Churches of the Presbytery of Philadelphia reporting on World Food Day Sunday plans

As Hunger Action Enabler for the Presbytery of Philadelphia, I have asked churches to report to me what they are doing (about hunger) for World Food Day! Feel free to join them!

Pastor Preaching on Hunger during Sunday Morning Worship Service
Bethel Presbyterian Church, 1900 W York Street, North Philadelphia, 215-228-0328,
Rev. Jade Bass

Newtown Square Presbyterian Church, 3600 Goshen Road, Newtown Square, 610-356-8063, Rev. Lydia Rappaport

Summit Presbyterian Church, 6757 Greene Street, Mt. Airy Phila, 215-438-2825,
Rev. Cheryl Pyrch

Sunday Worship Service to include hunger-related prayers or liturgy
Church on the Mall, 500 W Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, 610-825-3388,
Rev. Phil Olson

Worship Service celebrating urban mission partnership
Wayne Presbyterian Church, 125 E Lancaster Avenue, Wayne, 610-688-8700,
Rev. Casey Thompson

Children's Christian Education doing a rotation on hunger
Morrisville Presbyterian Church, 771 N Pennsylvania Avenue, Morrisville, 215-295-4191,
Director of Christian Education Katy Yates-Brubaker

CROP Walks occurring in our communities (World Food Day afternoon)
Main Line CROP Walk (including Ardmore Presbyterian Church and Penn Wynne Presbyterian Church);
Swarthmore-Wallingford CROP Walk (including Swarthmore Presbyterian Church)

For details on CROP Walks:
https://secure2.convio.net/cws/site/SPageServer?pagename=crop_main

World Food Day resources

This Sunday, October 16, is World Food Day! I will do a separate post on what I know about churches of the Presbytery, who are doing something on World Food Day, to raise awareness about or take action against a part of the problem of hunger that is in our region, as well as elsewhere in the world. This post will provide links to websites for resources for World Food Day Sunday worship services and similar undertakings. If you find yourself reading this after World Food Day, please do not hesitate to lift up hunger in your worshiping community, on another date this fall. With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming, we are not short on reasons to make sure that people understand the need that others are experiencing.

Bread for the World Sunday Reflection Resource:
www.bread.org/help/church/bread-sunday/bread-sunday-2011-reflection.pdf

• An excellent essay on the Revised Common Lectionary Gospel passage for October 16, 2011 (Matthew 22:15-22), along with suggested prayers and worship resources.

Church World Service:
www.churchworldservice.org/site/PageServer?pagename=action_what_food_examples_wfd

• Prayers and other materials for sharing together a meal and conversation about hunger.

Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance worship and study resources for World Food Day and Churches' Week of Action on Food: www.e-alliance.ch/en/s/food/2011-churches-week-of-action-on-food

• Gives consideration to global food issues.

Food Sovereignty for All Handbook: www.pcusa.org/blogs/foodfaith/2011/4/29/web-hand

• Steps that churches can take to help ensure "food sovereignty" (the right of all people to grow and have access to their own food) in our communities.

Jubilee USA: www.jubileeusa.org/en/get-active/jubilee-congregations/jubilee-sunday.html

• Jubilee Sunday resources, for this year and from prior years, for supporting debt relief for impoverished nations.

INQUIRER: HUNGER GRIPS PA.'S FIRST DISTRICT, REPORT FINDS

A report released last week by FRAC ( the Food Research and Action Center) shocked many with its news of the increased impact of hunger on families in this country, but especially in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District, which includes Kensington, parts of North and South Philadelphia, and Chester. PA's First Congressional District ranks as the second hungriest place for families in the US, with half of the families in the district reporting not having enough to eat.

This sobering report encourages us to stay awake to the problem of hunger in our communities, especially here in the City. It also draws attention to the pending legislation/actions in the US Congress that could effect the ring of protection, the safety net supports to those struggling with economic need.

Stay awake is the message! Write to congressional representatives from both sides of the aisle encouraging wisdom and restraint. Write, call, email. Take action and read the complete Inquirer article here...

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The emotional effects of hunger on children

Sometimes Al Lubrano's articles on hunger are printed so close together - we forget to share them here with you. Thankfully, the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger keeps track of all the articles on hunger and posts them on their website. Click here to read the stories of children in the area who are noticing their parents' sacrifices.

In addition to personal stories of hungry families, Al explores how these families' budgets compare to others around the country and around the world. Ironically, families who are food insecure are spending a HIGHER percentage of their income than most people on food.

