Hunger Fast- Budget cuts can be a hardship for the poor!

Ambassador Tony Hall

Monday I had the opportunity to take part in a Washington DC prayer vigil that marked the start of a 7 day fast by world hunger leaders. The #hungerfast was idea of the Ambassador Tony Hall who writes about  Why I'm Fasting. 

The fast is a way of protesting and bringing light to the US budget cuts that are disproportionately affecting those suffering from poverty and hunger. This is a crucial time as congress debates the shortfall and budget balancing. It is important to contact your member of congress to urge them to not balance the budget on the backs of the poor.

BFW Pres David Beckmann

Hall was joined by Sojourners President Jim Wallis, Ritu Sharma, president and co-founder of Women Thrive Worldwide, and Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann.  Beckmann feels strongly saying "We hope our fast will help draw public attention to threatened cuts to programs that help hungry and poor people,”

Joining the fast are several other hunger leaders, students and even members of the media.  Take a minute to read why AJWS President Ruth Messinger   is fasting or New York Times food critic Mark Bittman is fasting. 

This is an important time. Please consider following those who are fasting on facebook, twitter and more importantly share their stories and the stories of the poor with others. We need your help to urge congress to seek justice for the poor.  

Twitter: @tony_p_hall @davidbeckmann, @jimwallis @ruth_messinger @bittman @journeyscript and more!

HR 2139 has 100!

Bread for the World President David Beckman just sent this email message of good news:

Hallelujah! As of today, we have just reached 100 cosponsors for H.R. 2139, the Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009! Thank you. This would not have happened without your phone calls, visits, personal letters, and emails.

Reform of U.S. foreign aid is getting the momentum and traction it needs!

If you would like to see if your Representative is co-sponsoring this bill, please go here and click on SHOW COSPONSORS
You will find a complete list of current co-sponsors. To date, our regions only cosponsor is Rep. Diana DeGette [D-CO1]. Please continue to contact your representative and urge them to co-sponsor.

Also- during the fall recess, Bread for the World is encouraging home state visits to both your representative's office and senator. Please check back to this blog for further information as these meetings are set up. Or- contact me directly!

Letters make a difference!

Many thanks to folks who wrote letters advocating for Foreign Assistance reform! Our Colorado delegation was able to meet with Congressman Pollis and Congresswoman Markey. We had good meetings with aides for Bennett, Perlmutter and Udall. We even stopped by DeGette's office. Thanks to your letters we were able to make a huge impact!

Because folks like you took the time to write, we were able emphasize to our members of congress the importance of this bill.

At the time of this posting, there are 60 Co-Sponsors of HR 2139 including Colorado Representative Diana DeGette For a complete list of cosponsors, click here.

15 minutes of fame!

Bread for the World has a great monthly podcast that contains great articles and interviews that explain and support advocacy work. While we were in Washington I had the opportunity to meet Monica Mills and thank her for her Legislative Updates. I would encourage you to listen to these fine pieces because they really help explain not only the bills we are working on, but also the other pieces we need to know to be more effective in our efforts.

As I was listening to this months Breadcast I heard Monica mention my name! I'm famous now! The best part of that, is that there were over 300 folks just like me in Washington DC lobbying leading to great success. Thanks to all of you who raised your voices on behalf of those who are hungry.

Subscribe to the podcast in iTunes and listen every month!

Offering of Letters

* just posted this to my local church Newsletter

Every spring members of our congregation faithfully write personal letters to their representatives in Congress urging our leaders to find ways to help hungry people and those suffering from poverty. It is truly an “offering” because we prayerfully offer them to God before sending them to Congress. This outpouring of concern sends a powerful message to our political leaders and helps us move closer to our goal of ending hunger.

On or before June 7^th we are hoping that many of you will participate in this campaign by writing letters regarding Foreign Assistance reform. This issue is of great interest to our congregation because of the implications it can have for our brothers and sisters in Zambia. An example of how this foreign assistance is working is the Presidents Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. A big element of this program is the provision of antiretrovirals for people with the HIV virus. If it not for this program over 2 million people would not be alive today.

Please use the links below to educate yourself and write Congress to urge them to continue to reform and strengthen Foreign Assistance by:

• Making poverty reduction a primary goal of U.S. foreign assistance.
• Make foreign assistance more efficient and effective so that it will have a greater impact on poor and hungry people around the world.
• Have the institutional capacity and organizational structure that has the ability to implement the types of foreign assistance that is needed.

Letters need to be written on or by June 7^th where they will be offered from our congregation to congress. Phil and Alex Goerner will gather all available letters and hand deliver them our congress people when they visit them June 16^th.

More information and updates will be available in during the coffee hour from now until June 7^th. Recently the House has introduced a reform bill, H.R. 2139 and we are asking members (Rep Betsy Markey, Rep Jared Polis) to co-sponsor that bill.

Important links:

Foreign Assistance background info and principles:

http://www.offeringofletters.org/our-goals.html

Urgent message from Bread for the World President, David Beckman

http://www.offeringofletters.org/component/content/article/88.html

Great background information can be found on the podcast: Breadcast http://www.bread.org/get-involved/on-the-web/breadcast.html

Or- contact Phil Goerner (pgoerner@gmail.com). Thank you for your help!

Foreign Assistance Bill ACTION!

Now is the time to act with in support of foreign assistance reform. There is now a House Resolution submitted by Rep Howar Berman (D-CA-28) and Rep Mark Kirk (R-IL-10). On April 28th introduced H.R. 2139, the “Initiating Foreign Assistance Reform Act of 2009,” to direct the president to develop and implement a comprehensive national strategy to further the U.S. foreign policy objective of promoting global development, and for other purposes. For more information.

Your calls and letters are already making a difference. Now, we urgently need your help to win passage of this truly historic legislation:

• Call or write a letter to your representative in Congress and ask them to cosponsor H.R. 2139

David Beckman, President of Bread for the World urges us to write. He states "U.S. foreign assistance is helping save millions of lives, improving agricultural productivity and increasing school enrollment. But more lives can be saved and more can be done if we improve how we deliver foreign aid."

Please take action today!

Eco Palms by March 9th!

There is still time to order eco-friendly palms to have them in time for Palm Sunday! Offer your congregations the option of purchasing responsibly harvested eco-palm branches for Palm Sunday services. Take advantage of this opportunity to order palms because It is an easy, hands-on project that your church can do to make a big difference!

2009 Eco-Palm pricing with check by March 2, credit card by March 9th

• Small Case (180-200 Stems) $49.00 palms + $12 shipping per case (Approx. $.32/palm with shipping)
• Medium Case (270-300 Stems) $71.25 palms + $17 shipping per case (Approx. $.30/palm with shipping)
• Large Case (540-600 Stems) $138.00 palms + $22 shipping per case (Approx. $.27/palm with shipping)
• Bunches (18-20 Stems) $6.00/bunch + $10 shipping* (Approx. $.84/palm with shipping)

Here is the PCUSA site:
http://www.pcusa.org/palms/

call or write:
Email Josh Gamble at or call (612) 624-7418

Order online:
http://www.ecopalms.org/

For more information:
Why order Eco-Palms
http://www.pcusa.org/palms/why.htm
Eco Palms and your church
http://www.pcusa.org/palms/church.htm

PCUSA News service story...
http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2007/07024.h