46 posts categorized "Organizing"

Have you ever been hungry? I mean, really hungry? As in no-food-in-the-house-and-no-resources-for-getting-more hungry?

I haven’t. Oh, sure, there’ve been some months when expenses were bigger than income and I didn’t know how to pay some bills. But I’ve always had support -- financial and otherwise -- from my family when needed.

We all know that’s not the case for everyone. Right now:

• 48.8 million Americans are at risk of hunger.
• 15 percent of Americans -- including more than one-in-five children -- live in poverty.

Tragically, the House recently passed a budget that could make more Americans hungry.

This is unacceptable to me.

And this is why the church I serve, Woodridge United Methodist, recently sent 100 letters to Senator Mark Kirk and Senator Dick Durbin urging them create a circle of protection around domestic nutrition programs vital to hungry and poor Americans -- programs such as SNAP and WIC.

I signed Bread’s petition urging Congress not to cut SNAP for the same reason: Deliberately making more people hungry -- and making already hungry people even hungrier -- is unacceptable. It is unacceptable to me as a father, as a pastor, as a Christian, and as a human being, and I need my members of Congress to know that.

So Senator Durbin, Senator Kirk, and Representative Judy Biggert will see my name on Bread’s petition, and I hope your members of Congress will see your name as well. (Sign the petition here.)

To make up the gap created by those proposed cuts to SNAP churches and charities would need to do everything they’re currently doing to fight hunger ... and come up with an average of an additional $50,000 each year!

$50,000!? I know our church does not have that kind of spare change sitting around, and I know that our friends at the West Suburban Community Pantry have already seen demand for their services increase sharply -- from serving 750 families per month to 1200. The pantry does incredible work in our community, feeding more than 35,000 people last year, including more than 15,000 children. They are maxed out too.

I agree that budget deficits, especially at our current level, are unsustainable. But reducing our deficit by making hungry people hungrier is immoral.

The biblical witness is clear: As followers of God in the way of Jesus we are called to protect hungry and vulnerable people. We are called to speak with them. Signing this petition is a terrific, and, let’s be honest, easy way to do exactly that.

Photo caption: Rev. Dave Buerstetta dedicates letters written during an Offering of Letters on April 22, 2012, at Woodridge United Methodist Church in Woodridge, IL. 

Rev. Dave Buerstetta is Koinonia Pastor at Woodridge United Methodist Church, Woodridge, IL. Follow him on Twitter @davebuer. He also blogs occasionally at All That I Can’t Leave Unsaid.

+Learn more about budget proposals and Bread's online petition telling Congress that churches can’t be the only ones responsible for feeding hungry people, on Thursday, May 17.  Join Bread National Grassroots Conference Call and Webinar and hear more from Rev. Dave Buerstetta, the organizing staff, and one of our government relations policy analysts. Follow the webinar on Twitter with the hashtag #breadweb.

[This article was originally posted on The Huffington Post.]

When I open my Bible, it isn't hard to find a verse that underscores our responsibility as Christians to care for the least among us. Proverbs 19:17 tells us, "Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed." Unfortunately, some members of Congress don't buy into this notion. They believe instead that taking care of the most vulnerable people in our society is for the church to do alone.

Recently the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget resolution for fiscal year 2013 that places a heavy burden on poor Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) to feed their families. The House recommended cutting more than $169 billion from SNAP. Some representatives even argued that feeding hungry people is really the work of churches, not government.

But churches can't be solely responsible for feeding poor women, children, seniors and disabled people. We also need strong government programs. In fact, all of the food churches and charities provide to hungry and poor people in the United States amounts to only about 6 percent of what the federal government spends on programs such as SNAP and school meals for students.

The Hartford Institute for Religion and Research estimates there are 335,000 religious congregations in the United States. If the House's proposals to cut SNAP by $133.5 billion and $36 billion are enacted, each congregation will have to spend about $50,000 more annually to feed those who would see a reduction or loss of benefits. Some congressional leaders are essentially saying that every church in America -- big or tiny -- needs to come up with an extra $50,000 to feed people every year for the next 10 years to make up for these cuts.

In response, Bread for the World asked people to tell members of Congress that churches can't be solely responsible for feeding hungry people. Thousands from around the country answered our call, telling us they just can't afford to do more than they're currently doing. Here are a few of their comments:

"As a small church in the middle of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, we are inundated with needs all around us. The proposed cost is more than we pay our full-time minister for compensation, the only full-time staff we have. We contribute to multiple charities that distribute food to those who are in need in order to ensure the best stewardship of our resources. And, yet, we are still not able to meet all of the needs. These cuts will overwhelm us." --Sarah from Arlington, Texas

"Feeding the hungry is not a choice -- it is a moral imperative. But the food pantries and soup kitchens in this area funded by the generosity of church members already are serving those in need at capacity and beyond in these tough economic times. We are doing our part. We expect that our government will do the same." --Alexandra from Troy, N.Y.

