Wednesday, July 31, 2013

A Living Wage: Good for Business


(This is the latest installment in the Think About It - Pray About It -Act on It series sent out by Carmelite Sister Jane Remson)

After the Farm Bill failed in the House, House Republicans passed a version of the bill that excluded SNAP/Food Stamps. The bill has moved to the Senate. SNAP/Food Stamp recipients “aren’t living high on the hog,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-OR). SNAP/Food Stamp participation increased 80% during the recession in DeFazio’s district. The area lost thousands of well-paying and reasonable-paying jobs during the economic downturn. It’s a struggle for a lot of people to make SNAP/Food Stamp benefits stretch for a month. More than 95% of SNAP/Food Stamp households in the U.S. have incomes below 95% of the poverty level ($28,680/family of 4), according to Politico.

A recent Oxfam America poll found that 84% of respondents thought that addressing the problems of low-wage workers should be a top or important priority of government. Only 2% said that government should not have a role. The minimum wage, according to 65% of respondents, should provide a salary that a full-time worker can live on.

The SNAP/Food Stamps program provides “tens of billions of dollars to supermarkets and food business.” Recently Wal-Mart threatened to close three of six planned superstores if the city council passes a bill that would raise Washington D.C.’s minimum wage to $12.50/hour. Wal-Mart’s promise to bring “everyday low prices” and jobs to cities across the nation comes at a high price. Studies show approximately 80% of Wal-Mart employees are forced to use food stamps because of low wages and cost taxpayers an average of $1.02 billion in healthcare costs annually.

While Wal-Mart claims the hike in minimum wage would compromise its ability to create jobs, its competitor Costco disproves the theory that corporations cannot pay livable wages and earn profits. Wal-Mart workers typically earn $8.81/hour in contrast to the average Costco worker’s $21.96/hour and most are eligible for benefits.

“Because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God.” Romans 13:6-7

Let your member of Congress know increasing the minimum wage to a living wage benefits the corporation, the workers and the tax base.

Family of 4 in Orleans Parish  (Basically City of New Orleans)
Minimum Wage - $7.25 Poverty Wage - $10.60 Living Wage - $20.66

Family of 4 in Louisiana (averaged) 
Minimum Wage - $7.25 Poverty Wage - $10.60 Living Wage - $18.99

(The author is director of Bread for the World New Orleans)

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Great Op-Ed Piece from Peter Buffett on the 'Charitable-Industrial Complex'

I use this blog to promote all sorts of efforts to address hunger from changes to the economic structure and legislation to acts of charity. Unfortunately, charitable works have become the vehicle most identified with fighting hunger and poverty.

Don't get me wrong, charity makes a huge difference in the lives of many people--it just doesn't address the problem in the long term.  (And I am working on a piece on how baseball players have embraced anti-hunger efforts).  In that context, I would like to share links to an opinion piece written by Peter Buffet in The New York Times, entitled "The Charitable Industrial Complex." And if the last name sounds familiar, Peter Buffett is the son of philanthropist Warren Buffet.

Buffett, a composer and chairman of the NoVo Foundation, argues that charity has become the accepted way of addressing the problems in society, rather than looking at structural problems.  Not only that, it's the same entities that are creating the structural problems that are promoting the charity effort.

I share a few excerpts from the Op-Ed here, but I encourage you to read the full piece.

As more lives and communities are destroyed by the system that creates vast amounts of wealth for the few, the more heroic it sounds to “give back.” It’s what I would call “conscience laundering” — feeling better about accumulating more than any one person could possibly need to live on by sprinkling a little around as an act of charity.

Inside any important philanthropy meeting, you witness heads of state meeting with investment managers and corporate leaders. All are searching for answers with their right hand to problems that others in the room have created with their left. There are plenty of statistics that tell us that inequality is continually rising. At the same time, according to the Urban Institute, the nonprofit sector has been steadily growing. Between 2001 and 2011, the number of nonprofits increased 25 percent. Their growth rate now exceeds that of both the business and government sectors. It’s a massive business, with approximately $316 billion given away in 2012 in the United States alone and more than 9.4 million employed.

What we have is a crisis of imagination. Albert Einstein said that you cannot solve a problem with the same mind-set that created it. Foundation dollars should be the best “risk capital” out there..Money should be spent trying out concepts that shatter current structures and systems that have turned much of the world into one vast market. Is progress really Wi-Fi on every street corner? No. It’s when no 13-year-old girl on the planet gets sold for sex.    Read Full Op-Ed

(Thanks to my friend Dave Miner for pointing to the Op-Ed).

Monday, July 29, 2013

A Couple of Videos from JustFaith

JustFaith classes are starting at parishes and churches around the country in the next several weeks. (And as many Bread for the World members know, our organization is one of five full partners with JustFaith). To mark the start of the new "Justfaith Year," and the fact that our parish is participating for the first time this year, I would like to share a couple of videos from JustFaith. The first is a fairly new promo targeted to Roman Catholic parishes. The second, about a year old, is comprised of testimony from JustFaith graduates.

JustFaith Catholic: Purpose from a New Perspective


JustFaith Ministries - Stories from Graduates

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Film Festival (and Fundraiser) for New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice

The New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice invites you to support its efforts to seek justice for the immigrant community in our state and to learn more about the background and the issues that have contributed to the struggles of immigrants in our country.  There are three films planned for the late summer and fall: A Better Life (August 17, 12:30 p.m. at The Guild Cinema); Harvest of Empire (September 22, 12:30 p.m. at The Guild Cinema); and Dying to Live (October 26, 2:00 p.m., at the St. Pius Fine Arts Building).  All Films will be followed by a panel discussion. Admission fees of $8 per movie help raise funds for the NMFCIJ.

