Wednesday, May 28, 2014
Here is Your Opportunity to Meet Rick Steves in Person
How would you like to be welcomed to this year's National Gathering in Washington by Rick Steves?
It's true. The author and TV host will deliver the opening address and welcome on Monday, June 9,
It is very fitting for Rick Steves to take on this role. He is a longtime member and huge supporter of Bread for the World. If you watch Steves show on PBS, Europe through the Back Door, you might notice a nice promo for Bread for the World.
Steves often assists with fundraising opportunities for our organization. You might remember his campaign in September 2012, when he pledged to donate $1 to Bread for every Like on his Facebook page.
And Steves was there in Des Moines, Iowa, in October 2010, when Bread for the World President David Beckmann received the World Food Prize, along with Jo Luck of Heifer International. (At left, he poses with Elaine VanCleave, a longtime Bread grassroots advocate and a current board member, who also went to Des Moines that year)..
And now, you have an opportunity to meet Rick Steves in person at the National Gathering. I'm not sure if his schedule allows it, but it would be cool to lobby with Rick Steve on Capitol Hill on June 10. (He probably would be joining the delegation from Washington state).
There are other exciting speakers and activities at the National Gathering, which will be held at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center. This includes a special dinner for Bread's 40th anniversary. See full schedule. So, what are you waiting for? Register today
It's true. The author and TV host will deliver the opening address and welcome on Monday, June 9,
It is very fitting for Rick Steves to take on this role. He is a longtime member and huge supporter of Bread for the World. If you watch Steves show on PBS, Europe through the Back Door, you might notice a nice promo for Bread for the World.
Steves often assists with fundraising opportunities for our organization. You might remember his campaign in September 2012, when he pledged to donate $1 to Bread for every Like on his Facebook page.
And Steves was there in Des Moines, Iowa, in October 2010, when Bread for the World President David Beckmann received the World Food Prize, along with Jo Luck of Heifer International. (At left, he poses with Elaine VanCleave, a longtime Bread grassroots advocate and a current board member, who also went to Des Moines that year)..
And now, you have an opportunity to meet Rick Steves in person at the National Gathering. I'm not sure if his schedule allows it, but it would be cool to lobby with Rick Steve on Capitol Hill on June 10. (He probably would be joining the delegation from Washington state).
There are other exciting speakers and activities at the National Gathering, which will be held at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center. This includes a special dinner for Bread's 40th anniversary. See full schedule. So, what are you waiting for? Register today
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
True Compassion
"Most of us don't lack compassion so much as we avoid it. We resist compassion in the United States with a peculiar hypocrisy, extolling the virtues of volunteerism, for instance, while making volunteerism more of a necessity by diminishing our budgetary commitments to the poor and powerless. ... Our primary response to human suffering appears to be making sure it occurs on the other side of town or the other side of the world."
- Marianne Williamson
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Corrales Community Garden Among 20 Recipients of Grant from Seeds of Change
Congratulations to Corrales-based Seed2Need. one of 20 community gardens or schools chosen to receive a grant from Seeds of Change. Many gardening enthusiasts and anti-hunger advocates contributed to the outcome by voting online during the preliminary phase of the online poll to select 50 finalists.
Seed2Need wants to thank everyone who voted for its entry in the and shared the link with their networks during the Seeds of Change crowd-sourcing grant. Your clicks did the trick!" the community garden organizers said on the Seed2Need Facebook page. We won one of the $10K grants, which takes care of our funding needs for the rest of the season.
You can continue to support Seed2Need by volunteering time, money or produce. Click here to learn more. Seed2Need founder Penny Davis tells you more in this video.
Seed2Need wants to thank everyone who voted for its entry in the and shared the link with their networks during the Seeds of Change crowd-sourcing grant. Your clicks did the trick!" the community garden organizers said on the Seed2Need Facebook page. We won one of the $10K grants, which takes care of our funding needs for the rest of the season.
You can continue to support Seed2Need by volunteering time, money or produce. Click here to learn more. Seed2Need founder Penny Davis tells you more in this video.
Saturday, May 24, 2014
A Conference on Poverty in New Mexico on June 4-6
Map: TalkPoverty.org |
So how can we work together to find solutions?
The New Mexico Association of Community Partners (NMACP) and the University of New Mexico Continuing Education Division have planned a conference for the first week of June, entitled "Lessons from Poverty: Communities Working Together."
The conference, scheduled for June 4-6 at the UNM Continuing Education Building, 1634 University Blvd. NE, features three days of expert panelists, skilled trainers and breakout sessions. Guest speakers are U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Kathy Winograd, President of Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), and State Rep. Ken Martinez, Speaker of the New Mexico House of Representatives.
Agenda:
Day 1 - Our Identity: Wednesday, June 4, 1:00pm-4:00pm
Day 2 - Supporting Our Mission:Thursday, June 5, 8:00am-4:00pm
Day 3 - Our Path Forward:Friday, June 6, 8:00am-12:00pm
The official site for the conference includes the full schedule of events and information on how to apply for financial assistance for the general public and tuition remission for UNM staff, faculty and retirees.
REGISTER ONLINE
*(Early Bird Special will apply until June 3rd for this 3-day conference -- $169.00).
*For non-profits ONLY -- Thursday Training ONLY, includes breakfast, lunch and reception -- $150.00
Friday, May 23, 2014
How Coast Guard Reauthorization Measure Coud Hurt Food-Aid Reform Efforts
"US food aid saves millions of lives each year," he added. "Therefore, we urge Congress to reject any actions that increase transportation costs … and prevent hungry people around the world from receiving US food assistance." -Allan Jury, senior policy adviser at World Food Programme USASection 318. That's not necessarily a number we should remember. However, as anti-hunger advocates we should be very concerned about ,the negative impact of this measure, which would reverse a lot of our work that we have done and continue to do via the 2014 Offering of Letters.