"Addressing the needs of the hungry and poor is something that requires BOTH local congregation action and ALSO local and national government support. I urge our legislators at all levels to maintain strong support of government programs that help the poor and needy." --Brian from Fond Du Lac, Wis.

"Already we get innumerable calls for emergency assistance. We have no idea how these families are sufficiently getting the necessary nutrients for their children and family. To increase the number of people would be overwhelming and those churches who try to help with their shrinking congregations might totally give up." -Tempe of Jamestown, N.C.

"We fed over 32,000 people last year and we are tapped! We can barely pay our own bills, and if we are pushed any further we won't be able to keep our doors open, thus NOT being able to feed the ones we already are!! PLEASE DON'T cut any feeding programs." -Kirk of Sparks, Nev.

It's time for members of Congress to tell people -- like Brian from Wisconsin, Alexandra from New York, Tempe from North Carolina and Sarah from Texas -- that they're going to do their part and support legislation that creates a circle of protection around programs that are vital to hungry and poor people.

David Beckmann is president of Bread for the World.

Photo caption: Senior Pastor Judith VanOsdol leads the noon church service at El Milagro (The Miracle) Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. The parish, which is Spanish-English bilingual, is made up of many members who depend on WIC and SNAP to feed their families. VanOsdol spent 17 years as a missionary pastor in South America. Photograph by Laura Elizabeth Pohl

On Lobby Day on June 14, 2011 during Bread for the World's National Gathering, Lobby Day participants Cecilia Wangeci (in white sweater) and Kimberly Burge (in black sweater) met with Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02). They urged him to provide a circle of protection around programs that affected low-income people in the U.S. and overseas during talks about budget cuts. Photo by Jim Stipe.

Recent studies show that personal visits to members of Congress are the most effective way of influencing their decisions. Well, we need your help.

The dramatic cuts of $169 billion to SNAP proposed this year in the U.S. House of Representatives would have a devastating impact on all of our congregations’ efforts to address increasing need.

Every church across America would need to come up with, on average, an extra $50,000 dedicated to feeding people — every year for the next 10 years — to make up for these cuts.

Don't get us wrong. We firmly believe in reducing the deficit and balancing the budget. But we also believe it should not be done on the backs of those who can least afford it. Congress must protect and strengthen programs in our federal budget that help hungry and poor people at home and around the world.

Can we count on you to personally discuss this with your member of Congress during Bread for the World's Lobby Day on June 12? 

Register here for Lobby Day.

Help us convince Congress to protect funding for programs needed by low-income people in the United States and for foreign assistance that is focused on reducing poverty.

David Beckmann is president of Bread for the World.

Photo by Flickr user silent shot

The dramatic cuts of $169 billion to SNAP proposed this year in the U.S. House would have a devastating impact on all of our congregations’ efforts to address increasing need. 

Every church across America would need to come up with, on average, an extra $50,000 dedicated to feeding people — every year for the next 10 years — to make up for these cuts.

Sign our petition now to say feeding hungry people is not the sole responsibility of churches.  Here’s what a few people who have already signed the petition shared with us:

• “My church is situated in a community of high need in Los Angeles County. Our church's Food Pantry already serves over 400 people per week out of a garage. We are already at the breaking point! The need is real and raw. We absolutely cannot do this without the help of our elected leaders!”
      — Daniel in Bellflower, CA

• “Our area churches are already collecting and handing out food in massive amounts simply to SUPPLEMENT those on SNAP and yet the shelves run empty time and time again. This is not a time for cutting programs that affect our most vulnerable, but a time to stand in solidarity with them.”
      — Katherine in Arlington, VA

• "2,000 folks per month pass through one of our ministries in Gary, IN, homeless and without food. This would be devastating both to them and to us. We are barely making it now.”
      — Bob in Donaldson, IN

We have to tell Congress — and tell them again and again — that they must create a circle of protection around programs that are vital to hungry and poor people. And then we must pray hard that they will listen to their conscience as upright, moral persons of faith.

Thank you for your voice!

Margaret M. Kimmins, OSF is a Catholic Sister working at Bread for the World, and president of the Franciscan Action Network.

+Tell Congress to protect funding for programs such as SNAP. Sign the petition today!