Saturday, July 27, 2013

Feeding the Community with Food that Would Have Gone to Waste

"We actually waste 40 percent of the food that we produce in our country.  Forty percent of the food that is grown or produced is never eaten by anyone... And there's a huge impact of all that food waste on the environment, it's a waste of natural resources. You think about the water that it took to grow that food, and the fuel it took to transport it.  There's a huge need to recover that  food.  And that is one of the big roles that Roadrunner plays... We're taking food that would have ended up in the landfills, would have ended up as an environmental burden, and getting it to people who can eat it.   -Melody Wattenbarger, President and CEO, Roadrunner Food Bank, Albuquerque (during panel discussion following screening of A Place at the Table)
The Campus Kitchens Project was born out of a need to address the problem of food waste while providing university (and some high school students) with a service project.  The project is currently in place at 33 schools around the country, and organizers would like to expand participation.

"We partner with high schools, colleges and universities to share on-campus kitchen space, recover food from cafeterias and engage students as volunteers who prepare and deliver meals to the community," said the Campus Kitchens Project.  "Student volunteers develop partnerships, plan menus, run cooking shifts, organize drivers, garden, glean and teach nutrition education to children and families. They keep track of all of the paperwork (so we know everything’s being done safely), organize fundraisers, develop curriculum and recruit new students to get involved. They accomplish an incredible amount of work every day."

So how can your campus participate? The first option is to participate in a webinar sponsored by Universities Fighting World Hunger  this coming Wednesday, July 31,  at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Register Here for the session.  (Add UFWH on Facebook: Universities Fighting World Hunger and Twitter: @ufwhdotorg for updates on The Campus Kitchens Project and more)

If you are unable to participate in teh UFWH webinar, contact The Campus Kitchens Project directly.  You can start by reviewing the Frequently Asked Questions and then filling out the Getting Started Form   

And check out this video with more information.

Friday, July 26, 2013

A Place at the Table Site Features State Auditor Hector Balderas as SNAP Alumnus

The official site for the documentary A Place at the Table features nearly two dozen successful and/or prominent individuals who had to rely on food stamps at one time or another during their lifetime.  If you browse through the  SNAP Alumni page, you will notice a very familiar face. Here is the picture and the text that you'll find on that page (along with 22 others).
New Mexico State Auditor Albuquerque, NM "My mom did the best she could in providing for me, my brother and sister. Because we lived in poverty, we relied on food stamps to get us through the difficult days. I’m forever grateful for the generosity of this country."

Auditor Balderas was one of six members of a panel who participated in a discussion that followed the screening of A Place at the Table in Albuquerque on July 24. Balderas said the producers of A Place at the Table approached him to tell his story because they wanted to feature prominent people who at one time in their lives had to rely on food stamps.

Balderas, who was raised by a single mother in the village of Wagon Mound in northeastern New Mexico, offered a glimpse of his childhood experiences, and how receiving food stamps was a bittersweet experience.  "I felt stimgmatized because we were on  food stamps," said Balderas.

Balderas  spoke in panel  after A Place at the Table screening
'No Milk for My Cereal'
At the same time, food stamps gave his family the opportunity to go shopping for groceries, which he said was as exciting as going to the playground.  "I was excited to be pushing the cart, going in and coming out," he told the audience gathered at the Bank of America theater at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

Milk was one of the grocery items that his family bought with food stamps at the beginning of the month.  Things were different at the end of the month, when the milk had run out. "I knew the feeling toward the end of the month...that I would be using water to eat my cereal," Balderas told the audience.

Balderas, who has led the State Auditor's office since 2006, previously served one term in the New Mexico state legisalture.  He ran in the 2012 Democratic primary election to replace the retiring Sen. Jeff Bingaman, but was defeated by current Sen. Martin Heinrich.

There was some dicussion in the panel about New Mexico's last-place standing in terms of childhood hunger, both in a Feeding America Report and the Kids Count Data Center.  This situation came up in the question-and-answer session.  While there are actions that the State Legislature can take, Balderas suggested that we think outside the box.  He proposed the notion that the Attorney General's Office bring some sort of  legal action. "This would certainly put New Mexico on the spotlight," said Balderas, who has declared his candidacy for attorney general in the 2014 election.  If elected, would Balderas promote such a lawsuit?  Stay tuned.

Panel Reacts to Documentary, Discusses Community Projects
Community advocates discussed strategies, local efforts after viewing A Place at the Table
Approximately 250 people attended the screening of A Place at the Table at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on July 24.  Of those in attendance, 120 stayed to hear the panel discussion, which included information about local community efforts to address hunger and impressions from particpants about the movie. The panel included (left to right in above picture) Hector Balderas, Mariana Padilla (aide to Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham), Anzia Bennett (La Cosecha), Travis McKenzie (Project Feed the Hood), Telia Thiesen (New Mexico Appleseed), Melody Wattenbarger (Roadrunner Food Bank).  Adrian Pedroza of Partnership for Community Action served as a moderator.

Rep. Lujan Grisham sent a recorded message sharing her experiences as a participant in the SNAP Challenge. (More on that in a separate post). Mariana Padilla, Rep.Lujan Grisham's field representative in Albuquerque, gave us an update on recent legislative activity in Washington regarding SNAP and other nutrition programs. The House separated  nutrition programs entirely from the Farm Bill, while the Senate's version cuts about $4 billion in SNAP.  With the two sides so far apart, there might not be a Farm Bill this year, which means that Congress might have to approve a continuing resolution for another year.  Stay tuned for more legislative updates and advocacy opportunities.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Rethink Food Stamps? A Concept Worth Considering

Mark Winne has long advocated a  more fair and sustainable food system for our country.  He  often speaks out against overwhelming corporate control of the food chain, supporting instead community-based systems that would provide more nutritious and inexpensive food items. Winne, a resident of Santa Fe, has also  been a strong supporter of  safety-net programs.