Let me explain. Section 318 was an add-on to routine legislation to reauthorize funding for the U.S. Coast Guard. Section 318 quietly restores the proportion of U.S. food aid that must be shipped on U.S. flagships to 75%. The full House approved the full measure to reauthorize the Coast Guard in April, with few legislators noticing that Section 318 was inserted. The increase would roll back the progress made in 2012, when Congress reduced the proportion of food aid required to be shipped on US flagships to 50%.
Photo: Stephen Padre, Bread for the World |
The problem is that the increase to 75% in cargo-preference requirements means that a higher percentage of our country's allocation for emergency food aid will go to pay the shipping companies to carry surplus food to its destination. The shift of expenditures to pay the shipping companies means that as many as 2 million fewer people could be affected by a reduction in the amount of actual food aid. "This absolutely goes against everything Congress and the administration have been trying to do, in terms of being more efficient with government funding," said Ryan Quinn,senior policy analyst at Bread for the World.
Read more from Carey L. Biron of Inter Press Service/The Guardian (US food aid U-turn could put 2m people in jeopardy, warn experts), Alyssa Casey of Bread for the World (Food Aid Reforms Endangered), and Michael Helms of Oxfam America (Sailing in the wrong direction: Food aid as a Congressional tool for supporting the shipping industry).
What Next?
Photo: Eva-Lotta Jansson, Oxfam America |
If the measure has not come up to vote by Lobby Day, June 10, then it surely will be an issue raised by Bread members during meeting with US Senators. New Mexico advocates are scheduled to meet with our senators on Tuesday afternoon. See list of scheduled visits.
Bread members from around the country also continue to write to Congress personally and via an Offering of Letters at their congregation.
Wednesday, May 21, 2014
Urging New Mexico Congressional Delegation to Support Electrify Africa Act
In March of 2008, former State Health Secretary Michelle Lujan Grisham and City Councilor Martin Heinrich were among four Democrats seeking to replace Republican Rep. Heather Wilson, who was leaving her post to run for the seat being vacated by Sen. Pete Domenici. I caught up with Lujan Grisham and Heinrich and the two other candidates at an informal forum and asked them about their thoughts and solutions to address global poverty. Oh, and I gave them each ONE white band. Read their comments.
Heinrich won the primary and served two terms in the House before running and winning the seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Bingaman. Lujan Grisham was elected to the Bernalillo County Commission, and when Heinrich left his seat in Congress, she threw her hat in the ring. And she defeated four other candidates to win the seat in Congress.
Lujan Grisham among 297 supporters in House
Fast forward to 2014. Lujan Grisham is completing her first term in the House, and Heinrich has served two years in the U.S. Senate. Both have been strong allies in our efforts to address hunger and poverty in our country and overseas. While in the House, Heinrich cosponsored the Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009, As a senator, he joined with Sen. Tom Udall and 22 other senators to call for emergency help to support food banks. Lujan Grisham has been steadfast in opposing cuts to domestic nutrition programs, especially food stamps.
Which brings us to a recent piece of legislation endorsed by ONE. The initaitive, HR 2548 Electrify Africa Act of 2014) requires the Administration to develop a comprehensive, multi-year strategy to achieve energy access goal in sub-Saharan Africa.
This bipartisan proposal was approved by an overwhelming margin. And Rep. Lujan Grisham was one of 297 Yay votes. But we already had an inkling that Rep. Lujan Grisham was going to vote this way.
“Today, both parties came together and passed a bill that not only promises to save and improve millions of lives, but offers a new way forward for assisting Africa – government working with private sector investment – at no cost to US taxpayers," said ONE CEO Tom Hart.
Attention turns to Senate
The strong bipartisan support for the legislation bodes well for the Senate. However, as of mid-May,, there hadn't been any legislation introduced in the upper house. My sense is that both Sens. Heinrich and Tom Udall are likely to support this initiative. Sen. Udall's support is especially important because he sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Local advocates are not taking the support of the two New Mexico senators for granted once the legislation is introduced in the Senate. On a recent Thursday afternoon in April, a group of student volunteers for ONE set up a table at the international fair at the University of New Mexico to gather signatures urging Sens. Udall and Heinrich to support Electrify Africa.
According to Mekdim Weldegiorgis, a ONE volunteer leader at UNM, the effort produced 20 letters to Sen. Heinrich and 30 to Sen. Udall.
Heinrich won the primary and served two terms in the House before running and winning the seat vacated by Sen. Jeff Bingaman. Lujan Grisham was elected to the Bernalillo County Commission, and when Heinrich left his seat in Congress, she threw her hat in the ring. And she defeated four other candidates to win the seat in Congress.
Wearing a ONE band in 2008 |
Fast forward to 2014. Lujan Grisham is completing her first term in the House, and Heinrich has served two years in the U.S. Senate. Both have been strong allies in our efforts to address hunger and poverty in our country and overseas. While in the House, Heinrich cosponsored the Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009, As a senator, he joined with Sen. Tom Udall and 22 other senators to call for emergency help to support food banks. Lujan Grisham has been steadfast in opposing cuts to domestic nutrition programs, especially food stamps.
Which brings us to a recent piece of legislation endorsed by ONE. The initaitive, HR 2548 Electrify Africa Act of 2014) requires the Administration to develop a comprehensive, multi-year strategy to achieve energy access goal in sub-Saharan Africa.
This bipartisan proposal was approved by an overwhelming margin. And Rep. Lujan Grisham was one of 297 Yay votes. But we already had an inkling that Rep. Lujan Grisham was going to vote this way.
The basic premise is to make sure that it’s a priority, that we recognize that…the poverty of another nation puts us all at risk. -Michelle Lujan Grisham, March 2008Incidentally, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan also voted in the affirmative, while Rep. Steve Pearce was one of the 117 Nay votes. See votes for full House.
