Kors and Nyong’o: Food, fashion and film join forces at UN, for the world’s hungry

For the seventh year in a row, fashion mogul and UN Goodwill Ambassador Michael Kors, launched his Watch Hunger Stop campaign on Monday – an initiative that supports the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in its work to feed schoolchildren around the world.   This year’s theme, “Food is Love”, is based on the simple principle that food is essential; and yet one-in-nine people are going to bed hungry, Mr. Kors said, speaking alongside Black Panther star, Lupita Nyong’o, the 2019 campaign’s celebrity partner, at a meeting to promote the initiative at UN headquarters on Monday. “I am very proud that seven years in, we are almost at 19 million meals,” Mr. Kors told event attendees, adding that progress made so far “is just the tip of the iceberg if we can keep making noise.” For every Watch Hunger Stop t-shirt or tote bag purchased from the brand’s retail store or official website, Michael Kors will donate 100 per cent of the profits (amounting to 100 meals for every $25 spent) to WFP. The company is also leveraging the influence of social media, promising to donate 100 meals to the agency for every social media photo featuring the merchandise tagged with #WatchHungerStop. As the largest humanitarian agency fighting global hunger, WFP leads hunger relief operations in 83 countries, helping feed around 86.7 million people each year through emergency relief, resilience building, school meal programmes and tackling gender disparities. Behind conflict, the agency cites climate change as one of the leading global causes of hunger, but the problem is solvable, Kors and Ms. Nyong’o encouraged. For less than a cup of coffee, 50 cents, WFP can deliver a meal, amounting to a small sacrifice by one to better the life of another, Ms. Nyong’o said. “I think food and hunger are often taken for granted, especially in a land of plenty that we live in in America”, the Academy Award-winning actress stressed, explaining that being involved with the Kors campaign meant giving a new face and further attention to the issue to “get us a little closer to the goals” the UN – and the international community – have promoted to end hunger, by 2030. Since 2013, Mr. Kors has teamed up with figures including actress Kate Hudson and singer Hailee Steinfeld, to bring visibility to food insecurity around the globe, and recognize World Food Day, marked annually on 16 October. This year, Michael Kors will donate up to two million meals to WFP through 31 March of 2020.