Bread for the World members in Albuquerque, NM, are extremely proud because one of our own, Ellen Buelow, was recognized by Catholic Charities USA as 2012 National Volunteer of the Year this week. 

She earned this award because of her dedication to improve the lives of refugees, a ministry that she began in 2007 as an ESL (English as a Second Language) tutor for Mexican immigrants for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, NM. 

She deepened her involvement with refugees through Catholic Charities' Refugee Resettlement and Support program.  In 2011, she help found the Conversation Partners program, which provides an additional, informal learning environment for refugees enrolled in ESL classes; participants are able to practice conversational English in small group settings.

"Ellen is an outstanding volunteer and a fine example of the difference that people can make in the lives of their neighbors," said Jim Gannon, CEO of Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. "Without volunteers like Ellen, we could not meet the needs of the thousands who call on us."

Buelow is extremely proud of how her work has made a profound difference in the lives of many refugees. "Being in direct service to refugees is what keeps me volunteering. I love teaching, and I love being around them. Hands on direct service within Catholic Charities  is an act of charity," she said.

But Buelow also  believes in the big picture, particularly on the connections between  direct service and legislative advocacy.  Her work with refugees has put her in close contact with some of the most vulnerable members of society.  Many of these refugees have fled violence, conflict and extreme poverty. 

This direct contact has given her a unique perspective on the value of the federal foreign-assistance programs, which are facing severe funding cuts in Congress. "Through direct hands-on experience, I can share why we need to stop these cuts," said Buelow, who has been one of the principal organizers of the Offering of Letters at Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary Parish.  The letter-writing weekends, she said, help parishioners understand how they can make a difference in addressing domestic and global poverty.  "Advocacy through Bread for the World reaches out to a  broader group of parishioners," she said.  

This year, Buelow and the social justice committee at her parish recruited the JustFaith class to help staff the letter-writing tables.

But her passion goes beyond pen and paper.  At a local meeting at a grocery store, she has urged Rep. Martin Heinrich to support foreign aid reform, and she has attended local meetings with the staffs of Rep. Heinrich, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, and Sen. Tom Udall. 

Additionally, she was part of a group of local Bread members who met with five people who had declared their candidacy for the soon-to-be-open seat in the First Congressional District.  

At a meeting with one of the candidates, State Sen. Eric Griego, she stressed the importance of protecting tax credits for the poor. "When we worked for the Earned Income Tax Credit, that really impacted a lot of families at Holy Rosary (Catholic Parish)," she said in a meeting with state Sen. Eric Griego, a candidate for the open seat in the First Congressional District. 

Ellen is also very humble about receiving the Catholic Charities award. She was very impressed by the other four finalists, all of which would have been worthy of recognition for their work.  "God has his reasons, so I have to believe there's a reason for this award. As we say in Bread for the World, "Be a voice for those who have no voice!"

Photo caption: Ellen Buelow (right) speaks with Adolphe Pierre-Louis (left), a native of Haiti who was a speaker at a New Mexico Offering of Letters workshop in 2011.

 Carlos Navarro is an activist with Bread for the World.

Hunger is a no-brainer. I’d be willing to bet that the majority of Americans believe no child should go to bed hungry. So then why is it the case that nearly one-in-four children go hungry in the United States?

I’m convinced that the reason so many members of Congress are currently proposing to cut programs like SNAP by more than $33 billion is because Americans and their Representatives don’t know enough about these life-saving programs. Instead, they’ve bought into the myths. We’ve all heard the myths: “SNAP is full of fraud," or, “Funding for foreign assistance contributed to our national deficit.” These false statements are spreading like wildfire at a time when Congress is desperate to find places to cut in the budget.  So, one really effective tool for expanding the circle of protection? Set people’s facts straight.

As activists it’s our job to dispel the myths and spread the truth about programs for poor and hungry people. As you engage your local churches, campuses, and communities on speaking up to protect these programs, one of the most effective approaches you can take is to spread awareness that these programs are doing a lot to end hunger.

Take the Tax Credit Mini Campaign, for example. These tax credits lift millions of people out of poverty each year. Yet some people hear “tax credits” and automatically think the worst.

Myth #1: “Tax credits have nothing to do with ending hunger.”

Ending hunger depends on increasing income for families who struggle to cover their household expenses. The tax system can help do just that. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is an efficient, proven, well-targeted way to add resources for low-income working families.

Myth #2: “Taxes are too partisan a topic to be talking about. Tax credit programs will just create more partisan division in Congress.” 