“Today, both parties came together and passed a bill that not only promises to save and improve millions of lives, but offers a new way forward for assisting Africa – government working with private sector investment – at no cost to US taxpayers," said ONE CEO Tom Hart.
It PASSED! ONE applauds historic House passage of #ElectrifyAfrica, urges Senate action http://t.co/ndUSL9LF84 pic.twitter.com/P4nUJsBdbJ
— ONE (@ONECampaign) May 8, 2014
Then-candidate Heinrich in 2008 |
The strong bipartisan support for the legislation bodes well for the Senate. However, as of mid-May,, there hadn't been any legislation introduced in the upper house. My sense is that both Sens. Heinrich and Tom Udall are likely to support this initiative. Sen. Udall's support is especially important because he sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
I think it's just a matter of priorities. We need to realize that when we do invest in developing nations and in reducing poverty, that has such an enormous impact on how people feel about us as a nation." -Martin Heinrich, March 2008
Sherif Aboubakr and Jielin Pan staff ONE table at UNM |
According to Mekdim Weldegiorgis, a ONE volunteer leader at UNM, the effort produced 20 letters to Sen. Heinrich and 30 to Sen. Udall.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Searching for Bread for the World--and Finding a (gasp!) Cassette Tape!
Display, National Workshop on Christian Unity-Albuquerque |
These are among the hundreds of great materials that Bread for the World and the Bread for the World Institute have published over the past 40 years. We've seen many brochures, books, reports, booklets and other informational items. One of my favorites is this brochure from the 1980s.
Bread's Identity
To commemorate Bread for the World's 40th birthday, I decide to conduct a search of materials that that helped shape the organization and its mission and gave the movement its identity. Would you believe those early materials are found a libraries around the country? Many of these libraries are located at universities and seminaries, but sometimes you can find Bread publications and cassette tapes (what are those???) at public or private libraries.
To assist me with the search I used the online library research site OCLC WorldCat, which connects you to the collections and services of more than 10,000 libraries worldwide. WorldCat libraries are dedicated to providing access to their resources on the Web, where most people start their search for information. To conduct an effective search, I created a free account.
I started by conducting an Advanced search with the key word Bread for the World, for the period between 1974 and 2014. I found a lot of good material, but first I had to sift among more than 11,000 entries, and the overwhelming majority were not directly relevant to Bread for the World. Since most of us are already familiar with the last decade of Bread's history, I focused this search on the first 20-30 years. The searches for the early years turned up items like Eat Less Bread, a poster used in a campaign by the Ministry of Food in Britain designed to encourage the populace to respect food rationing during World War I.
The first relevant entry was not produced by Bread, but was a general resource guide entitled Who's involved with hunger : an organization guide, published by the American Freedom from Hunger Foundation and World Hunger Education Service, ©1976-
The next entry was the very first edition of Bread for the World, the book that introduced people of faith around the country to the mission of our ourganization. The book was given to anyone who became a Bread for the World member and/or donated to the organization. This particular copy is found at the Mennonite Historical Library in Goshen College (Goshen, IN)
Art Simon visits Kansas City in 1980s |
I selected the items in this sampling at random. There are many, many more entries. (I included some photos from my personal collection or from other long-time Bread members in this post)
1. (1977) Feeding the Hungry, an audio cassette, featuring Bread for the World founder Art Simon. "Lecture describes the work of Bread for the World and confronts Christians with their responsibility to the hungry people of the world. you're looking for a good way to celebrate the work of your beloved organization." The session was recorded during the Christian Life Commission Seminar on "Priorities" held in Jackson, MS, on March 21-23, 1977. The cassette is found at SBTS Library James P. Boyce Centennial Library (Louisville, KY) and Clear Creek Baptist Bible College Brooks Memorial Library (Pineville, KY)
2. (1978) Lord, make us hungry -- : make us bread. by Bread for the World (Organization); Book Found at United Library (Evanston, IL), and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Goddard Library (South Hamilton, MA)
Bread banner at Indianapolis CROP Walk in 1980 |
Designed to accompany a student activity packet on issues related to world hunger, this teacher's manual provides 12 units of study at the high school level. Materials are presented from a Christian perspective. Found at Baylor University Libraries Moody Memorial Library (Waco, TX)
4. (no year provided) Bread for the world in Louisiana Author: Bread for the World (Organization). New Orleans Chapter. Journal, magazine : Periodical : English Found at Wisconsin Historical Society ( Madison, WI)
5. (1982) The ministry of Bread for the World, Kathy Guy; Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education. Audiobook on Cassette
Stahlstown, PA : Thompson Media, 1982
Found at North Park University Brandel Library (Chicago)
6. (1982) The Causes of world hunger,
Father Byron in Albuquerque |
7. Bread for the World newsletter.
(1989- ) Found at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary- Roberts Library (Ft Worth, TX), Fuller Theological Seminary Library (Pasadena, CA), University of California-Santa Barbara, Luther Seminary Library (St. Paul, MN), Bethel Seminary Library (St. Paul, MN), Wartburg Theological Seminary (Dubuque,IA)
Second entry (1994- ) Found at Fuller Theological Seminary Library (Pasadena, CA); Lutheran Theological Seminary (Gettysburg, PA), and University of Connecticut (Storrs, CT)
8.(1987) Lazarus : Bread for the world's musical on hunger and poverty Author: Joel Underwood; Samuel Vance Nickels; Louise F Carlson [Washington, D.C.] : Bread for the World Educational Fund, ©1987. Found at Messiah College-Murray Library (Mechanicsburg, PA)
9. (1987) Hunger in a land of plenty : a study and action guide. Washington, D. C. : Bread for the World Educational Fund, ©1987. Found at United Library (Evanston, IL), and Columbia University Libraries (New York, NY)
10. Bread for the World Institute's Hunger Reports
Author: Bread for the World (Organization). Institute on Hunger & Development.