So, in this context, he sees the recent move in Congress to separate the nutrition title from the Farm Bill as an opportunity to create the structural changes that could make safety-net programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more more responsive to the actual needs of users.
 -Anti-hunger advocates will say that any meaningful examination of the food stamp program opens a Pandora’s Box that allows Tea Party-ites to wield their machetes, but that process is underway already; better to get out front with new ideas and positive energy.  -Mark Winne
In the latest post on his Food Policy Blog,, Winne argues, among other things, that SNAP's links to corporate agriculture have resulted in a program that is less responsive to the needs of recipients.  Here are some excerpts from a recent blog post.

The anti-hunger orthodoxy that SNAP is a vital part of the nation’s safety net and must never be altered goes unchallenged. Whenever an innovation is proposed, e.g. [New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg]’s request to prohibit the use of food stamps to purchase sugary soft drinks, the program’s pit bull defenders bare their teeth threatening to rip the limbs off heretics who might modify even one of SNAP’s holy sacraments.

With overweight and obesity affecting 65 percent of the population and eclipsing hunger as America’s number one diet-related health problem, food stamps do little to encourage healthy eating and less to discourage unhealthy eating.\

Imagine a corporation or major private institution that did not conduct research and development, kept the same product line for generations, and never engaged in strategic thinking. That enterprise would be out of business (or subsidized by the federal government). While a nation’s social policy is albeit more complicated and subject to a host of conflicting winds, it cannot go unexamined by those who genuinely care about people and their communities. Anti-hunger advocates will say that any meaningful examination of the food stamp program opens a Pandora’s Box that allows Tea Party-ites to wield their machetes, but that process is underway already; better to get out front with new ideas and positive energy.   Read full blog post

A Point of Agreement and Discussion
So what do I think?  I would be cautious about making drastic changes that would leave people vulnerable to hunger. So the proposal gives me some pause.  Beyond that, I agree with the premise that we should take a look at whether safety-net programs are best serving those who need them.

The one big drawback that I see in separating the nutrition programs from the Farm Bill is that we lose the direct connection between the huge subsidies that are provided to corporate agriculture and their impact on the food chain.  Subsidies have to be increased for production of  fruits and vegetables and reduced for  commodities like corn and soybeans.  With farming and nutrition considered in separate measures, it would be hard to make the connection.  (On the other hand, even with the connection in past Farm Bills, we haven't been able to reduce corporate subsidies.  And subsidies for production of  healthy products are still non-existent)

Other advocates agree that reform might be overdue, perhaps in the manner similar to the approach on foreign aid. 
  • "I think it makes sense to separate SNAP from the much debated Farm Bill. It would be wise to take advantage of a situation that we initially opposed and make SNAP better in the process," said one anti-hunger advocate from a Southern state, citing proposals advanced by the Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN).
  • "We have a spider web of programs that no longer do the job they were created to do. They are difficult to navigate & easy to attack. Only WIC has been updated in a significant way & not without attack from special interest groups like the potato growers," said another advocate from a Western state. "The anti-hunger community is so tied to battling for the current program that the very mention of reform gives them vapors. I think one of the basic problems is that we have a "Farm" bill focused on mostly big ag not a "Food" bill focused on a healthy food supply.
  • "I think we should be open to reforming SNAP (or any other program). A question I have been wrestling with is what reforms would you make? We had a big review here with some of our more conservative members of  [our state's] Hunger Network and we did not identify anything major that made sense to change. What reforms make sense?" asks a Midwest advocate.
The bottom line is that the discussion on reforming SNAP and other nutrition programs is overdue, and we have an opportunity with the action in Congress.  But we should proceed very carefully to ensure that the programs continue to provide a safety net that keeps a large segment of our population from going hungry.

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Closing of Peacecraft Affects Women's Cooperative in Chihuahua

(Editor's Note: The closing of Peacecraft a few weeks ago left artisans and other producers of fair-trade goods without one of their outlets to sell their products.  This piece from Tom Aageson illustrates the impact on the women's cooperatve at Puerto Palomas in Chihuahua)

By Tom Aageson
Peacecraft closed its Albuquerque store and the ripple effect is reaching into the poor, border village of Puerto Palomas de Villa, Chihuahua, Mexico.. Peacecraft sold products for a women’s cooperative, called Palomas Oilcloth Designs, from that small community, located on the border with the U.S. (across from Columbus, New Mexico)

The women make beautiful aprons, placemats, tablecloths and lovely tote bags from oilcloth. The loss of any customer can lower their already low incomes. Peacecraft sold for them for the last three years and products always sold well in the store. Losing that income has been difficult.

Over the last five years, these women have built their handmade enterprise from desire to a sustainable firm. The women take orders over the phone or the internet; design their own products; and buy oilcloth and other supplies despite daily challenges. For example, they do their own banking, but there is no bank in their town and they have to travel to make deposits. Border Partners, is a volunteer group located across the border in Deming, New Mexico. They worked with the women of Palomas Oilcloth Designs to help them start and grow their business. Border Partners has other projects with people from Puerto Palomas to start businesses, to improve health and education and to promote the use of low-cost sustainable technology.

For the women, they need more fair trade outlets for their work. Their quality is high, and the prices competitive. They can supply orders from small to large and maintain their quality. You can see examples of their work at their store online.