The EITC and CTC have a long history of bipartisan support. The EITC was enacted under President Ford and expanded under Presidents Reagan, Clinton, Bush, and Obama. Conservatives like the EITC and CTC because they provide a clear incentive for people to work. Liberals like it because it is less bureaucratic than other anti-poverty programs, and it restores some fairness to the tax code. In an era of heightened partisanship, these tax credits are something everyone can support.

Myth #3: “Low-income people don’t pay taxes”

I heard this one straight from Senator Scott Brown’s mouth back in 2010 while on a visit to his office to talk about hunger and poverty. First, all Americans pay taxes. While some individuals do not pay income taxes, they still pay plenty in federal payroll taxes, sales tax, and other federal, state, and local taxes. The one-fifth of taxpayers with the lowest incomes pay 12.4 percent of their income in state and local taxes, which is significantly more than the rate that the top 1 percent of taxpayers pay, which is 8.4 percent. The EITC and CTC help offset this burden for many low-income working families.

Myth #4: “Tax credits encourage dependency”

Only people who are working can receive the EITC and CTC. They encourage work because the more money you make, the larger the credit you receive based on marital status and number of children, up to a certain point. A majority of EITC filers receive the credit for only one or two years before moving into jobs with higher earnings. They end up paying back more in federal taxes than they received in benefits over their lifetimes. The EITC is the most effective anti-poverty program in the country, lifting more people out of poverty than any other program.

Myth #5: "Low-income people will just use their tax credit on frivolous purchases."

While it’s true that we can’t control how people spend their tax benefits, the reality is that low-income families run out of money before they’re able to address all of their needs. Research shows that about half of EITC benefits are used for long-term investments such as improving housing, transportation, or paying tuition. The other half is spent on purchases to meet immediate needs such as food, clothing, or catching up on rent and utilities. Bread for the World is looking to increase options for low-income families by increasing their resources.

With so much misinformation out there, it’s no wonder people are skeptical. But as hunger advocates, we know better than to believe these myths. As you and your organization participate in this year’s Offering of Letters, spreading the facts about these anti-hunger programs will be key to getting people engaged. Whether it’s tax credits, domestic nutrition programs, foreign assistance, or international food aid, these programs work. The sooner Americans know that, the sooner we can stop worrying about these programs being cut.

Jen Fraser is a Regional Organizer at Bread for the World.

+Learn more about our mini-campaign on tax credits for low-income families.

On April 16, 2012 the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops (USCCB) sent letters to the Agriculture Committee and the Ways and Means Committee of the House urging members to create a “circle of protection” around resources to fund programs for poor and hungry people. This statement mirrors  the Christian position that Bread for the World has been using for our own 2012 Offering of Letters campaign. Here is how they conclude their letter to these Congressional committees:

At a time of great competition for agricultural resources and budgetary constraints, the needs of those who are hungry, poor and vulnerable should come before assistance to those who are relatively well off and powerful. With other Christian leaders, we urge the committee to draw a” circle of protection’ around resources that serve those in greatest need and to put their needs first even though they do not have powerful advocates or great influence. The moral measure of the agriculture appropriations process is how it serves “the least of these.”

The USCCB has offered this letter as part of their Campaign on the Federal Budget, which addresses a number of issues and concerns including SNAP and the Child Tax Credit. They also emphasize how these recent letters echo a consistent message from the Bishops in declaring that the “federal budget must form ‘circle of protection’ around ‘the least of these’”

The US Catholic Bishops also articulate for us some core Christian principles for assessing the “moral measure” of the federal budget. In it they cite three theological benchmarks.

• Every budget decision should be assessed by whether it protects or threatens human life and dignity.
• A central moral measure of any budget proposal is how it affects “the least of these” (Matthew 25). The needs of those who are hungry and homeless, without work or in poverty should come first.
• Government and other institutions have a shared responsibility to promote the common good of all, especially ordinary workers and families who struggle to live in dignity in difficult economic times.

Hooray for the USCCB for bringing their prophetic voice to bear in this campaign of ours and on these specific issues!

John Gonzalez is northeast regional organizer for Bread for the World.

+Learn more about Bread's 2012 Offering of Letters campaign!

Miami Bread Team members (left to right): Catherine Hibbitt, Sara Kelly, Alyn Cruz Higgins, and Betty Rice present hand-written letters to the in-district office of Senator Marco Rubio. Source: Recorriendo America News. 

I recently had the chance to speak with Catherine Hibbitt -- a member of the Miami-Dade Bread for the World Team -- about the local anti-hunger movement blossoming in Miami, FL.

Bread Teams are groups of local activists working together to build grassroots support at the local level to urge our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. The Miami-Dade Bread Team is one of many new Bread Teams across the country. Catherine shared her thoughts on Bread Team involvement and described some of the unique qualities of the team in Miami.