Hunger 1990
Hunger 1992 : second annual report on the state of world hunger : ideas that work.
Hunger 1993 : uprooted people : third annual report on the state of world hunger.
Hunger 1994 : transforming the politics of hunger : fourth annual report on the state of world hunger.
Some of the libraries where the report might be found: Baylor University Libraries (Waco, TX) University of Texas Libraries (Austin, TX) Claremont School of Theology Library (Pasadena, CA), University of Nebraska (Lincoln, NE) University of California-Los Angeles, Kansas City, Kansas, Community College, University of Colorado (Boulder, CO), Dixie State University (St. George, UT), University of Oklahoma (Norman, OK), Bethel College (North Newton, KS), University of Arizona Libraries (Tucson, AZ)
Social Media and Information Flows
Back in the 1970s and 1980s, the early days of Bread for the World, there was almost no social media and the Internet was in its infancy So printed materials were extremely important. We used audio and video back then. I remember having to make sure that the image on the film strip matched the audio on the cassette tape on a presentation about Bread for the World narrated by Steve Allen. And yet, in these days of tweeting, blogging, instagramming, blogging and downloading from Web sites, we still rely significantly on printed materials and audio and video.
The difference is that we now get the information that we need now instantly, allowing us to take immediate actions. Even when we access information online for research or as a tool for our worship or other activities, we rely on something that is written and (semi-permanent).
Sometimes it's more useful to have a printed copy. It's still more useful to have a booklet and bulletin inserts for an Offering of Letters. A case in point is the Bread for the World Institute's Hunger Report. The report is available for downloading (in PDF format) on the Institute's Web pages. But it is a different and more complete experience to read a hard copy of the report. There is a different appreciation of the interaction between the narrative, the pictures and the data tables.
Saturday, May 17, 2014
Creation Taking Form Before Our Eyes
Guidance streams through the whole of creation, and in any moment we can recognize the form it is taking right before our eyes. -Patricia Campbell Carlson
Friday, May 16, 2014
UNM Nursing Students to Spend Two Weeks at a Health Clinic in Rural Western Kenya
Photo: Project Helping Hands |
The primary focus for this team is to provide general health care and health education services. "During our two weeks in Kenya we will be staffing a health clinic started by a group of women, the Wa Wa Ti, who initiated the clinic because of the deaths of their husbands and children due to HIV/AIDS," said Judith Harris, assistant professor at the UNM School of Nursing."
The trip is sponsored by Project Helping Hands, a non-profit organization that sends teams of volunteers to provide medical care and health education for people in nine developing nations. Teams support clinics and other health facilities in Kenya, Uganda, Liberia, Sudan, Bolivia, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and the Philippines.
"While Kenya has a comprehensive social insurance plan, it covers less than half of the working population. Diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, dysentery, and tuberculosis are very common," Project Helping Hands said in a country profile.
Clinical Experience
Project Helping Hands has been sending teams to Oyugis for several years,and students from UNM health sciences programs have been among those who helped at the clinic for the two-week period. "I went to Kenya for the first time in 2010 and thought it would be a wonderful opportunity for students to have a clinical experience there," Harris said in an interview for the UNM Health Sciences newsletter. "It's important for students to see what other countries have available in terms of health care systems and the clinical experience they gain is vital."
Each day, the clinic assists 300 to 400 patients of all ages. "I was shocked with how many people we saw at the clinic, but the children stood out the most for me," said Antoinette Russell, who participated in an earlier delegation. "So many of them were without parents or any adults. They would walk with us to and from the clinic. Then, all of a sudden, they would say ‘goodbye’ and take off running somewhere else." Read more in "Take My Hand"
Bake sale in front of UNM Student Union Building, May 13 |
The cost of the trip per student is $3,700, which means that participants have to particpate in fundrasing activities over the next few weeks and months. "We are currently having bake sales, raffle sales, and other fundraising activities to cover the cost of the worthwhile endeavor," said Harris.
If you would like to help provide financial assistance for the students, please drop a note to Judith Harris, JMHarris@salud.unm.edu
There is an option on the Project Helping Hands site to donate on behalf of a particular student. Harris will provide you with a list of the eight students. (Two students have set up Web sites to raise funds Yeshemabet Turner and Matt Grindstaff)
The expenses related to the trip are not the only contribution required of team members. They are also expected to gather and bring a minimum of 50 pounds of medicines/medical supplies (or take the "supply buy out option").
Spending time at the clinic is going to take a lot of hard work and dedication, but participants will also have an opportunity to broaden their cultural horizons. The trip includes a visit to the Masai Mara Wildlife Reserve.
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
#FastFoodGlobal
Low Pay is Not OK is the slogan the fast food workers’ movement is using as it goes global (tomorrow) May 15. Fast food workers in the U.S. and on every continent where McDonald’s operates will be standing up for $15 an hour and the right to form a union without intimidation.
On Twitter, the campaign is known by the hash tag #FastFoodGlobal
The workers say that profitable fast food companies can afford to give workers a decent wage and respect their right to form a union.
In the United States salaries at McDonald’s range from $6 to $12 an hour with the average of $9 an hour. The exception is for a certified swing manager who can earn $13 an hour.
Sign a petition
While tomorrow's action centers on McDonald's, it's useful to remember that the top eight fast food chains – McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Papa John’s – together made $7.35 billion in profit last year, yet they continue to pay poverty wages.
While we're on the subject of minimum wage, Interfaith Worker Justice has a handy link for you to urge your representative in Congress and your two senators to support an increase in the minimum wage.
On Twitter, the campaign is known by the hash tag #FastFoodGlobal
The workers say that profitable fast food companies can afford to give workers a decent wage and respect their right to form a union.
In the United States salaries at McDonald’s range from $6 to $12 an hour with the average of $9 an hour. The exception is for a certified swing manager who can earn $13 an hour.