If you know of any possible sources of new business for them, please contact the coordinator in Puerto Palomas, Ludy Loya. ludyloya@gmail.com

Monday, July 22, 2013

Rep. Lujan Grisham Speaks Passionately Against SNAP Cuts

In a surprising vote on June 20, the House voted against the 2013 Farm Bill, which included $20 billion in cuts for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),  The House then moved to split the sections dealing with nutrition programs from the legislation and held a second vote on July 10.  The new measure was approved narrowly and primarily on a party-line vote.  The split leaves SNAP and other safety-net measures vulnerable to deep cuts.   (Stay tuned for advocacy opportunities once legislation on nutrition programs comes to the floor)

Many legislators have spoken against proposals to cut SNAP, including Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, who represents the First Congressional District  in New Mexico.  Here is Rep. Lujan Grisham's passionate speech on the floor of the House.  

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Suburban Poverty (Part 3): Rio Rancho, New Mexico

St. Felix Pantry has operated in Rio Rancho since 1992
(Editor's Note. This is the third in three-part series about poverty in the suburbs. Part 1 featured a book on this topic by Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube of the Brookings Institution, and Part 2 looked at demographic mapping tool from the Urban Institute.  Part 3 brings the topic home to New Mexico).

It is very hard to find communities in New Mexico that you would actually call a "suburb." One could make an argument that certain neighborhoods in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Las Cruces have suburban traits. Still, there is one city in the Albuquerque metropolitan area that could qualiy as a suburb: The city of Rio Rancho.  But Rio Rancho is also considered a city in its own right.  In fact, this is the fourth largest city in the state in terms of population, surpassed only by  Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Santa Fe.

For the sake of this blog post, let us consider Rio Rancho a suburb of Albuquerque. Like many communities outside a major city, Rio Rancho has attracted emigres from the city, initially offering new housing developments (and less-expensive housing) and employment at the Intel plant.  Rio Rancho grew very fast, with its population surpassing  87,000 by 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

But with growth came poverty.  The American Community Survey (a project of the U.S. Census Bureau) showed a poverty rate of 11.4% in Rio Rancho in 2010, compared with a median of 7.9% between 2006 and 2010.  (Here is a comparison with other cities in our state for that period).  By way of comparison, the poverty rate was 17.4% in Albuquerque in 2010 and 15.7% in 2006-2010. 

St. Felix Pantry: More than 20 Years of Service
While the Kneebone-Berube study started tracking the movement of poverty to the suburbs since 1980, the trend has been present in Rio Rancho at least since 1992, when the Felician Sisters CCSF, launched St. Felix Pantry to meet what the saw as growing needs for the local population.  There was a growing segement of the population in Rio Rancho that was below the poverty line, and many times these families had to find food and other services Albuquerque. Not only was distance a problem, but the lack of transportation created many obstacles for low-income folks in Rio Rancho. St. Felix responded to the need, and more than 20 years later, the agency continues to provide a safety net for families in times of crisis, offering food, clothing, household items, and referral services free of charge.  Watch the St. Felix Pantry video

Like most suburban operations, the pantry has noticed an increase in people needing assistance in recent years. "The need for these services has grown in relationship to the economic downturn: loss of jobs, rise in food and fuel costs, and recent cutbacks in welfare and healthcare benefits," St. Felix said in its Web site. "Annually, the Pantry currently provides groceries for the equivalent of 2 million meals, feeding more than 52,453 people each year." ​

There are other agencies and churches providing assistance in Rio Rancho, including People Helping People, Storehouse West, Powerhouse Fellowship Church, Inc. and High Desert United Methodist Church. These service providers operate with the assistance of Roadrunner Food Bank, whose main operation is based in Albuquerque.

Michael and Jennifer's Story
There are faces and situations that accompany the statistics and demographics of hunger and poverty, and Roadrunner Food Bank offers a few stories, including an account about a family in  Rio Rancho,

Michael and Jennifer Smith live in Rio Rancho and have been looking for work.  Michael taught one year at an area high school and was laid off last year due to budget cuts.  He is still seeking employment, even if it isn’t in his chosen teaching profession.  Michael said, “We can keep a roof over our head, pay some of our bills, and manage to pay for some of my insulin medication, but there isn’t always enough for food.  What is left of our monthly income is about $60 for groceries for the entire month for a family of seven.”

Jennifer is also looking for a job, but she is busy raising her five children whose ages are from elementary school to college.  She said, “It is difficult to find employment right now.  The economy has made it tough to locate even a part-time job.”

Even though the family has access to some unemployment and is on SNAP (food stamp) benefits it isn’t enough for all their food needs.  The family receives a Roadrunner Emergency Family Food Box through Rio Rancho Elementary to help supplement their food.  Michael said, “We are so grateful to receive food from Roadrunner Food Bank.  If I could personally thank everyone who donated the food items in the box, I would.”

Read more stories from Roadrunner Food Bank

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Suburban Poverty (Part 2): Urban Institute Mapping Tool

Because of a series of economic downturns over the past decade, many folks lost their jobs and have been unable to find new employment or have had to settle for minimum-wage work. People who were once considered middle class (and many live in the suburbs), have fallen below or close to the poverty line.

Today, one out of four jobs in the country doesn’t pay enough to lift a family of four above the poverty line. When jobs don’t pay enough to lift families above the poverty line, we end up with lots of people known as “the working poor.” After the shocks in the 2000s, starting with the bursting of the stock bubble early in the decade and continuing with the housing bubble and the 2008 financial crisis, we need to ask ourselves whether the course we’re on is sustainable. Read more from the Bread for the World Institute.

