Editing Werner Erhard (section)

===The Hunger Project===
{{main|The Hunger Project}}

In 1977, with the support of John Denver, Dana Meadows, and former Oberlin College president Robert W. Fuller, among others, Erhard founded [[The Hunger Project]],<ref name=":3">Ben Amor, ''The Urban Shepherd: Chasing The American Dream''. Dog Ear Publishing, 2017. ISBN 978-1457545344. Quote: “The founders included Werner Erhard (the founder of EST), John Denver, Bob Fuller, Dana Meadows, and Roy Prosterman.”</ref> a nonprofit NGO that holds consultative status with UNESCO.<ref name=":4">Edward H. Lawson and Mary Lou Bertucci (eds.), ''Encyclopedia of Human Rights''. Taylor & Francis, 1996. Quote: “Hunger Project has consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council.”</ref> The project's origin can be seen in Erhard’s 1977 source document ''The End of Starvation: Creating an Idea Whose Time Has Come''.<ref>Werner Erhard, ''The End of Starvation: Creating an Idea Whose Time Has Come'', 1977. Archived at Wayback Machine: [https://web.archive.org/web/20190327024732/http://www.wernererhard.net/thpsource.html]</ref>

The Hunger Project was established as an international charitable organization with the aim of generating worldwide commitment to end hunger and starvation within 20 years.<ref name=":6">Lynne Twist, ''Living a Committed Life: Finding Freedom and Fulfillment in a Purpose Larger Than Yourself''. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2022. Quote: "In collaboration with Bucky, singer John Denver, Robert Fuller, president of Oberlin College, and others, he realized that what was missing was not solutions for hunger, but rather the commitment to end it. This new project would generate the worldwide commitment to make the end of hunger 'an idea whose time has come.'"</ref> It emphasized the power of individuals to generate broad social change.<ref>Marilyn Ferguson, ''The Aquarian Conspiracy''. Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1980. Quote: “The power of individuals to generate broad social change is the basis for the Hunger Project, an international charitable organization launched by est founder Werner Erhard in 1977.”</ref> Some critics described it as largely symbolic or as promoting Erhard's ideas rather than providing direct relief.<ref>''Mother Jones'', “Let Them Eat est,” December 1978.</ref>

By 1979, about 750,000 people in dozens of countries had pledged their personal commitment to help end world hunger.<ref>Marilyn Ferguson, ''The Aquarian Conspiracy''. Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1980. Quote: “In less than two years, seven hundred fifty thousand individuals in dozens of countries have pledged their personal commitment to help end world hunger.”</ref> By 1984, estimates placed participation at around 2.8 million people,<ref>Ben Amor, ''The Urban Shepherd: Chasing The American Dream''. Dog Ear Publishing, 2017. Quote: “By 1984, 2.8 million people had joined the crusade against hunger.”</ref> and in 1985 ''The New York Times'' reported that the four-millionth person had signed the pledge declaring that the end of hunger "is an idea whose time has come".<ref name=":5">Robin Toner, “Hunger Project Aiming at Global Commitment,” ''The New York Times'', October 6, 1985. Quote: “Last month, a woman in Mexico became the four millionth person to sign a pledge declaring that the end of hunger ‘is an idea whose time has come.’”</ref>