Sign a petition
While tomorrow's action centers on McDonald's, it's useful to remember that the top eight fast food chains – McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Papa John’s – together made $7.35 billion in profit last year, yet they continue to pay poverty wages.
While we're on the subject of minimum wage, Interfaith Worker Justice has a handy link for you to urge your representative in Congress and your two senators to support an increase in the minimum wage.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
A Campaign for 'Food Justice Certifed' Labeling in the U.S.
On May 10, the Agricultural Justice Project and Florida Organic Growers launched Hungry for Justice – Spotlight on the South! The documentary tells the story of a local Florida farm, The Family Garden, and its commitment to focus on social justice issues for its workers by seeking the Food Justice Certification (FJC) and market label.
FJC is the only third-party verification program to cover U.S. farmworkers and farmers, as well as other food system workers. Farmers and farm worker representatives participated in the development of the certification standards, the verification process, and in a consensus-style governance structure. FJC recognizes that improving conditions for farmworkers in the U.S. needs to include improving the terms farmers receive in selling goods.
Watch this video and click on this link to learn more.
FJC is the only third-party verification program to cover U.S. farmworkers and farmers, as well as other food system workers. Farmers and farm worker representatives participated in the development of the certification standards, the verification process, and in a consensus-style governance structure. FJC recognizes that improving conditions for farmworkers in the U.S. needs to include improving the terms farmers receive in selling goods.
Watch this video and click on this link to learn more.
Sunday, May 11, 2014
A Tribute to Mothers from CARE, Catholic Relief Services, Church World Service, Oxfam and Bread for the World
Oxfam: Ten Mothers Who Have Made a Difference
In honor of Mother’s Day, Oxfam offers 10 stories of moms from all over the world who are working with Oxfam to right the wrongs of poverty and injustice. Whether they’re transforming their countries, their communities, or their families, these powerful women are not only raising a new generation—they’re changing the future. Read the wonderful tributes to Josephine Alad-Ad in the Philippines, Laura Chavez in Guatemala, Dorothy Ngoma in Malawi, Harriet Nakabaale in Uganda, Virginia Ñuñonca in Peru, Elizabeth Missokia in Tanzania, Svay Mon in Cambodia, Emiliana Aligaesha in Tanzania, Delia Salminang in the Philippines, and Bertukan Girma in Ethiopia.
Church World Service: My 'Other' Mother in Eritrea
When I was 22 years old I moved to a small village in East Africa as a member of the Peace Corps. I rented a concrete block room which shared a courtyard with an elderly Eritrean woman whom I called "Adey" which is the T'grinia word for mother. As this Mother's Day approaches, I find myself thinking about this other mother of mine from so far and long ago. Despite the frailty of age, she offered care by feeding me dinner, companionship by teaching me how to brew traditional coffee and sharing it with me during the quiet weekends, hospitality by including me in village festivals and sanity by personally killing the rat that kept stealing my food at night. Mary Catherine Hinds, Church World Service
CARE: Our Strongest Protectors
Our mothers are our strongest protectors and most fervent supporters. For many of us, they're our first heroes. All over the world, our staff watches mothers in poverty move mountains to help their children survive and thrive. These mothers work long hours so they can feed their children, and come to us prepared to sacrifice everything for the sake of their families.&The mothers we work with – the mothers you're supporting by being a part of CARE – work hard to escape poverty. Their struggle is incredibly strenuous, and often heart-wrenching. - Sign virtual Mother's Day Card from CARE
Catholic Relief Services: Mothers Put their Children First
I'm touched when I watch women laboring in the fields with their children strapped on their backs, bobbing along rows of planting, stopping every minute or so to pat a leg, caress a cheek, reposition a sleeping baby. I'm touched by the way that children are taken everywhere—to meetings, work, the kitchen, to fetch water. The children I see are allowed to be children, given playthings made of scraps of cloth or fashioned from mud, or purchased at the local market with a bit of extra pocket money. Sara A. Fajardo, Catholic Relief Services
Bread for the World: Uniting Mothers Separated from their Children
Speaker John Boehner
Washington, DC
Dear Speaker Boehner:
This Mother’s Day, I write to you in support of all of the mothers separated from their children by America’s broken immigration system.
I encourage you to hold votes on immigration bills so Congress can pass significant immigration reform into law this year. Our current system fragments millions of families, tearing mothers and children apart for many years — sometimes for the rest of their lives.
Our country can do better, and we look to you to get us there. Please hold a vote to repair our broken immigration system, a repair that could reunite mothers and their children.
Thank you for your leadership in pushing this issue forward. Sign Petition here
Church World Service: My 'Other' Mother in Eritrea
When I was 22 years old I moved to a small village in East Africa as a member of the Peace Corps. I rented a concrete block room which shared a courtyard with an elderly Eritrean woman whom I called "Adey" which is the T'grinia word for mother. As this Mother's Day approaches, I find myself thinking about this other mother of mine from so far and long ago. Despite the frailty of age, she offered care by feeding me dinner, companionship by teaching me how to brew traditional coffee and sharing it with me during the quiet weekends, hospitality by including me in village festivals and sanity by personally killing the rat that kept stealing my food at night. Mary Catherine Hinds, Church World Service
CARE: Our Strongest Protectors
Our mothers are our strongest protectors and most fervent supporters. For many of us, they're our first heroes. All over the world, our staff watches mothers in poverty move mountains to help their children survive and thrive. These mothers work long hours so they can feed their children, and come to us prepared to sacrifice everything for the sake of their families.&The mothers we work with – the mothers you're supporting by being a part of CARE – work hard to escape poverty. Their struggle is incredibly strenuous, and often heart-wrenching. - Sign virtual Mother's Day Card from CARE
Catholic Relief Services: Mothers Put their Children First
I'm touched when I watch women laboring in the fields with their children strapped on their backs, bobbing along rows of planting, stopping every minute or so to pat a leg, caress a cheek, reposition a sleeping baby. I'm touched by the way that children are taken everywhere—to meetings, work, the kitchen, to fetch water. The children I see are allowed to be children, given playthings made of scraps of cloth or fashioned from mud, or purchased at the local market with a bit of extra pocket money. Sara A. Fajardo, Catholic Relief Services
Bread for the World: Uniting Mothers Separated from their Children
Speaker John Boehner
Washington, DC
Dear Speaker Boehner:
This Mother’s Day, I write to you in support of all of the mothers separated from their children by America’s broken immigration system.