But the recent economic downturns only worsened a trend that had already been occurring over the past three decades. The changing demographic of poverty is occurring across the nation. Chicago magazine discusses the growth of suburban poverty in America's third largest metropolitan area, And The Atlantic magazine recently reported on the overall trend, using maps provided by The Urban Institute.

Poverty in the United States doesn't look like it did just a few decades ago. In many metro areas, it touches more people today than in 1980. The demographics have changed too, with new and expanding communities of the Hispanic poor in cities like Phoenix and Las Vegas. And the geography has shifted – as we've previously written...poverty now stretches well into the suburbs.

To get a better picture of what all these changes look like over time, the Urban Institute recently created a helpful new mapping tool that tracks fine-grained Census data on poverty for every metropolitan area of the country, spanning the years from 1980-2010. The patterns vary by city Just about everywhere, however, poverty appears to be spreading.

The Urban Institute's maps represent an important tool for policymakers to examine and respond to the changing demographics of poverty in metropolitan areas across the United States.  "For metro regions to systematically reduce poverty and expand opportunity, local civic and political leaders, advocates, and practitioners should start by sitting down together to understand the evolving realities of poverty, race, and place in their communities. We hope our maps help catalyze these conversations," said the Urban Institutue

Below are demographic maps from the Urban Institute comparing poverty in Houston in 1980 and 2010. See the mapping tool created by The Urban Institute.

Poverty in Houston 1980
Poverty in Houston 2010

Part 1: Book Documents Suburban Poverty Since 1980
Next: Poverty in Albuquerque's Suburbs?

Friday, July 19, 2013

Desmond Tutu: 'The Good News to Hungry People is Bread'

I don't preach a social gospel; I preach the gospel, period. The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is concerned with the whole person. When people were hungry, Jesus didn't say, 'Now is that political or social?' He said,'I feed you.' Because the good news to a hungry person is bread. -

-Archbishop Bishop Desmond Tutu

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Suburban Poverty (Part 1): Book Documents Trend Since 1980

The documentary A Place at the Table  follows the impact of hunger on families in the inner city of Philadelphia, rural Colorado and small-town Mississippi.  These are areas were selected because they reflected the impact of hunger, poverty and malnutrition on children in certain types of communities.  If the producers were to add a fourth location to the documentary, chances are they would select  the suburbs.

Elizabeth Kneebone and Alan Berube of the Brookings Institution, document the rise of poverty in the suburbs in their recently published book entitled Confronting Suburban Poverty in America

"..over the last decade, suburbs have increasingly become home to America's poor. Between 2000 and 2011, the population living in American cities below the poverty line increased by 29 percent. During that same time, across the country in the suburbs of metropolitan areas as diverse as Atlanta and Detroit and Salt Lake City, the ranks of the poor grew by 64 percent. Today, more poor people live in the suburbs (16.4 million of them) than in U.S. cities (13.4 million), despite the perception that poverty remains a uniquely urban problem," The Atlantic magazine said in an article about the book.

 "By the mid-2000s, more Americans were living below the poverty line in suburbs than in cities. In the Boston metropolitan area, census data from 2010 showed that more than two-thirds of the region’s poor population was settled in the suburbs," said a recent article in the The Boston Globe

The trend is illustrated further in this video promoting the book. 



Next: Mapping Poverty in Metropolitan Areas

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

A Place at the Table to Show at National Hispanic Cultural Center

One in three children in New Mexico are hungry.  What are we doing about it?  That's the question that folks in New Mexico are asking in light of recent reports from Feeding America and The Kids Count Data Center that placed our state near the bottom of the barrel when it comes to childhood hunger.

To address that question, the organization Partnership for Community Action decided to host a community discussion on this issue on Wednesday, July 24, 2:00-4:00 p.m., at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th St. SW. Several organizations have joined in as cosponsors, including Bread for the World, Roadrunner Food Bank, Project Feed the Hood, New Mexico Appleseed and La Cosecha. 

The event will begin with a screening of the documentary A Place at the Table.  (This is is one of the anchors for Bread for the World's 2013 Offering of Letters.  If you missed the premiere of  A Place at the Table in Santa Fe back in March, here is your chance to see the documentary on the big screen at the Bank of America Theater at the NHCC).

After the screening of the documentary, a panel of community experts and advocates will offer the movie and also address the question of what we can do to address childhood hunger in New Mexico.  The participants include:
Admission to the event is free, but tickets are required.  For more information, contact Partnership for Community Action, Mayraa@forcommunityaction.org, or one of the sponsor organizations, including Bread New Mexico, breadnm@gmail.com


Sunday, July 14, 2013

Three Thoughts on the Parable of the Good Samaritan

Carving by Arturo Escobar, St. Patrick (Oakland)
As you sit and listen to the words of today's Gospel reading (Luke 10:25-37), chances are you will most remember verses 29 through 37. Those are the passages that deal most directly with the Parable of the Good Samaritan. But the parable simply serves to support the message in verse 27, which describes the two greatest commandments: ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.’ 

The Ampersand, a blog published by the Catholic Diocese of Camden Life and Justice Ministries, posted a very nice reflection on today's Gospel reading, entitled "Three Thoughts on Sunday's Gospel."  I would like to share some excerpts from this piece, but I urge you to read the full reflection.

1) This passage sends us out
(highlighting a talk from Jack Jack Jezreel, founder of JustFaith Ministries)
Our churches gather people in for liturgy and prayer, education and formation, social events, and more. We often spend most of our time and resources on these gatherings. But parishes are also meant to send us out to live the Gospel mission in the world, especially with and for those who are most vulnerable in society.

2) …to get uncomfortable
Good Samaritan love also calls us to work to change the structures in our world that perpetuate injustice. 

