers. ISBN 0-03-005549-0. pp. 396-397
20. ^ Kelly, Caitlin (February 20, 1987). “Hunger Project involves no food, just a taste of ‘commitment’ “. The Gazette (Montreal). pp. A1 ff.
21. ^ (June 1, 2003). “Thomas Odhiambo, 72, scientist who helped Africa’s farmers (obituary)”. New York Times. P. 1.35.
22. ^ Gordon, Suzanne (December 1978). “Let them eat est.” Mother Jones. Vol. 3, No. 10, p. 42.
23. ^ Pressman, Steven (1993). Outrageous Betrayal: The Dark Journey of Werner Erhard from est to Exile. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-09296-2 pp. 166-167.