May 2, 2007 | Read Time: 1 minute
Are charities contributing to America’s obesity problem?
Dan Prives, a nonprofit finance expert says they are doing just that on his blog Where Most Needed.
Mr. Prives says the federal farm bill plays a role in the problem, largely because it subsidizes crops such as wheat, corn, and soybeans — all of which are common ingredients in empty-calorie junk foods.
But he also argues that nonprofit groups and foundations have hardly been leaders in the effort to promote healthy diets. In making that argument, Mr. Prives cites a recent article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy.
He also singles out food banks as contributing to the problem.
“Charities play a minor but still significant role in the processed food industry through the food bank system coordinated by America’s Second Harvest,” Mr. Prives writes.
He says a special tax break, which allows companies to write off twice the value of food they donate is part of the reason so many companies give to food banks. “The processed-food industry benefits greatly from this deduction, and snack foods, cookies, and soft drinks are still the backbone of the corporate food donations at food banks.”
Is Mr. Prives’s assessment on target? Is there a “charity-industrial complex” that is pulling against efforts to encourage healthy eating habits? Click on the comments link just below this posting to share your thoughts.