3) …and to look for God in the unlikeliest people and places.
The radical love and service Jesus calls for breaks down barriers and dismisses nobody.

Read full reflection 

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Atlantic Magazine: Farm Bill Deal to Hungry Americans, 'You're on Your Own'

This past Wednesday, the House Republican leadership separated SNAP and other nutrition programs from the rest of the 2013 Farm Bill, setting up the safety-net programs for deep cuts. And then the Farm Bill was brought to the floor sans the nutrition programs.  The headline in an article in the Atlantic Magazine says it all.  "Farm Bill Deal to Hungry Americans: You're on Your Own."

Here's how the article described the maneuver on Thursday:
Last night, House Republicans made good on their promise to split the apparently unpassable farm bill in two--the farm part, with its many and controversial subsidies to big agriculture, now in the form of crop insurance, and the nutrition part, the $80 SNAP, or food stamp, program. And just now, they passed the 608-page bill they released, 216-208.

As with pretty much everything to do with the going-on-two-year struggle to pass a new five-year farm bill, this has more to do with political theater than collaboration.    Read full article

Here is an important piece of information in the article:

Hours before today's vote, the White House announced that President Obama will veto the bill if it ever reaches his desk. Even the Heritage Foundation, which wants a split, doesn't think that Cantor's bill goes nearly far enough in curtailing current farm programs and subsidizing crop insurance.

The article, authored by Korby Kummer, also took the opportunity to promote A Place at the Table, which is the anchor for our Offering of Letters.

I first saw A Place At The Table last summer, in a preview performance at the Aspen Ideas Festival, after which I did a Q&A with Kristi Jacobson, the film's co-director. It was hard to formulate questions fast, because I was so affected by the film, which quietly but insistently traces the stories of several people and families who struggle to get enough food. The gift of the film to make you see something under your eyes every day and, by its close attention to the particular and not the general, to make you understand in a visceral way that hunger is all around you--and something you need to do something about. 

So what happens next?  Much has still to be decided.
  • There will likely be a separate House vote on funding for safety-net programs
  • The Senate version of the Farm Bill still has the safety-net programs.  How will this be addressed in conference committee?
  • President Obama has pledged to veto the Farm Bill as approved by the House?  A veto to any legislation that contains deep cuts to nutrition programs would also be good.
Stay tuned for advocacy opportunities.

Faith Community Responds to House Move to Separate Safety-Net Programs from Farm Bill

There were 435 letters delivered to Capitol Hill on Wednesday, July 11, from a coalition of faith-based organizations.  The letters urged the House of Representatives not to split the safety-net programs from the Farm Bill.

(The letters apparently did not sway the House leadership, which voted later that day to split the farm portion of the farm bill from nutrition programs).

Here is an excerpt of a statement from Bread for the World in the aftermath of the vote.

Bread for the World is deeply disappointed by Congress’ decision on splitting the farm bill. The House of Representatives leadership released a farm bill (H.R. 2642) late Wednesday night that did not include the nutrition title—the section that authorizes the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps). The House voted 216 to 208 to pass the farm-only farm bill this afternoon.

“As the economy slowly rebounds, more than 47 million Americans still depend on SNAP to put food on their tables,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. “Passing a farm bill that only contains farm programs would lead to a nutrition bill with SNAP cuts that far exceed the $20 billion proposed in an earlier House version of the farm bill.”   Read full statement

And here is the text of the letter that the faith organizations  sent to each representative on the morning of the vote.

July 11, 2013

Dear Representative:

 As people of faith working to reduce hunger and poverty and urging sustainable stewardship of our resources, we urge you to oppose proposals to dismantle the farm bill. Proposals to “split” the farm bill will put critical programs, particularly SNAP (formerly food stamps), at risk of deep cuts and harmful policy changes.

Passing a farm bill that contains only the farm policies and commodity provisions would almost certainly lead to a nutrition bill with SNAP cuts that far exceed even the $20 billion proposed in the earlier version of the farm bill. Thus, we view a vote in favor of a separate farm policy bill as a vote in favor of uncertainty and possibly catastrophic cuts to SNAP.

Our nation’s food and farm policies as embodied in the farm bill impact people and communities from rural America to developing countries. Historically, there have been good reasons to connect good nutrition policy with good farm policy, and this partnership is essential to the long-term health of all of the programs involved. Splitting the farm bill and making SNAP vulnerable to deep cuts will not only hamper the ability of low-income Americans to put meals on the table, but will also have negative consequences for food producers as well. According to USDA, 16 cents of every dollar spent on food goes back to farmers.

We urge the House to work on a comprehensive farm bill that protects and strengthens nutrition programs and encourages sustainable stewardship of our resources.

Sincerely

American Friends Service Committee
Bread for the World
Church World Service
Columban Center for Advocacy and Outreach
Disciples Justice Action Network
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Catholic Rural Life Conference
National Council of Jewish Women
Office of Social Justice, Christian Reformed Church in North America
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A)
Union for Reform Judaism
United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries
The United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society

Friday, July 12, 2013

The Road to Holiness

In our era, the road to holiness necessarily passes through the world of action. 
-Dag Hammarskjold

Give us grace and strength to forbear and to persevere. Give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind. Spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies. Bless us if it may be in all our innocent endeavors; if it may not, give us strength to encounter that which is to come, that we may be brave in peril, constant in tribulation, temperate in wrath. And in all changes of fortune and down to the gates of death, loyal and loving to one another.

