Food for the Hungry, Inc.

The information on this page was last updated 2/26/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]


Summary

The world is hungry, but the emptiness goes far beyond the table. The need is physical and spiritual. People hunger for opportunity, starve for resources, and have been stripped of value. These injustices keep us up at night.

Food for the Hungry seeks to end ALL forms of human poverty by going to the hard places and walking with the world's most vulnerable people. For fifty years, we've been serving through purposeful relief and development. We believe in the fight against poverty, which is why we serve the vulnerable in over 20 countries globally.


Contact information

Mailing address:
Food for the Hungry, Inc.
1224 E. Washington St.
Phoenix, AZ 85034-1102

Website: fh.org

Phone: (480) 998-3100

Email: [email protected]


Organization details

EIN: 952680390

CEO/President: Mark Viso

Chairman: Mr. Larry Jones

Board size: 9

Founder: Dr. Larry Ward

Ruling year: 1971

Tax deductible: Yes

Fiscal year end: 09/30

Member of ECFA: Yes

Member of ECFA since: 1980


Purpose

We're moved and inspired by our Christian belief that every person has intrinsic value, and that it's our responsibility to advocate for the poor and marginalized without regard to race, creed or nationality and without adverse distinction of any kind. We serve on the basis of need alone. We strive to respect the culture and customs of the people we serve in order to preserve their humanity and dignity.

We provide life-changing resources such as clean water, medical aid, food, equal educational opportunities to girls and boys, vocational training and empowerment in the midst of unimaginable hardships. Our view of poverty is holistic and complex. We honor the people we serve by inviting them to contribute to the process. We are grateful to be invited into the communities we serve and work side-by-side with local leaders, responding to their needs with transformative solutions, which are both sustainable and implemented at the hands of the communities themselves.


Mission statement

Food for the Hungry is an international organization of Christian motivation, committed to working with poor people to overcome hunger and poverty through integrated self-development and relief programs. Relief efforts include famines in Africa, typhoons in Southeast Asia, floods in the United States, and earthquakes in Central America.


Statement of faith

Articles

5/22/2023Samaritan's Purse Approves 35 Mobile Homes for Mississippi Tornado Victims, Bibles For The World Aids Ethnic Violence Victims in India, Nazarene Youth International Launches WhatsApp Project in Venezuela, World Vision and Partners Initiate RAISE 4 Sahel Vaccination Project
6/15/2022MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT: Food for the Hungry
3/29/2021Medical Teams International and Food for the Hungry Aid Rohingya Fire Victims, Tent Schools International Provides Computers for Refugee Children in Michigan, ANM Opens Training Center in Mongolia, Welcome House Knoxville Supports Refugee Families

Donor confidence score

Show donor confidence score details

To understand our donor confidence score, click here.


Transparency grade

A

To understand our transparency grade, click here.


Financial efficiency ratings

Sector: Relief and Development

CategoryRatingOverall rankSector rank
Overall efficiency rating998 of 139179 of 113
Fund acquisition rating1287 of 1391104 of 113
Resource allocation rating1194 of 139198 of 113
Asset utilization rating106 of 139215 of 113

According to the organization's Form 990, it received $33,528,227 in government grants in 2025.

To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.


Financial ratios

Funding ratiosSector median20252024202320222021
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts =
Fundraising expense /
Total contributions
6%16%16%15%19%12%
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total revenue
5%16%15%15%19%12%
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance =
Total contributions /
Total revenue
98%99%99%99%100%100%
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio =
Fundraising expense /
Total expenses
5%16%15%15%18%13%
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance =
Total other revenue /
Total revenue
2%1%1%1%0%0%
 
