This weekend Senator George McGovern passed away. Planet Aid honors the memory of Senator McGovern, who is remembered as a champion in reducing poverty and fighting global hunger. In the early 1960s, Senator McGovern was behind the formation of the U.S. Food-for-Peace program, which provided other nations credit to buy surplus U.S. crops. He then served as the program's first director under President John F. Kennedy. It was in that position that he played a central role building the U.N.'s World Food Program (he later served as U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization under President Clinton).
Senator McGovern is perhaps best known for the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. This historic program managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture promotes education, child development, and food security for some of the world's poorest children. It has reduced malnutrition and helped feed millions of young children in 41 countries. Planet Aid is among the organizations implementing this USDA program in Africa.
Planet Aid extends its sympathy to the McGovern family and mourns the loss of this respected statesman. Senator McGovern's unwavering commitment to feeding the children of the world is an inspiration. We are all better off because of his work.
"Rich and poor alike, we breathe the same air; we share a global economy. ."‰."‰. The chaos associated with political instability rooted in poverty and desperation is rarely contained within a single country."
-- Senator George McGovern, Los Angeles Times editorial, 1998