- Robert Louis Stevenson

Tuesday, July 09, 2013

Walking the Walk (Thoughtfully and Prayerfully)

Here is an excerpt from an uplifting article recently distributed by  Episcopal News Service  


During the recent Spring Picnic at St. James’ Episcopal Church in Jackson, Mississippi, parishioners created a unique labyrinth out of canned goods to benefit Stewpot’s Food Pantry.

Parishioners donated more than 1,700 cans of food and then used them to create a seven-circuit labyrinth. Cans of beans, mandarin oranges, carrots, tuna, peanut butter and tomatoes lined the one path to the center of the labyrinth and out again.

Both adults and children walked the winding food-lined path of abundance to the center. A small table with an empty white bowl at the labyrinth’s center served as a reminder that there are many empty bowls and stomachs in the community and state. When returning from the center, adults and children walked the same path, but this time the many cans challenged the walkers to take action and to do something for those who are hungry.  See full article

Monday, July 08, 2013

The Hearts and Dreams of People Seeking a Better World

Photo: Rene Ronquillo
Every good law or case you study was once a dream. Every good law or case you study was dismissed as impossible or impractical for decades before it was enacted. Give your creative thoughts free reign, for it is only in the hearts and dreams of people seeking a better world that true social justice has a chance.

-Bill Quigley
Attorney and Social Justice Advocate, New Orleans

Saturday, July 06, 2013

'Poor Nutrition Doesn't Happen in Isolation'

Adequate nutrition is among the most basic of essentials. If our community is failing to meet that need, in what other ways are kids suffering? Poor nutrition doesn’t happen in isolation. It occurs alongside other risk factors like poverty, maternal depression and exposure to violence—all of which can have lasting negative effects on childhood development. The prevalence of such risks was tragically confirmed once again by the Kids Count report. -Margaret Wright, New Mexico Compass
Two reports were released this summer with very bad news for New Mexico. Our state had the dubious distinction of ranking last in the 2013 National Kids Count Data Book and Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap reports, which measured the well-being of children in our state. (To be fair, another report from the Food Research and Action Center, also released this summer, gave us good marks for making strides in our summer feeding programs in 2012).

Margaret Wright, managing editor of the online news site New Mexico Compass, reacted to the reports in an article posted on July 2.  Here are excerpts from her piece, entitled Starving for Change

Photo Credit: anotherlunch.com via Compfight cc
— It’s dismal to admit, but I wasn’t surprised when the 2013 Kids Count survey was released with New Mexico ranked dead last in the country for childhood well-being.

That’s because I’d already been reeling from the results of an unrelated study published the week before. Feeding America, a national hunger-relief charity, placed New Mexico first in the U.S. for our high levels of childhood hunger. Researchers found more than 30 percent—about one-third—of kids in our state suffering from food insecurity.

That number means far too many kids are at risk for stunted physical and brain growth. It means more of our babies die in infancy. Hungry kids don’t consume enough micronutrients, vitamins and minerals, which increases their risk of developmental delays and disabilities. They disproportionately suffer from weak immune systems and chronic diseases. They require more emergency room and doctor visits, and they exhibit higher levels of behavioral and emotional problems.

Adequate nutrition is among the most basic of essentials. If our community is failing to meet that need, in what other ways are kids suffering? Poor nutrition doesn’t happen in isolation. It occurs alongside other risk factors like poverty, maternal depression and exposure to violence—all of which can have lasting negative effects on childhood development. The prevalence of such risks was tragically confirmed once again by the Kids Count report.    Read Full Article

Friday, July 05, 2013

Should Governments Spend More Tax Dollars (Reais) on Sports Infrastructure or on Social Services?

- A festa do futebol acabou e amanhã voltamos a pressionar o governo e o congresso nacional, a trabalharem dentro da linha e seguindo a pauta social: educação, saude, saneamento, condições de trabalho digno, transporte, etc..etc... (the football festival is over, and tomorrow we are pressing the Government and the National Congress, to meet their commitments and follow the social compact: education, health, sanitation, decent working conditions, transport, etc.etc ...) -Graziela Aronovich, journalist and social activist in Rio de Janeiro
Protests in Rio de Janeiro. Photo courtesy of Graziela Aronovich
The Confederations Cup, which brought together the best national soccer teams from each region around the world, was held in Brazil this past June. This was a warm-up event of sorts to the 2014 World Cup, which will also be held in Brazil.  The home team won the tournament with a decisive 3-0 victory over Spain, the reigning world champion, in an event that drew a record television audience around the world.

The tournament by itself would have been sufficient to shine the spotlight on Brazil.  But there were parallel activities that attracted even more (unwanted) attention on the government of Dilma Rousseff and the Brazilian Congress.  All throughout the cup, there were massive street protests in every Brazilian venue hosting a Confederations cup match (and even in cities that were not designated as hosts).  

No other country around the world has been identified so closely with futebol as Brazil.  Because of this, and the country's recent economic growth into a "middle income country," the international soccer federation (FIFA) granted Brazil the 2014 World Cup.   

But this economic growth has been uneven and this has stirred a different kind of passion in Brazil.  A lot of resources have gone into the construction of stadiums and infrastructure to prepare the country for the World Cup, and many citizens believe this spending has come at the expense of expenditures for transportation, education and other services that will improve the quality of life of the people. (And there is ongoing debate on whether Brazil would recover its massive investment.  The initial cost was initially estimated at about $17.4 billion (39 billion reais), but the price tag might be even higher).

After the Confederations  Cup, protest organizers agreed to hold a dialogue with Rousseff, but put the president and Congress on notice that they were not off the hook. 