I encourage you to hold votes on immigration bills so Congress can pass significant immigration reform into law this year. Our current system fragments millions of families, tearing mothers and children apart for many years — sometimes for the rest of their lives.
Our country can do better, and we look to you to get us there. Please hold a vote to repair our broken immigration system, a repair that could reunite mothers and their children.
Thank you for your leadership in pushing this issue forward. Sign Petition here
Saturday, May 10, 2014
What is the Role of Media in International Development?
This video is based on a new book entitled Media and Development (Zed Books) by Martin Scott
"There are now more mobiles in the world than toothbrushes. And by 2015, there will be more mobile accounts than people. But participatory communication does not always work. Who gets to speak for the community, and what happens if it leads to conflict?"
This fascinating video, based on Scott's book, was produced by David Girling, created by Sarah Menard, directed by Jason Toal and narrated by Diana González Botero. Girling writes and edits a blog entitled Social Development and Media, which examines the role of social and traditional media in highlighting global poverty, inequality and various aspects of the Millennium Development Goals.
Gist and Scott also teach a graduate-level course (and a forthcoming undergraduate degree) on Media and International Development at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England.
"There are now more mobiles in the world than toothbrushes. And by 2015, there will be more mobile accounts than people. But participatory communication does not always work. Who gets to speak for the community, and what happens if it leads to conflict?"
This fascinating video, based on Scott's book, was produced by David Girling, created by Sarah Menard, directed by Jason Toal and narrated by Diana González Botero. Girling writes and edits a blog entitled Social Development and Media, which examines the role of social and traditional media in highlighting global poverty, inequality and various aspects of the Millennium Development Goals.
Gist and Scott also teach a graduate-level course (and a forthcoming undergraduate degree) on Media and International Development at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England.
Thursday, May 08, 2014
Hunger and Poverty: It's No Joking Matter (But in this Case, it is!)
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How do you convince a world with an increasingly short attention span to stop and notice that global poverty exists? And how do you talk about the poverty-related issues without always framing them in tragedy? "My eyes start to glaze over whenever I see or hear news about the
“developing world.” Poverty statistics. Famine. Conflict. Injustice.
Rarely is another narrative presented about the issues facing 80% of the
world’s population who live on less than $10 per day," said Jennifer Lentfler, senior writer for Oxfam America. "It’s troubling. It’s overwhelming. Even as a seasoned international aid worker, I often don’t know where to start."
Life in the Toughest Places on Earth
So if you can't cry, the alternative is to laugh.
Oxfam America is a partner in Stand Up Planet, a documentary TV show, transmedia series and digital campaign, that frames global poverty in a different light: comedy. This new effort showcases life in some of the toughest places on Earth – in parts of India and South Africa – through the lens and experiences of stand-up comics
."So what if everyday people were given a chance to respond constructively to these perplexing global issues, rather than with despair or cynicism?" Lentler wrote in a piece entitled The Joke’s on All of Us: Global Comics on Global Poverty
A central figure in the show is Hasan Minhaj, a Los Angeles-based comic and filmmaker on a quest to find some of the best humor coming from corners of the developing world. "Starting from his own personal story – India-born kid to Hollywood comic – Hasan embarks on an epic journey of discovery to find some of the funniest stand-up comics in the most unlikely places: the bustling city of Mumbai, India, and the neighborhoods of Johannesburg, South Africa," said the Stand Up Planet Web site.
“To me, this really is the dream project," said executive director Caty Borum Chattoo. "My professional passion is working at the intersection of translating complex social issues into entertaining narratives, connecting with untold stories through documentary production. The world of ‘social impact media storytelling’ is evolving in such exciting ways.” Read more from Borum Chatoo in Stand Up Planet Leverages Laughs for Change
Stand Up Planet is available on Link TV (DirecTV 375 and DISH Network 9410) and KCET in Southern California
A couple of Tweets from The Onion
While we're no the topic of hunger and poverty, one of the greatest sources of satire is the newspaper The Onion. As columnist and author, Carl Hiaasen points out, "good satire comes from anger. It comes from a sense of injustice, that there are wrongs in the world that need to be fixed." Here are a couple of Tweets from The Onion about the issue of hunger in America.
To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it! -Charlie Chaplin
Turning the world's biggest problems into punchlines. How global comics are fighting #poverty: http://t.co/MySakLoLvg @standupplanettv
— Oxfam America (@OxfamAmerica) May 6, 2014
The Stand Up Planet team |
So if you can't cry, the alternative is to laugh.
Oxfam America is a partner in Stand Up Planet, a documentary TV show, transmedia series and digital campaign, that frames global poverty in a different light: comedy. This new effort showcases life in some of the toughest places on Earth – in parts of India and South Africa – through the lens and experiences of stand-up comics
."So what if everyday people were given a chance to respond constructively to these perplexing global issues, rather than with despair or cynicism?" Lentler wrote in a piece entitled The Joke’s on All of Us: Global Comics on Global Poverty
A central figure in the show is Hasan Minhaj, a Los Angeles-based comic and filmmaker on a quest to find some of the best humor coming from corners of the developing world. "Starting from his own personal story – India-born kid to Hollywood comic – Hasan embarks on an epic journey of discovery to find some of the funniest stand-up comics in the most unlikely places: the bustling city of Mumbai, India, and the neighborhoods of Johannesburg, South Africa," said the Stand Up Planet Web site.