Many anti-hunger organizations promote the concept of a food stamp challenge. Perhaps another approach towards better understanding the realities of a low-income budget would involve doubling or even tripling our monthly food budget - setting that extra money aside - and then seeing what other things we would have to go without if we were actually required to spend all of that money on food.

Among cuts in federal budget proposal: Funds for poor seniors' food

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Al Lubrano is at it again with a new piece on hunger.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is on the chopping block, with a proposed cut of 22%. This small program is aimed at filling a hunger gap - seniors who are living on very low fixed incomes, but have chosen not to receive SNAP (food stamp) benefits. One small box a month - 12 meals worth - can really make a difference.

Many seniors are eligible for SNAP but do not apply. They often find the application daunting (which it is!) and are also weary of receiving "welfare" - and thus feel more comfortable receiving this box from their local food pantry, even though it too is government funded. But this phenomenon is often missed by policymakers, who see SNAP and the CSFP only as a duplication of efforts.

Thank you Al for helping us see the full story. Stories such as these are exactly what we all need to pass on to our elected officials.

World Food Day 2011 Effort

Dear friends in faith, 

The Prayer Breakfast for Hunger Free Communities was successful in bringing attention to the problem of hunger in Philadelphia. But it was only the beginning of efforts to address the unacceptably high levels of hunger in our city. As people of various faith traditions, we know we are all called to not only feed the hungry, but to advocate for a just distribution of the abundance of creation. We are in unique positions in our communities not only to pray and feed, but also to educate and organize for change.

As part of the continued effort we are looking forward to World Food Day, on Sunday, October 16, 2011. During the Sabbaths of that weekend, we hope that congregations throughout the Philadelphia region will focus on hunger during their worship services.

There are three possibilities we have planned to connect to World Food Day:

Host a Guest Preacher/Speaker:

We can provide congregations with a preacher or speaker for your Sabbath worship connected to the weekend of World Food Day. Register to host a guest preacher. 

Be a Guest Preacher:

We will match guest preachers who have registered and that we have trained with host congregations for the weekend of October 16. Register to be a guest preacher. 

Receive Special Preacher/Speaker Training (same as Guest Preachers) for your own congregation:

If you or someone you know would like to be trained, register for a workshop on "Preaching on Hunger," on Friday, September 23, from 1-5 pm at The Brossman Center on the campus of The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP). The preaching professor from LTSP,  the Rev. Dr. Karyn L. Wiseman, will lead the session and will equip participants to preach on World Food Day in the context of your own tradition. You will learn how to choose texts for the day and work with them, as well as effective homiletical approaches. You will also get helpful up-to-date information about local hunger from Diane Loucks, who has been instrumental in developing City Soup, has researched the issue for Mayor Nutter, and has been a leading advocate in Philadelphia. This workshop will be open to those wanting to preach in their own congregations as well as those willing to serve as guest preachers. Register to attend the preaching workshop. 

We look forward to your participation!

Two articles of interest:

From Monday's Inquirer: Campbell corporate exec. fights hunger/obesity.

And from last month's New York Times, an article about food policy in Detroit.

Detroit is rebuilding - and it's rebuilding with food at the center... because "it's something everyone can agree on". While I think the same is true in Philadelphia, and across the country, why can't we do something about it? Without being at the crisis level of Detroit (although Philadelphia is practically there, we just haven't quite publicly acknowledged it) - how do we build a movement?

Hunger Doesn't Take a Vacation!

As the school year is winding down and many families are making vacation plans,
we must not forget that hunger does not take a vacation. In fact, it can be more
serious during the summer months when children do not receive school meals
and families struggle to serve healthy meals to growing children.

The Summer Meals program, sponsored by the USDA and administered in PA by
the PA Department of Education, is a valuable resource. It is not too late to become
a summer meals site. Most sections of Philadelphia qualify and some suburban towns
qualify, as well. For more information, contact Nutritional Development Services at
215-895-3470.

Future posts will provide information on how to find the site nearest to you!

Anne Healy Ayella- NDS
Archdiocese of Philadelphia

Quality of Life Improvements

Bill Gates reports, and cites economists who verify, that big social problems can be tackled and that the quality of life - in even the poorest of countries- is improving. Improving more so than most of us realize. If good investments are making important improvements elsewhere, it is important for us to believe that much more can be done to reduce hunger here in Philadelphia through wisely invested efforts and monies as well.

See what Mr. Gates has to say in the article below.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-gates/the-real-successes-of-for_b_865630.html?ir=Yahoo

Fast for PA's Vulnerable

My colleague with United Methodist Advocacy in PA recently started fasting. To learn more visit www.umadvocacypa.org or search "Fast for PA's Vulnerable" in facebook to join our discussion group - fasting not required!

