Hunger at Home: Food for our Neighbors

This annual gathering will include discussion of both local and national food and hunger issues and tools for advocacy with our elected members of Congress.

There will be time for conversation with special guest from the office of Senator Bob Casey (invited).

Plenary Presentation: "Reforming U.S. Foreign Assistance" with Larry Hollar Larry Hollar is Senior Regional Organizer with Bread for the World. He is also an ordained Presbyterian elder, a professional Biblical storyteller, church musician and liturgist. Before coming to Bread for the World's staff in 1985, Mr. Hollar spent a dozen years in government legal positions in Washington, serving as staff counsel to the Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs of the U.S. House of Representatives, and as special assistant to the General Counsel and staff attorney with the U.S. Department of Transportation. From 1985 to 1991, Mr. Hollar was a policy analyst and later Director of Issues for Bread for the World, heading the organization's policy and Washington-based advocacy staff.

The 2011 Offering of Letters campaign will encourage both parties in Congress and the President to work together to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of U.S. foreign assistance. We will also continue to work for the funding needed to tackle hunger, health problems, and child malnutrition in poor countries.

See bread.ppjr.org/OL2011 for more details about the Offering of Letters. And, for additional background on the issues, view or download the BFW annual report: Hunger 2011: Our Common Interest: Ending Hunger and Malnutrition [203 pages,with study guide; also see our list of Other Resources.]

The April 9th workshop will offer materials, key information, and creative learning experiences to equip you to organize an Offering of Letters in your church, campus, or group.

The program will also include presentations on local food and hunger issues, and workshops on advocacy skills.

Workshop topics (in two breakout sessions) will include: Resources for Local Food Pantries The Face of Hunger in the Lehigh Valley Community Gardens in the Lehigh Valley Hunger Report 2011 - Our Common Interest: Ending Hunger and Malnutrition Congressional Dynamics in the 112th Congress Foreign Assistance - What Works and Why "How-To" workshop: Public Policy Advocacy 101 Offering of Letters Working with Media Letter-Writing Basics ...

Continental breakfast and lunch are included. (Suggested donation: $5, Students/Low Income: free)

Please pre-register by April 6: on-line or by phone: 610-433-6421.

Sponsored by Bread for the World and Lehigh County Conference of Churches (Justice and Advocacy Comm.), and Second Harvest. For further information, contact the LCCC office at 610-433-6421; or Bob Walden ja-bfw@ppjr.org.