“To me, this really is the dream project," said executive director Caty Borum Chattoo. "My professional passion is working at the intersection of translating complex social issues into entertaining narratives, connecting with untold stories through documentary production. The world of ‘social impact media storytelling’ is evolving in such exciting ways.” Read more from Borum Chatoo in Stand Up Planet Leverages Laughs for Change
Stand Up Planet is available on Link TV (DirecTV 375 and DISH Network 9410) and KCET in Southern California
A couple of Tweets from The Onion
While we're no the topic of hunger and poverty, one of the greatest sources of satire is the newspaper The Onion. As columnist and author, Carl Hiaasen points out, "good satire comes from anger. It comes from a sense of injustice, that there are wrongs in the world that need to be fixed." Here are a couple of Tweets from The Onion about the issue of hunger in America.
"Maybe his dad is famous." http://t.co/Z2WA7RC1d7 pic.twitter.com/PyEnsIk1WP
— The Onion (@TheOnion) May 6, 2014
Income Inequality Emerges As Key Topic To Avoid In 2014 Elections http://t.co/U8OVk2dT3b
— The Onion (@TheOnion) May 6, 2014
Tuesday, May 06, 2014
Your Friendly Mail Carrier is Sure You Will Participate in Spring Food Drive This Saturday
From NALC Food Drive Web site |
But the National Association of Letter Carriers is confident that this spring drive will draw strong participation.Imagine, if you will, the controlled chaos currently underway at more than 1,500 branches all across the United States, as food drive coordinators, family members and volunteers race to get everything in place for the nation’s largest one-day food collection effort on Saturday, May 10.
So help this prediction come true. Please don't forget to leave a bag of non-perishable food items by your mail box or take it directly to the nearest post office. The food you donate will go to your local food bank. (That means Roadrunner Food Bank in Albuquerque and Las Cruces, the Food Depot in Santa Fe, and other regional food banks around the state).
And if this appeal is not enough to convince you, check out the NALC's public service announcements in English and Spanish.
Monday, May 05, 2014
Lutheran Advocacy Ministry-New Mexico Honors Ivan Westergaard
Photo Lutheran Advocacy Ministry |
LAM presented its first-ever Chris & John Haaland Advocacy Award at the 2014 Bishop's Legislative Luncheon in Santa Fe in February.
Ivan Westergaard, a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church , received the honor for his advocacy on social-justice issues. His involvement with LAM goes back to the days when the organization was called the Lutheran Office of Governmental Ministry (LOGM). Ivan has also been very active in the Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, Albuquerque Interfaith and other organizations, including Bread for theWorld.
It is very fitting that Ivan received an award named after the Haalands, who were also active Bread for the World supporters in Albuquerque. Members of the Westergaard and Haaland families were on hand for the awards ceremony.
Sunday, May 04, 2014
Joan Chittister: Immersion in the God Who Created the World for Us
The mystics of every major religious tradition remind us of that always:
“ Buddha is omnipresent, in all places, in all beings, in all things, in all lands,” the Buddhist master says.
“Where can I go to flee from your presence?” the Jewish psalmist prays.
“Withersoever you turn, there is the Face of God,” Islam teaches.
And Christianity reminds us always, “Ever since the creation of the world, God’s invisible nature has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made.”
Read full reflection in From Contemplation to Justice
(30 Minutes Chicago Sunday Evening Club)
Saturday, May 03, 2014
More Children in Albuquerque, Other Cities Have Access to Summer Meals (But What About Rural Children?)
While New Mexico ranks at the very bottom on Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap index for child hunger, our state has received good marks for setting up sites for students who are out of school to find meals during the summer. The school year will be over in just a few weeks, and it's time to revisit the issue of summer meals for kids.
On May 1, Gov. Susana Martinez announced the 2014 Summer Foods Program, an effort that is conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).This year's SFSP program in New Mexico will run from June 1 to August 1.
Martinez boasted of her efforts to expand feeding sites since taking office in 2011. Under her administration, she said, the state has added 29 new summer-meal sites. “We have continued to expand this important program statewide, so that more New Mexico children have access to the high - quality and nutritious meals they need and deserve, even while school is not in session," said Gov. Martinez.
A press release issued by the governor's office acknowledged that nearly half those new sites are located in Bernalillo County, which means the Albuquerque area. Other than to mention the overall increase and the higher number of sites in Bernalillo County since 2011 (plus seven new ones overall this year), there was little information about the rest of the state.
So, if children in Albuquerque have good access to summer meals, what about children in other parts of the state? The answer can be found in the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Web site, which includes a very useful tool to search summer feeding sites. A quick search of the four options (by county, zip code, city, region) would suggest that it's much easier finding summer meal site in highly populated sectors of the state, including the Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Taos and Gallup. A search by zip codes also indicated that a large number of the feeding sites are located along the Rio Grande corridor.
The search also provided a major deficiency in New Mexico. I discovered that there was not a single county in southwestern region of the state! Other than Silver City, this is a generally rural area. And there was no summer feeding site listed for Silver City! I also tried the search by zip code. There were not sites in 88036--which includes Silver City and Fort Bayard. And feeding sites were also lacking in zip codes 88030 (Deming) and 88045 (Lordsburg). Some locations like Santa Rosa in Guadalupe County were lucky to have one feeding site. And to be fair, there were multiple feeding sites in Rio Arriba and McKinley Counties, which also include some very poor rural areas.
The program keeps children from going hungry in areas that are served. In 2013, SFSP served 91,000 more breakfasts than in 2010, and 23,000 more lunches. For 2014, statewide sponsoring organizations are expecting to serve more than 2.1 million meals across New Mexico.
