Bread for the World - 2009 Offering of Letters workshop

Hunger at Home: Food for our Neighbors

Saturday, March 21, 2009


Overview
Workshops
Speakers
Schedule


Bread for the World

Lehigh County Conference of Churches

Justice & Advocacy

Plenary Theme: Foreign Aid Reform*

Even in an economic crisis, people of faith are continuing to fight global poverty. Just by doing foreign aid better, we can do more for the poorest of the poor-people who survive on less than $1.25 a day. The world has changed dramatically in the last 50 years, but the way our country delivers aid to the world's poorest nations is still being driven by the 1961 Foreign Assistance Act. Our morning plenary will look at U.S. foreign assistance and how to make it more effective in reducing poverty.
Lunchtime Conversation:
with State Representative Jennifer L. Mann
on food and hunger issues in Pennsylvania

[Note that Pennsylvania has a new Legislative Hunger Caucus. The Hunger Caucus is a bipartisan, bicameral caucus in the Pennsylvania General Assembly “with the goal of decreasing the human and economic toll of hunger in the Commonwealth in a cooperative manner. The Caucus is intended to bring much-needed focus to the pressing issue of hunger and food insecurity in the state. Through organized collaboration among the General Assembly, government officials, and anti-hunger community partners, consensus on effective strategies to combat both the causes and the effects of hunger can be achieved.]


Breakout Sessions: Seminars and Workshops*

Also see schedule and speakers pages for more details about the breakout sessions.
  • "Food, Hunger, and Ethics" ­- Chris Nelson
    We will explore the place of food in religion and specifically in relation to ideas of faithful living in Christianity. Among the topics we will explore are food as nourishment, food as a medium of blessing, meaning and relationship, the biblical imperative to share bread with our neighbor and practical ways we can do that here in the Lehigh Valley.
    [11am only]

  • Second Harvest: Part of the Equation" -- Ann McManus
    Operating with a staff of 13 and many volunteers, Second Harvest Food Bank distributes about a half million pounds of food and other grocery products each month. Nearly 200 member agencies rely on the food bank to help them meet their participants' needs. However, as the current recession grows, even this massive food program is struggling to meet emergency food needs.
    [1pm only]

  • New Local Efforts to Deal with Critical Food IssuesSteven Hoog
    This session, which reflects the work of Alliance for Sustainable Communities, will look at causes (and myths) of hunger worldwide, especially in view of the current economic situation (peak oil, globalization versus local food production); and review some exciting things happening in the Lehigh Valley (Lehigh Valley Food Coop, E-House project, and community gardens).
    [11am and 1pm] The morning workshop will be primarily a lecture class; the afternoon session will include follow up discussion with several members of the Alliance for Sustainable Communities.

  • "How Development Happens"Larry Hollar
    We need practical tools to help people in our churches and campuses understand how grassroots development works in poor countries, and how U.S. development assistance impacts that process. This breakout introduces approaches you can use in your setting that are both fun and instructive to illustrate that development is not a linear process, but that well-targeted aid can make a difference. [11am]

  • Public Policy Advocacy -- Larry Hollar (and local organizers)
    This workshop will focus on tools for effective advocacy, such as letter-writing, phone calls, or visits with elected representatives; how to organize an "offering of letters" with your congregation; how to work with the media on food and hunger issues. Workshop topics will be tailored to interests of participants, and if appropriate, we will offer parallel sessions on the specific topics.
    For people who are already familiar with the basics, we'll present a workshop on
    "Making Your Offering of Letters Fabulous"
    It takes time and experience to craft an Offering of Letters event in your setting that really works well. If you're struggling to figure out how to do your first Offering of Letters or make your next Offering better, or if you have great ideas to share about what's worked for you, this breakout welcomes you!
    [1pm]

  • "How African Communities Can Feed Themselves"Greg Bowman
    Greg Bowman will have specific examples of how organic farming methods have improved the lives of people in Kenya, South Africa and Uganda. The main theme of his talk will be on working with communities at risk, adapting methods of farming to their environment, and creating sustainable practices that enrich the entire community. A subtheme of the talk will be the dependence Africa has developed on foreign food donations.
    [11am, repeated 1pm]

  • "America's Grow-A-Row: Growing, Gleaning, Giving" -- Chip Paillex
    America's Grow-A-Row program organizes volunteers for planting, picking, and delivering fresh produce to hungry people, via a unique model that: heightens awareness of socio-economic issues, highlights the importance of local farms, and inspires volunteers across many generations and skill sets. This workshop will explain how the program works.
    [11am only]


*The program and workshop offerings are subject to change. Please check this page again for updates.

Last Updated: 3/20/09
Created: February 19, 2009