Operating ratiosSector median20252024202320222021
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio =
Program services /
Total expenses
86%75%78%77%76%80%
Spending ratio Spending ratio =
Total expenses /
Total revenue
99%101%107%99%105%93%
Program output ratio Program output ratio =
Program services /
Total revenue
84%76%83%76%80%74%
Savings ratio Savings ratio =
Surplus (deficit) /
Total revenue
1%-1%-7%1%-5%7%
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate =
Surplus (deficit) /
Net assets
5%-6%-50%6%-28%24%
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio =
Management and general expense /
Total expenses
7%9%8%8%6%7%
 
Investing ratiosSector median20252024202320222021
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total assets
1.534.195.084.135.212.77
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment =
Total assets /
Total current assets
1.161.821.951.351.271.21
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover =
Total expenses /
Total current assets
2.107.639.895.596.593.34
 
Liquidity ratiosSector median20252024202320222021
Current ratio Current ratio =
Total current assets /
Total current liabilities
10.832.222.589.128.7713.92
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio =
Total current liabilities /
Total current assets
0.070.450.390.110.110.07
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level =
(Total current assets -
Total current liabilities) /
(Total expenses / 12)
4.700.860.741.911.613.33
 
Solvency ratiosSector median20252024202320222021
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio =
Total liabilities /
Total assets
8%40%37%12%11%7%
Debt ratio Debt ratio =
Debt /
Total assets
0%0%0%0%0%0%
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio =
Net assets /
Total expenses
53%14%12%21%17%33%

Financials

Balance sheet
 
Assets20252024202320222021
Cash$2,936,883$4,916,169$12,636,559$11,863,490$22,251,881
Receivables, inventories, prepaids$10,255,346$7,238,373$8,179,119$7,746,223$5,794,108
Short-term investments$7,335,786$7,256,151$8,104,373$7,927,533$8,932,101
Other current assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total current assets$20,528,015$19,410,693$28,920,051$27,537,246$36,978,090
Long-term investments$4,896,865$4,769,382$3,436,338$3,436,338$3,436,338
Fixed assets$5,177,154$6,008,405$4,574,053$2,105,181$2,123,648
Other long-term assets$6,824,319$7,653,688$2,200,800$1,784,519$2,064,624
Total long-term assets$16,898,338$18,431,475$10,211,191$7,326,038$7,624,610
Total assets$37,426,353$37,842,168$39,131,242$34,863,284$44,602,700
 
Liabilities20252024202320222021
Payables and accrued expenses$8,887,786$5,854,774$2,331,668$3,138,722$2,657,009
Other current liabilities$353,299$1,672,178$838,062$0$0
Total current liabilities$9,241,085$7,526,952$3,169,730$3,138,722$2,657,009
Debt$0$0$0$0$0
Due to (from) affiliates$0$0$0$0$0
Other long-term liabilities$5,660,987$6,527,632$1,663,683$561,674$581,863
Total long-term liabilities$5,660,987$6,527,632$1,663,683$561,674$581,863
Total liabilities$14,902,072$14,054,584$4,833,413$3,700,396$3,238,872
 
Net assets20252024202320222021
Without donor restrictions$14,659,147$16,964,017$25,239,429$21,606,145$32,675,359
With donor restrictions$7,865,134$6,823,567$9,058,400$9,556,743$8,688,469
Net assets$22,524,281$23,787,584$34,297,829$31,162,888$41,363,828
 
Revenues and expenses
 
Revenue20252024202320222021
Total contributions$153,911,895$179,151,758$162,957,899$172,535,634$133,226,072
Program service revenue$0$0$0$0$0
Membership dues$0$0$0$0$0
Investment income$1,443,287$463,480$256,816$209,518$159,080
Other revenue$49,616$588,360$650,659$19,401$7,200
Total other revenue$1,492,903$1,051,840$907,475$228,919$166,280
Total revenue$155,404,798$180,203,598$163,865,374$172,764,553$133,392,352
 
