A workshop hosted by the diocesan Office of Life and Justice Ministries will teach concerned Christians what good one voice, one pair of hands can do to solve the problem of hunger in the world.
“Hunger for Justice: Exploring hunger in our country and our world and long-term solutions” will be held Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Church of the Holy Family Aquin Center, 226 Hurffville Road, Sewell.
Speakers will include Father Kenneth Hallahan of the Camden Diocese, Cheri Andes of Bread for the World, and Jessica Morrell of Catholic Relief Services. Attendees will learn ways their voices can be heard during discussions on national and international hunger.
Andes, who serves as northeast regional organizer for the Washington-based Christian advocacy organization, plans to discuss domestic hunger and its causes and solutions. Earlier this year, Bread for the World embarked on a national campaign to build support for the reauthorization of domestic child nutrition programs and the expanded Child Tax Credit, assisted by the use of op-eds written by Bread for the World activists and published in local newspapers.
“Writing an op-ed, or opinion editorial, in a local daily newspaper about an issue you care about can be especially impactful,” Andes wrote in a recent article. “According to a survey by the Poynter Institute, 73 percent of Americans have faith in their local newspaper. So, while trust in the national media has eroded, the local dailies are still seen as a reliable source of information. You can make a difference in the world.”
Morrell’s role at CRS is that of community engagement manager, an indication her agency views the topic of hunger as an opportunity for a partnership. She plans to cover how “we are all in this together” and “advocacy is our biggest help.”
Hunger is a domestic and global issue, Morrell stressed, and CRS believes long-term education is the key to nutrition. Morrell will recall her visit to Rwanda to experience first-hand how SILCs, or savings and internal lending communities, can lift up impoverished areas one microloan at a time.
Morrell also will review current legislation on hunger, including the Global Child Thrive Act, passed into law in January 2021, which directs the U.S. administration over the next year to integrate early childhood development activities into current international programs supporting vulnerable children and their families from malnutrition and forced displacement. Attendees will also learn the impact of a bundle of legislation reviewed every five years and commonly known as the Farm Bill, which sets forestry, conservation, agriculture and nutrition legislation.
To register for the workshop, visit camdendiocese.org/hfj. Admission fee is a non-perishable food item to support the parish food bank. For more information, contact Ann Marie Ours at 856-583-2904 or annmarie.ours@camdendiocese.org.
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