The protests were remarkable because a  large number of Brazilians put aside their overwhelming passion for soccer and the chance to host one of the premiere sports events (actually two, because the Olympics are coming to Rio de Janeiro in 2016), to bring attention to the needs of society.  The protestors did not necessarily want the Brazilian government to withdraw from the tournament or the Olympics. They just asked for more creative financing so that basic needs were not set aside in the quest for international prestige.

Same Debate in the United States
Protestors oppose public money for Vikings Stadium (Photo: Kim DeFranco, FightBack!News)
- Almost two of every three Minneapolis school students come from low income families struggling to pay for food and other necessities,   At the same time,  politicians were determined to make the stadium deal the top priority, so, "'the team can make money." It's time we rethink our priorities-Minnesota State Sen. John Marty
While it's true that  sporting events bring prestige and employment to a community, to what extent should the government provide funding for infrastructure and other related expenses? What if this funding come at the expense of government services?  In the United States and Europe, this debate is even more important given the escalating salaries of athletes, the record profits of owners, and the increasing price of admission to sporting events.

And the question of whether governments should spend on infrastructure to support sporting events is not unique to Brazil.  Here in the United States, there was a debate in Minnesota last year whether the state government should help pay for a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League with taxpayer money.

And just last month, there was the question of whether the city of Glendale, AZ, should continue to provide favorable terms on a lease agreement with Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League.  The agreement was approved, keeping the Coyotes from moving to Seattle.  Interestingly enough, the National Basketball Association (NBA) recently turned out a plan to allow investors in Seattle to build a privately financed arena to lure the Sacramento Kings to that city.  Tax revenues will be used to fund a new arena in Sacramento.

"Almost two of every three Minneapolis school students come from low income families struggling to pay for food and other necessities,," Minnesota State Sen. John Marty said in his Apple Pie Alliance Web site after funding was approved for a new Vikings stadium.   At the same time, numerous Republican and DFL (Democratic Farm-Labor Party) politicians were determined to make the stadium deal the top priority, so, as (lobbyist Ted) Mondale said, 'the team can make money.' It's time we rethink our priorities."

Thursday, July 04, 2013

Something to Think About on this Independence Day

A couple of times a week, Sister Jane Remson from Bread for the World New Orleans sends out a reflection entitled "Think About It -Pray About It -Act on It" to members of her list in Louisiana and elsewhere.  I am posting this note that she sent out to commemorate Independence Day, followed by a prayer posted in Sojourners' Verse and Voice.

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues.

Some interesting facts by the USDA and US Census Bureau of the amount of food that will be consumed across the USA this 4th of July:

2.5 million - the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation in July 1776.

316.2 million – the nation’s estimated population on this July 4th.

$3.8 million – the dollar value of US imports of American flags ($3.6 from China).

65.9 million – the estimated number of pork hot dogs and sausage.

6.3 billion pounds – the estimated beef for hot dogs, burgers and steaks

$1 billion – the value of chicken production for barbecued and fried chicken.

523 million hundredweight (cwt) – amount of potato salad.

Lord, help me to remember those who have no food to eat today and all those who struggle to provide food for their families. Bless those who have served and continue to give their lives for our freedom. Amen -a prayer by Jane Remson, O.Carm

Almighty God, all the riches of the world are made by you for our common use, and by nature not one of them belongs to one human being more than to another; direct us, we pray, that all things may serve all people. Amen. - Adapted from a prayer of St. Anselm of Canterbury  (from Sojourners Verse and Voice for July 3)

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

A Holy Encounter in the High Desert

(Left to right) Frather Graham Golden, Tenzin,Abbott Joel Garner, Rinpoche
The Norbertine community at Santa Maria de la Vid Priory in Albuquerque's South Valley was recently honored with the visit of two Tibetan Buddhist monks from India. The visitors were Tenzin (whose name means teacher), a professor of Buddhist philosophy, and Rinpoche (a title of honor), who is a significant person in the leadership in the monastery.  He is said to be the reincarnation of a significant figure. (Thanks to Bread for the World advocate Graham Golden for providing the picture and the information).

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Looking for Fair Trade Products

Can you find five Fair Trade Products in this Word Search puzzle? 


(From the Fair Trade Certified Facebook Page, affiliated with Fair Trade USA)

Answers: uoʇʇoɔ,ǝǝɟɟoɔ, ɐouınb, sǝɔıds, ɐuɐuɐq

Monday, July 01, 2013

Steve Garnaas-Holmes: A prayer for Mandela

As of July 1, the condition of former South African leader Nelson Mandela was "still critical but stable," according to the office of President Jacob Zuma.  Mandela, 94, has been in a Pretoria hospital since June 8 with a lung infection. "We remind all South Africans to begin planning for Madiba's birthday on the 18th of July. We must all be able to do something good for humanity on this day, in tribute to our former president," President Zuma said. 

People around the world are keeping this great humanitarian in our thoughts and our prayers.  Here is a touching prayer from Bread for the World member, Pastor Steve Garnaas-Holmes:

God of life,
for a brother of our peace,
walking on the edge of life,
we hold open our hearts.

For a father of our hope,
standing at the heart of life,
we raise our heads.

To all those whose longing
looks so much like him,
we extend our hands.

For the world we have seen in him
rising in us no less mightily
we stand.

All whose gifts are yet imprisoned,
whose lives are not yet freed,
we remember, and we embrace.

The courage you gave him lives in us;
our gratitude for him unites us,
one love, one Spirit.

What he has accomplished is in our hands;
what he has not yet accomplished
is in our hands.

God of mercy, God of justice, Gentle One,
Our Mighty Hope,
you who forgive and transform and smile,

in his honor give us vision,
in his will give us a future,
in his spirit give us ourselves.

Amen.

-Steve Garnaas-Holmes
from the blog Unfolding Light