What is Hunger Day?
Hunger Day is a national Finnish Red Cross collection organised in September each year with the help of volunteers. During Hunger Day, the Red Cross collects as many donations as possible so that it could take care of as many people encountering crises as possible, around the world or here in Finland. By taking part in the collection, you can join us in helping others.
The need for help can be caused by a sudden natural disaster, an accident, a conflict or an epidemic. Whatever the disaster, the basic needs of people in distress are the same: the first needs are water, food and shelter. Often health care and emotional support are also needed.
The next Hunger Day collection will be held in autumn 2025. The box collection will hit the streets in Finland on 25–27 September 2025.
Information about the Hunger Day collection
Hunger Day is a Finnish Red Cross collection organised in September each year. Hunger Day was born when the volunteer Mailis Korhonen from Pälkäne had an idea for the “fundraising campaign for everyone in Pälkäne.”
In November 1980, Pälkäne was abuzz with activity. The Pälkäne branch of the Finnish Red Cross had challenged the entire town to save on their food costs for a day and donate the saved funds for those suffering from hunger in Africa. There were many ways to donate, including a box collection, soup kitchen and church concert.
The collection was started under exceptional circumstances, as a newspaper strike made it difficult to inform people of the collection. However, over a thousand homes heard of the collection via schoolchildren, and the campaign exceeded all expectations.
Just a year later, the campaign expanded throughout the country and received the name Hunger Day. Currently, it is organised in almost every town in Finland.
Hunger Day has collected close to EUR 100 million. Numerous people have received help around the world and in Finland.
The first Hunger Day collection was organised to help the victims of famine in East Africa, hence the name Hunger Day. Back then, people were encouraged to eat lightly on Hunger Day and donate the saved funds to the collection.
Today, you can spend Hunger Day as you wish – not even feasting is forbidden. The idea of Hunger Day is that everyone should have enough food and those in need should receive aid.
Hunger Day is about collecting money for the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. The donations are not committed in advance to any specific target. Therefore, the funds can be spent quickly where the need for aid is the greatest.
Help is repeatedly needed e.g. in natural disasters: typhoons, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, rainstorms, floods, drought and landslides are common and cause human suffering.
After a natural disaster, the Red Cross distributes water canisters, hot food, tarpaulins and hygiene packages to families and provides first aid and psychosocial support as needed. The Red Cross anticipates and prepares for catastrophes and assists communities in rebuilding.
In Finland, Hunger Day donations support the training of volunteers and maintain preparedness for responding effectively to various crises. Sudden accidents and disturbances include disasters such as fires, floods and major accidents. Volunteers often play an important role in engaging with people in a comprehensive manner in their time of need.
The easiest way is to donate online
Payment methods: Finnish online banks, Visa and Master credit cards, MobilePay and Siirto.
MobilePay donation
Use MobilePay to transfer the desired sum to the number 10900
SMS donation
Donate €20 – Text the word SPR20 to the number 16499
Donate €15 – Text the word SPR to the number 16499
Donate €10 – Text the word SPR10 to the number 16499
Donate €5 – Text the word SPR5 to the number 16499
Call the donation phone number
The donation is charged to your Finnish telephone bill, and the operator transfers the donation to the Red Cross.
Donate €20 to the Disaster Relief Fund – Call +358 (0)600 12220 (€20.52 + local network charge).
Account information for a Hunger Day donation
Account: OP FI52 5000 0120 4156 73. Recipient: Finnish Red Cross. Reference number: 5173.
Hunger Day company donation
Make a company donation online. You can order an invoice or make a payment. Please note that by donating €400 or more, your company receives a link to special Hunger Day communications materials.
Here are some examples of what money can buy.
In Finland:
- €50: training in psychosocial support for a volunteer
- €180: clothes for a person who has lost their home in a fire
A preparedness unit on a trailer: When helping in emergencies, the volunteers bring a mobile preparedness unit with them. These units are located all around Finland, and donations to the Disaster Relief Fund are used to equip them:
- €5: a blanket
- €13: a metal petrol canister
- €87: a carrier gurney for the injured
- €149: a cordless drill
Around the world:
- €9: a food package for a family for a week in a disaster area
- €17: a maternity package in the middle of a disaster
- €60: antibiotics for thirty children
Field hospitals can be sent to a disaster area anywhere in the world. The hospital supplies are acquired through donations:
- €4.4: an iron supplement for after giving birth
- €100: a suture kit
- €620: an otoscope kit with one year’s worth of supplies
- €4,100: a patient monitor with additional supplies for an operating room
- €29,000: an operating table with additional equipment
Yes. For example, people who have lost their homes in fires need help with necessary purchases, starting with a toothbrush. The Red Cross also provides psychosocial support for accident victims and their families.
The coronavirus crisis has emphasised the importance of being prepared. The Hunger Day donations allow us to maintain our preparedness for operating under exceptional circumstances.
The Disaster Relief Fund is also used to support the preparedness of the Voluntary Rescue Service. These volunteers support the authorities e.g. in finding missing persons and during major accidents.
The Hunger Day box collection takes place between 26 and 28 September 2024. You will need to bring a photo ID and weather-appropriate clothing.
Local Red Cross volunteers organize box collection in almost all over the Finland. Please find more detailed information in the event calendar.
How to set up your own online fundraiser
- Set up your own online collection
- Choose your donation target, for example The Hunger Day Collection.
- Decide whether you want to set up your individual fundraiser or Team fundraiser under which people can join to collect a shared sum.
- Give a name and target sum for your fundraiser.
- Explain why you set up the fundraiser and ask people to donate.
- When you are ready, publish your fundraiser.
- Share the collection link in social media, via WhatsApp or by email. Posting the fundraiser once may not reach everyone, and you should share it repeatedly.
- You can monitor the donations on your fundraising page.
The collection expenses of the Disaster Relief Fund must not exceed 20 per cent. This means that at least 80% of the donations are used for aid work.
The amount of collection expenses is monitored by the board and council of the Finnish Red Cross. Collection expenses are expenses caused from acquiring the donations, such as fundraising personnel expenses, the printing and mailing costs of donation request letters, acquisition costs of the collection equipment, marketing costs, and fees collected by external service providers, including operators and banks.
The rules of the Disaster Relief Fund and its monitoring regulate the use of the donated funds.
Hunger Day for schools and companies
Hunger Day offers pupils an excellent opportunity to influence matters through their own actions both in Finland and abroad. Involve the pupils and invite the staff, parents and relatives along to help.
Companies taking part in Hunger Day are part of a unique chain of aid. Invite staff, stakeholders and customers along to help.
Hunger Day: Your donation helps in times of crisis