So far a few things have jumped out at me, in regards to non-spiritual aspects of the fast:

1) a fasting friend of mine shared with me that at this time of year there are LOTS of end of the school year/beginning of summer picnics. Fasting during this time has given her a chance to talk about the state budget and its effects on the hungry when it likely would not have otherwise come up. Many of her friends, neighbors, etc. have promised to write to their State Senators.

2) Fasting can help us understand the link between poverty and obesity - esp when after fasting, we don't lose any weight. Another faster shared that she constantly craved carbohydrates - so when she did eat, she overate in that food group because it made her feel more full. This is why programs that double benefits when you buy fresh fruit and produce are SO important.

3) Finally... fasting can remind of us of how important food is to learning. If our brain is fuzzy during fasting... just imagine what it is like for a hungry child trying to learn. This will give us extra incentive and motivation to push every few years for continued improvements to the Child Nutrition Act - as well as to be involved at the local level with our schools to make sure that children are getting the best nutritional education possible.

Fasting is definitely a spiritual discipline, and is not entered into lightly. However, I wanted to share these 3 things for those who may wonder the practical question "Does my fasting really make a difference?" Yes!

What does Education Funding have to do with Hunger?

Though one could go on for pages about the importance of a good education in eliminating cycles of hunger and poverty, this year’s state budget debate contains a pressing connection.

Gov. Corbett’s proposed elimination of the Accountability Block Grants (approximately $252 Million sent to school districts last year – mostly used for early education programs) has resulted in the School District of Philadelphia (and approximately 31% of all districts statewide) proposing to move from full day to half day Kindergarten.

This move will have far reaching impacts on families who cannot afford the extra child care costs or loss of work hours – increasing their struggle to remain food secure. What’s more… neither morning or afternoon students in Philadelphia will be given a free school lunch! Only morning students will be given breakfast. Currently, all Kindergarten students in Philadelphia have access to 2 free school meals a day. Now, incoming students will receive either 1 or no meals.

With 1 out of every 3 children in Philadelphia facing food insecurity – restoration of the Accountability Block Grant(ABG) is critical. House Republicans have proposed restoring about half of the ABG cuts. However, in order to do so - they propose cutting program like child care subsidies!

Please call House GOP leadership and tell them their restoration is not enough and that education funds should not come at the expense of programs that benefit children, especially those who need food.

Speaker of the House, Sam Smith: (717) 787-3845

Majority Leader Mike Turzai: (717) 772-9943

Please contact your State Senator and Senate leadership (Sen. Dominic Pileggi, Majority Leader: (717) 787-4712 or dpileggi@pasen.gov) and let them know you expect the Senate budget to reflect full funding for the ABG and other programs that support those who are food insecure.

For Saturday's article on child care subsidies see: Cuts expected to curb child care subsidies.

for an earlier article on the School District of Philadelphia's move from full to half day Kindergarten see: Half Day K a disaster

More followup on the Prayer Breakfast

This week's Mt.Airy Times Express (May 6)has the Prayer Breakfast as its lead story! There's a large picture of Joel Berg with Mayor Nutter on the front and then another picture and detailed coverage on pp. 2 and 3 by Arlene Edmonds. You can pick up copies of the newspaper at many places in the Northwest, including at LTSP. Its good to see that the word continues to be spread about the unacceptable levels of hunger in our city, especially as we are going into the primary election on May 17.

As you go to candidates' debates, meet and greets, or just shaking their hands, be sure to ask them what their positions are on addressing hunger in our city. We can set the agenda!

Presbytery of Philadelphia Hunger Action Enabler blog

This is the link to my weekly submission on hunger, which is included in the weekly e-newsletter of the Presbytery of Philadelphia.

http://www.presbyphl.org/articles.asp?columnid=6394

Hunger Free Communities - some resources

With the success of the Prayer Breakfast Leading to Hunger Free Communities, we are developing resources including this blog. Some will be posted here, and some are available online through the Prayer Breakfast web page. On the web page you will find reproducible versions of the Hunger Free Communities and Prayer Breakfast Leading to Hunger Free Communities graphics, and the Hunger Free Communities placemat that you can download and use for your efforts. If you use them, please let us know - email media@Ltsp.edu. Thanks!

The Hunger Free Communities Prayer Breakfast

The Hunger Free Prayer Breakfast brought together 150 faith leaders in Philadelphia to learn, pray and act on making communities hunger free. This site will collect stories and bring together those who want to work together to make all communities hunger free.

Learn about the breakfast at Ltsp.edu/prayerbreakfast.

Here is a photo gallery from the breakfast:


(click an image to view the photo gallery and download)