The joy of finding an Easter basket filled with food and gifts is something you never forget. Even greater is the feeling of giving an Easter basket of food to someone in need. This has been a great tradition for many years.

Back in 1920 Americans sent Easter baskets of food to Austrian children who had suffered because of shortages caused by World War I. The president of Austria sent a message of heartfelt thanks for the food which made Easter “a veritable feast of joy for many poor families.” After the Second World War Americans cut back on buying Easter flowers and instead used the money to send food to the hungry in Europe.

This Easter we can help the forgotten war victims in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). There are many families in the DRC who have lost their homes and farmland because of war between the government forces and the M23 rebels. The fighting has escalated recently as the M23 rebels, who are backed by Rwanda, have seized more territory.

More war is also leading to more hunger. There are now 28 million people in the DRC facing severe hunger according to the UN World Food Program (WFP). This is tragically a record number in the DRC, where people are starving to death. North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri provinces are among the hardest hit by the violence and hunger.

The war has a widespread impact with refugees from DRC fleeing to other countries including Burundi.

While the war and hunger are rapidly escalating in the DRC, funding support for humanitarian aid is going down. The lack of funding from the international community means lives will be lost in the DRC. Hopes for peace will be dashed by hunger.

“The humanitarian situation in the DRC is deteriorating at an alarming rate. Families who were already struggling to feed themselves are now facing an even harsher reality. We have resumed operations in parts of North and South Kivu, and we are committed to do more to support those at risk, but we urgently need more resources” said Eric Perdison, WFP’s interim DRC Country Director.

This Easter we can help the brave efforts to feed starving families in the DRC war zone. Each of these families should get food baskets for Easter and beyond to sustain them during this conflict.

We have to do everything we can to support peace and humanitarian aid in the DRC. Lives depend on it, peace depends on it. Food aid is one of the few stabilizing sources left for the DRC.

You could donate at Easter to the relief agencies in the DRC including the World Food Program, CARE, UNICEF, Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services and many others. The non-profit Edesia produces Plumpy’Nut to feed malnourished children in the DRC. The World Food Program USA has started an emergency relief fund because of the funding shortages in the DRC and other countries.

Encourage your elected officials to support diplomatic efforts in the DRC to end the war. You can also urge your congressional representatives to increase funding for the Food for Peace program.

With more funding for Food for Peace, more life-saving aid can be sent to DRC and other countries in need. Food for Peace and other aid programs make up a very relatively tiny part of the overall budget. They can certainly see an increase in funding.

Easter is a time of spiritual renewal, spreading peace and goodwill. It can start with compassion for the frightened and starving war victims in the DRC.

William Lambers is an author who partnered with the UN World Food Program on the book “Ending World Hunger.” His writings have been published by the Washington Post, NY Times, History News Network, Newsweek and many other news outlets.