SEATTLE - Food shortages peak in many areas around the globe during the summer months, and women around the world could be working together to solve them. That's the thought behind a new hunger-fighting campaign, "One Table."

Mercy Corps in Seattle is part of this new fundraising effort aimed at women, to underwrite farm, nutrition and self-sufficiency programs in the United States and internationally. Mercy Corps' senior communications officer, Na Eng, describes the severity of the problem.

"I don't think everyone realizes that hunger is the world's number one health risk. In fact, according to the United Nations, 17 people die every minute because they don't have enough to eat. That's greater than deaths from AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined."

Working in more than 30 countries, Eng says, Mercy Corps has found that its programs to help women are often the most successful, because the recipients make good use of the money.

"They invest their earnings to achieve long-term benefits for their family. They also tend to take advantage of educational and financial resources to feed and care for their family."

This month, the United Nations announced it has about $1.5 million to fight hunger - but needs more than $6 million. "One Table" suggests that women donate the cost of one restaurant meal or host a potluck and pool their donation money. More ideas are on the campaign Web site, http://OneTable.MercyCorps.org.