Expenses20252024202320222021
Program services$117,861,727$149,140,968$124,816,767$138,323,295$98,432,006
Management and general$13,713,260$15,041,057$12,635,907$10,293,273$8,670,534
Fundraising$25,149,504$27,870,412$24,269,672$32,980,052$16,441,080
Total expenses$156,724,491$192,052,437$161,722,346$181,596,620$123,543,620
 
Change in net assets20252024202320222021
Surplus (deficit)($1,319,693)($11,848,839)$2,143,028($8,832,067)$9,848,732
Other changes in net assets$0$0$0$0$0
Total change in net assets($1,319,693)($11,848,839)$2,143,028($8,832,067)$9,848,732

Compensation

NameTitleCompensation
Mark VisoPresident & CEO$467,166
Trevor MaisiriChief Impact & Innovation Officer$341,305
Kate Norah MusimwaChief Program & Pub. Resources Off.$329,974
Samson MohanChief Data, Digital & Km Officer$315,162
Lolita Regina JohnsonChief Talent & Culture Officer$278,785
Subodh KumarVice President of Ministry Impact$250,868
Jonathan PapoulidisVP of External Engagement$245,044
George SchutterChief Financial Officer (thru 8/24)$220,358
Emmanuel Omondi OgutuVice President of Risk and Assurance$213,899
Timothy GleesonChief Financial Officer$127,443

Compensation data as of: 9/30/2025


Response from ministry

No response has been provided by this ministry.


The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 2/26/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]


History

Dr. Larry Ward was struck by the pain and sadness of knowing that thousands of children die each day from hunger-related causes. His work in relief and development opened his eyes, and he knew he had to do something more. In 1971, he founded Food for the Hungry (FH) based on a simple premise, if children died one at a time, he could help them one at a time. Thus began his lifelong mission to serve the world's most vulnerable people in the hard places. Our organization's name, Food for the Hungry, was inspired by Psalm 146:7, which reads:

"He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free." Psalm 146:7

FH has been serving those who are living through unimaginable hardships for fifty years and today, FH works in more than 20 countries around the world providing life-changing resources such as clean water, medical aid, food, education, vocational training, spiritual development and hope.

1970s

In 1971, Dr. Larry Ward founded Food for the Hungry and in the next decade, responded to worldwide disasters in Bangladesh, Nicaragua, West Africa, Vietnam, Guatemala and Romania. After being particularly moved by the Vietnamese refugees adrift in the South China Sea, Ward and his colleagues purchased a boat to assist them to safety.

1980s

In 1980, FH launched its long-term missionary and self-support staff program called Hunger Corps, which provided a way for dedicated individuals to work in the field. FH also established an international office in Switzerland and affiliate organizations in Japan, Canada, Korea and the United Kingdom to expand the vision and work of FH to other continents. In 1984, Dr. Larry Ward retired and appointed Ted Yamamori as his successor and President of FH.

1990s

FH launched the Christian artist program, which allowed concert-goers all across the country to intersect with the message of hope and respond through child sponsorship. FH also began helping churches and other groups organize short-term trips to developing countries, bringing an effective and sustainable model to their global missions program.

2000s

FH responded to many devastating world crises, including the September 11 attacks in New York and the Indonesia tsunami that killed more than 280,000 people. FH also responded to earthquakes in El Salvador and India, famine in Malawi, a volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a typhoon in South Korea, floods in Honduras and Nicaragua, war in Iraq, and to hurricanes in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and New Orleans. In 2003, FH mourned the passing of Dr. Larry Ward.

2010s

In a decade of unprecedented global challenges, FH responded to the needs of the 2010 Haiti earthquake that destroyed nearly 1 million homes, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, and cyclones Idai and Kenneth in Mozambique. Additionally, FH served in humanitarian crises like the Rohingya refugee crisis that displaced 1.2 million people, and the Syrian refugee crisis that affected nearly 12 million Syrians. A highlight of the decade was reestablishing FH work in Vietnam in 2019. In the onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, FH pivoted to help our global communities protect themselves from the virus.


Program accomplishments


Needs