Kelsey Lalman: Why did you choose to be involved in the Bread Team?

Catherine Hibbitt: I attended the National Gathering last year in DC. I thought, ‘Wow, this is where I belong as far as advocacy and lobbying are concerned.’ I was pleasantly shocked that something like this existed. When I came back [to Florida] I wanted to get involved and knew they were starting a Miami-Dade group. It was a way to get involved locally. It’s one thing to go to DC and lobby for a few days, but another to take action in your local community.

What are the goals of the Miami Bread Team?

To get as many people exposed to Bread for the World and effective hunger advocacy in the Miami-Dade county area. It’s not just saying, "Hey, you should know about hunger advocacy," but providing a way for citizens to be involved – to write letters and contact legislators. I see this as a very attainable goal.

What are the challenges of being a Bread Team?

Because Miami-Dade is a gigantic area it has been great to break up the work. Some people know people in “this area” and some know people “over here.” It really defines grassroots, but it hasn’t been easy to break up areas and have [cohesive] leadership.

What unique qualities do you see in the Miami team?

Hunger issues are reflected in the diversity and population in Miami. With the focus on foreign aid, it resonates here very well because there are people from many, many different countries. They’ve often benefitted from the aid. They have a very real connection with the idea of foreign assistance and realize that a lot of people, including their families, rely on these programs. It’s a very personal connection.

My conversation with Catherine revealed to me that Bread Teams are as unique as the people and places that create them. But what weaves the teams’ efforts together is that they are each committed to anti-hunger advocacy. Through outreach, Offering of Letters events, visits to local congressional offices (see the Miami-Dade Team at one of their own), and other team actions, Bread Teams are growing the movement to end hunger in a big way.

To learn more about starting or joining a Bread Team in your local community, contact your Regional Organizer.

Kelsey Lalman is an organizing intern at Bread for the World.

I attended the Compassion, Peace, and Justice Day last Friday, March 23, at New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC. It was sponsored by the Office of Public Witness, the advocacy office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) in Washington, DC. The purpose of the event was to bring together Presbyterians on the eve of Ecumenical Advocacy Days, which Bread for the World cosponsored, to explore issues of particular importance to Presbyterians. I attended a workshop on food security/food sovereignty and one introducing a paper called, “World of Hurt, Word of Life: Communion in the Work of Economic Reconstruction,” which is being presented to the 2012 General Assembly by the Advisory Committee on Social Witness Policy.

The paper explores the issues and causes of the global economic crisis and proposes a response by the church that is grounded in our theological tradition. There was one particular section of the presentation that struck me as I was sitting and listening. And this section noted values in our culture that exacerbate the crisis and offers responses, alternatives values that come from our Christian faith that we can lift up in our advocacy for the circle of protection. So I thought I’d share them here.

We are an ownership society.

                                We are a stewardship society!

We are a society of individuals.

                                We are a covenant community!

Inequality happens.

                                We value the common good!

Consumerism abounds.

                                Sustainability is responsible!

The market is infallible.

                                God is sovereign!

Government is fallible.

                                Government is a gift from God!

Nancy Neal is associate for deonomination women's organizational relations at Bread for the World.

To our great disappointment, the House budget was approved today in a 228-191 vote. The budget, originally proposed by Budget committee Chairman Paul Ryan, fails to form a circle of protection around programs for hungry and poor people, and actually dismantles protections previously in place. We are however extremely thankful for Bread members who made phone calls to House members, spread our action alert through their churches, friends and used social media to get the word out that Christians care about the hungry and poor both here and abroad.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that the cuts in the House budget are so severe that most of the government – aside from health care, Social Security, and defense – would cease to exist by 2050. Such harsh spending cuts to reduce our deficit are unacceptable. The House budget enacts trillions in additional tax cuts and fails to take a balanced approach to deficit reduction.

Most disturbing, these cuts would have a devastating impact on programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps), the Special Supplemental Assistance Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Child Tax Credit (CTC), poverty-focused foreign assistance, and international food aid. In fact, 62 percent of the cuts in this budget are to low-income programs.

But take heart: We will continue to raise awareness on the importance of programs that help poor and hungry people. Stay tuned to the Bread blog for continued updates on these campaigns. Email, call, or visit your members of Congress and ask them to stand up for hungry and poor people in the United States by protecting funding for domestic nutrition programs that alleviate hunger and help lift Americans out of poverty.

+Learn more about the 2012 Offering of Letters.

+Click here for more Offering of Letters resources.