--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So long as freedom from hunger is only…" description: "\"So long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so long as two thirds of the nations have food deficits, no citizen, no nation can afford to be s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/john-f-kennedy-246_ability_so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-h_3163308.jpg" --- # So long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so… ![“So long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so long as two thirds of the nations have food deficits, no citizen, no nation can afford to be satisfied. We have the ability, as members of the human race, we have the means, we have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth…” quote by John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/john-f-kennedy-246_ability_so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-h_3163308.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/john-f-kennedy-246_ability_so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-h_3163308.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/john-f-kennedy-246_ability_so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-h_3163308.jpg) > “So long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so long as two thirds of the nations have food deficits, no citizen, no nation can afford to be satisfied. We have the ability, as members of the human race, we have the means, we have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth in our lifetime. We only need the will.” [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humanity can end hunger if we unite will, resources, and capacity; partial progress is insufficient. **In simple terms:** Ending hunger needs global will and resources; partial success isn’t enough. Key Takeaway Mobilize collective will to eradicate hunger. Themes humanitarian global cooperation poverty Mood urgent inspirational Type political philosophical When to use this quote - policy making - NGO work - community programs - education Key Concepts resource allocation political will Questions to Reflect On - What motivates societies to act on hunger? - How can individuals influence global food policy? A Different Perspective Political realities may stall commitment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity/) [Citizens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/citizens/) [Deficit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deficit/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Eliminate Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eliminate-hunger-861467/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Food](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food/) [Food Deficits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/food-deficits-5726565/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Freedom Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom-hunger-5454178/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Human race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-race/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger/) [Hunger Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hunger-half-3351921/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/members/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Satisfied](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/satisfied/) [Thirds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thirds/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [A hungry man is not a free man. Freedom from hunger is a fundamental right. Without this freedom, such fundamental right cannot exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvio-berlusconi/a-hungry-man-is-not-a-free-man-freedom-from-hunger-is-a-fundamental/) [Silvio Berlusconi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvio-berlusconi/) > [“We stand by as children starve by the millions because we lack the will to eliminate hunger. Yet we have found the will to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hatfield/we-stand-by-as-children-starve-by-the-millions-because-we-lack-the-2/) [Mark Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hatfield/) > [“We live in a terrible World. Half of the planet is dying of hunger and the other half of cholesterol.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-quintero/we-live-in-a-terrible-world-half-of-the-planet-is-dying-of-hunger-and/) [Jesus Quintero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-quintero/) > [Our practical choice is not between a tax-cut deficit and a budgetary surplus. It is between two kinds of deficits: a chronic deficit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/our-practical-choice-is-not-between-a-tax-cut-deficit-and-a-budgetary/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We cannot expect that everyone, to use the phrase of a decade ago, will talk sense to the American people. But we can hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-cannot-expect-that-everyone-to-use-the-phrase-of-a-decade-ago-will/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I know my Republican friends were glad to see my wife feeding an elephant in India. She gave him sugar and nuts. But of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/i-know-my-republican-friends-were-glad-to-see-my-wife-feeding-an/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [The major cause for American Negroes intellectual and social deficits is hereditary and racially genetic in origin and thus not remedial to a major…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shockley/the-major-cause-for-american-negroes-intellectual-and-social-deficits/) [William Shockley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shockley/) > [You know, dramas are much more expensive to do than say a comedy, so any kind of deficit like that is picked up on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-guilfoyle/you-know-dramas-are-much-more-expensive-to-do-than-say-a-comedy-so/) [Paul Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-guilfoyle/) > [The deficit crisis is real and must be addressed. But it cannot be solved on the backs of the weak and vulnerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/the-deficit-crisis-is-real-and-must-be-addressed-but-it-cannot-be/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [I cannot conceive of a politically feasible solution to this problem which will overdo cutting the deficit, where overdoing means harming the economy. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-politically-feasible-solution-to-this-problem/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [When you're talking about long-term deficit reduction, $4 trillion worth, entitlement reform needs to be part of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/when-you-re-talking-about-long-term-deficit-reduction-4-trillion/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [Inflation is not caused by the actions of private citizens, but by the government: by an artificial expansion of the money supply required to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/inflation-is-not-caused-by-the-actions-of-private-citizens-but-by-the/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [The more competitive value of the dollar turned around the trade deficit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-feldstein/the-more-competitive-value-of-the-dollar-turned-around-the-trade/) [Martin Feldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-feldstein/) > [There is a nationwide shortage of drugs for Attention Deficit Disorder. The FDA says they're not sure how it happened. I guess somebody wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/there-is-a-nationwide-shortage-of-drugs-for-attention-deficit/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [At times of recession, running a budget deficit is highly desirable. Once the economy begins to recover, you have to balance the budget. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/at-times-of-recession-running-a-budget-deficit-is-highly-desirable/) [George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/) ## More by John F. Kennedy > [“We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-shall-pay-any-price-bear-any-burden-meet-any-hardship-support-any/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We stand today on the edge of a new frontier - the frontier of the 1960's - a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-stand-today-on-the-edge-of-a-new-frontier-the-frontier-of-the-1960/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We will neglect our cities to our peril, for in neglecting them we neglect the nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-will-neglect-our-cities-to-our-peril-for-in-neglecting-them-we/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We must recognize that every nation determines its policies in terms of its own interests.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-must-recognize-that-every-nation-determines-its-policies-in-terms/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Someone always needs rescuing, yet there's only one person who ever seems to understand you. It's a lot like being Lassie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/someone-always-needs-rescuing-yet-there-s-only-one-person-who-ever/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/student-loans-have-been-helpful-to-many-but-they-offer-neither/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Great crises produce great men, and great deeds of courage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/great-crises-produce-great-men-and-great-deeds-of-courage/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [There comes a point where you see no evidence that the carrot and diplomacy are working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/there-comes-a-point-where-you-see-no-evidence-that-the-carrot-and/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Suspicion on one side breeds suspicion on the other, and new weapons beget counter-weapons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/suspicion-on-one-side-breeds-suspicion-on-the-other-and-new-weapons/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [We have some of the most influential Members of Congress here today, and I do hope that we can get this appropriation for these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/we-have-some-of-the-most-influential-members-of-congress-here-today/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Disarmament without checks is but a shadow - and a community without law is but a shell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/disarmament-without-checks-is-but-a-shadow-and-a-community-without/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [This is one country. It has become one country because all of us and all the people who came here had an equal chance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/this-is-one-country-it-has-become-one-country-because-all-of-us-and/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [“The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment; but it is no less a magnificent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/the-courage-of-life-is-often-a-less-dramatic-spectacle-than-the/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Washington is a city of Southern efficiency and Northern charm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/washington-is-a-city-of-southern-efficiency-and-northern-charm/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [Peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/peace-does-not-rest-in-the-charters-and-covenants-alone-it-lies-in/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) [Explore all 824 John F. Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "So long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so long as two thirds of the nations have food deficits, no citizen, no nation can afford to be satisfied. We have the ability, as members of the human race, we have the means, we have the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the earth in our lifetime. We only need the will.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John F. Kennedy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-half-achieved-so-long-as-two/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-half-achieved-so-long-as-two/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/john-f-kennedy-246_ability_so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-h_3163308.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/john-f-kennedy-246_ability_so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-h_3163308.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/810/john-f-kennedy-246_ability_so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-h_3163308.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“So long as freedom from hunger is only half achieved, so long as two thirds of the nations have food…” — John F. Kennedy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John F. Kennedy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "So long as freedom from hunger...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-half-achieved-so-long-as-two/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/so-long-as-freedom-from-hunger-is-only-half-achieved-so-long-as-two/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```