While we applaud Gov. Martinez's willingness to work with USDA's SFPS program to ensure that children in our state have access to summer meals, there needs to be more attention to expanding the program to underserved areas. After all, one of the reasons for the very high rate of child hunger in our state is rural poverty.
(By the way, the SFPS provides a list of agencies in other states that provide summer meals for children. And here is link to a great article that Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, wrote about the program).
On May 1, Gov. Susana Martinez announced the 2014 Summer Foods Program, an effort that is conducted in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)'s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).This year's SFSP program in New Mexico will run from June 1 to August 1.
Martinez boasted of her efforts to expand feeding sites since taking office in 2011. Under her administration, she said, the state has added 29 new summer-meal sites. “We have continued to expand this important program statewide, so that more New Mexico children have access to the high - quality and nutritious meals they need and deserve, even while school is not in session," said Gov. Martinez.
A press release issued by the governor's office acknowledged that nearly half those new sites are located in Bernalillo County, which means the Albuquerque area. Other than to mention the overall increase and the higher number of sites in Bernalillo County since 2011 (plus seven new ones overall this year), there was little information about the rest of the state.
So, if children in Albuquerque have good access to summer meals, what about children in other parts of the state? The answer can be found in the New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) Web site, which includes a very useful tool to search summer feeding sites. A quick search of the four options (by county, zip code, city, region) would suggest that it's much easier finding summer meal site in highly populated sectors of the state, including the Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Las Vegas, Taos and Gallup. A search by zip codes also indicated that a large number of the feeding sites are located along the Rio Grande corridor.
The search also provided a major deficiency in New Mexico. I discovered that there was not a single county in southwestern region of the state! Other than Silver City, this is a generally rural area. And there was no summer feeding site listed for Silver City! I also tried the search by zip code. There were not sites in 88036--which includes Silver City and Fort Bayard. And feeding sites were also lacking in zip codes 88030 (Deming) and 88045 (Lordsburg). Some locations like Santa Rosa in Guadalupe County were lucky to have one feeding site. And to be fair, there were multiple feeding sites in Rio Arriba and McKinley Counties, which also include some very poor rural areas.
The program keeps children from going hungry in areas that are served. In 2013, SFSP served 91,000 more breakfasts than in 2010, and 23,000 more lunches. For 2014, statewide sponsoring organizations are expecting to serve more than 2.1 million meals across New Mexico.
While we applaud Gov. Martinez's willingness to work with USDA's SFPS program to ensure that children in our state have access to summer meals, there needs to be more attention to expanding the program to underserved areas. After all, one of the reasons for the very high rate of child hunger in our state is rural poverty.
(By the way, the SFPS provides a list of agencies in other states that provide summer meals for children. And here is link to a great article that Kevin Concannon, USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, wrote about the program).
Friday, May 02, 2014
Can't Wait for the World Cup? Here's Something You Can Do in the Meantime
Photo from UNICEF |
But let's step back for a second. The World Cup is still 42 days away. Until then, there are other things to ease your aching soccer heart. One action, from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), helps you celebrate Mother's Day and at the same time celebrate your soccer fix.
Looking for a unique gift for mom for Mother's Day? A soccer ball purchased in her honor through our Inspired Gifts program will keep kids healthy and happy.
In the chaos of refugee camps where families have lost everything, play brings relief, healing and laughter. Recreation offers immediate and lasting psychological, physical and social benefits to a child coping with crisis.
The beloved soccer ball is an instant symbol of friendship and play. In refugee camps, children often play barefoot on any open stretch of dirt they can find. Give children in need some much-needed fun. This gift provides 6 quality leather soccer balls so kids can be kids. Click on this link to donate six quality leather soccer balls so kids can be kids.
Thursday, May 01, 2014
U.S. Senate Misses a Chance to Make Strong Statement on Eve of International Labor Day
While Labor Day has become a symbol for the end of summer in the United States (and only partly a celebration of workers), the global community recognizes workers today. on International Workers Day, also known as May Day. To be fair, some commemorations have been organized in some U.S. cities today, including Seattle and Washington, D.C.
On this day, we remember that just yesterday the U.S. Senate missed a great opportunity to make a May Day statement, when a bill to raise the federal minimum wage fell short. Even though more senators supported the measure than those who opposed the initiative, the 54-42 vote; the initiative was short of the 60 votes were needed to move forward with the legislation, (Anti-hunger advocates in New Mexico thanks Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich for casting a Yea vote).
But we are in the midst of the Easter Season and we are a people of hope. We recognize that the bill will likely come up again for a vote. So we continue to urge anti-hunger advocates to contact our members of Congress and urge them to pass the bill.
(Read more about yesterday's Senate vote on minimum wage in the Bread blog).
“The most important antipoverty policy is maintaining high rates of employment,” writes Todd Post, senior editor of Bread for the World Institute’s annual Hunger Report, in the briefing paper, Ending Hunger in America. “In addition, low-wage jobs have to pay enough so that no full-time worker is living in poverty with his/her family.”
On this day, we remember that just yesterday the U.S. Senate missed a great opportunity to make a May Day statement, when a bill to raise the federal minimum wage fell short. Even though more senators supported the measure than those who opposed the initiative, the 54-42 vote; the initiative was short of the 60 votes were needed to move forward with the legislation, (Anti-hunger advocates in New Mexico thanks Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich for casting a Yea vote).
But we are in the midst of the Easter Season and we are a people of hope. We recognize that the bill will likely come up again for a vote. So we continue to urge anti-hunger advocates to contact our members of Congress and urge them to pass the bill.
(Read more about yesterday's Senate vote on minimum wage in the Bread blog).
“The most important antipoverty policy is maintaining high rates of employment,” writes Todd Post, senior editor of Bread for the World Institute’s annual Hunger Report, in the briefing paper, Ending Hunger in America. “In addition, low-wage jobs have to pay enough so that no full-time worker is living in poverty with his/her family.”
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