The legal organization.

   Operating a business in any country can be complicated at best.  After exploring the opinions in the Kingdom of Cambodia, we found it best to create a local affiliation which requires three Cambodian citizens on the Board, one being the Director. No foreign citizens can hold a seat on the board nor have access to Buckhunger bank funds or even balance information.. In 2013, BUCKHUNGER applied for and received legal Local NGO affiliation (the foreign term of Non Profit) with the Department of Culture, CAMBODIA. 

   In addition, the regulations require a Cambodia Bank Account in the name of the NGO Organization with access limited to the Director Only. Buckhunger is the surname of the organization, but it did not translate into Kymer. For that reason the NGO name of the organization is  KIDS IN NEED OF FOOD.

   Our Director and manager, Doeun Orm, oversees the purchasing of food, supplies, and meal prep She is responsible for rent, utilities and operating expenses while managing a staff of 4. 

Daily operations

   In 2011, BUCKHUNGER was established with one goal: provide Free, healthy, hot meals and fresh clean water to Cambodia Kids in Need. Since then, Buckhunger has served nearly half a million free meals at our in-house facility. The kids came into a clean, safe environment, sat at tables and chairs and eat a healthy, hot meal.

   In 2020, Phnom Penh placed pandemic restrictions that forced our indoor facility to close. Buckhunger faced reinventing herself because our Kids needed us, now more than ever. We moved our kitchen and water purifier to a new location where we could provide packaged meals ready to go. The Hungry Kids lined up.

   The meal prep process remains the same. Our staff, led by our longtime Director/Manager Douen Orm selects the freshest produce and protein to be prepared kymer style each morning, 6 days a week. Meal planning pays close attention to health benefits and nutritional needs, as well as the culinary desires of young kids that are in desperate need of food and clean water. Each meal is packed in sanitary to-go boxes for takeaway as per current local guidelines. Each meal includes a bottle of purified water.

   The cost to prepare To Go boxes and bottles has greatly impacted our cost per meal. This has restricted our ability to serve more kids in need. When we operated the sit down facility, plates and glasses were washed and reused allowing more money to go directly to meal prep.