April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
SERIES' CONCLUSION
Delmar parish sponsors anti-hunger effort
The Oct. 21 program, "Hunger Amidst Plenty," features a representative from the Hunger Action Network of New York State, a UAlbany biology professor and farmer, and a diocesan priest whose parish operates a busy soup kitchen and food pantry.
The speakers will lay out the striking statistics about Americans and New Yorkers who go without food, explain the causes of food insecurity and discuss solutions like sustainable agriculture and reform of the healthcare, tax and social service systems.
The goal is to raise awareness and inspire Catholics to act.
"Our faith calls us to feed the hungry, to be aware of those people who are in need, not to overlook them," said Marie Copeland, chair of St. Thomas' public policy committee.
Three-year effort
Each session in the parish's three-year "Food for Thought" series has been inspired by New Testament precepts like caring for creation and justice for immigrants. This program takes a page from Matthew 25:35: "I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me drink."
Those living in the suburbs of the Diocese "might not realize there are people directly in this area who are suffering," Mrs. Copeland said. "It's mostly the very young and seniors. Food pantries and soup kitchens have increased who they serve over the past several years, especially since the recession."
Nearly one in four American households with children now report inability to afford enough food. In New York, the demand for emergency food assistance has increased by more than 60 percent since 2007, and many soup kitchens have been forced to close when they couldn't keep up, according to Mark Dunlea, executive director of the Hunger Action Network.
He added that 53 percent of children in the city of Schenectady live in poverty.
Growing crisis
Moreover, when Mr. Dunlea's organization surveyed food pantries and soup kitchens in the state last year, it found that about 20 percent of clients are senior citizens. They only made up about four percent a quarter-century ago.
Mr. Dunlea's talk will explore the importance of a minimum wage increase, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps), food insecurity's effect on a child's education and the growing problem of income inequality.
The U.S. leads the world in the latter category, and New York State leads the country, with the top one percent of the population earning 35 percent of the income.
Mr. Dunlea will explain the congressional battle over the federal farm bill and argue that previous versions would have helped corporate agribusiness more than family farmers and promoted unhealthy food choices.
"An incredible number of people in this country at some time in their life are going to receive food stamps," Mr. Dunlea said. "Sacred scriptures all talk about helping the less fortunate."
The New Testament, he pointed out, directs farmers to leave some food in their fields for the hungry; the Old Testament encourages society to redistribute wealth every 50 years for a jubilee.
Get involved
Mr. Dunlea's organization encourages citizens to fight for property tax reform, a single-payer healthcare system and the right to food. Ways to get involved include justice and advocacy work through organizations like the Hunger Action Network, Bread for the World and the Faith and Hunger Network, as well as volunteering, donating money and growing extra food.
Mrs. Copeland added: "We need to put our best effort forward and come up with ways to solve the hunger crisis. Even though we're Delmar and we're supposed to be an affluent suburb, there are people who are going to food pantries because they can't make ends meet. We just wanted to continue the theme of what Jesus has presented to us."
The Sister Maureen Joyce Outreach Center, a mission of Blessed Sacrament parish in Albany, serves more than 250 households a month with its food pantry and more than 300 households a month at its soup kitchen.
St. Thomas' public policy committee advocates on the policy issues of the state's Catholic bishops and encourages parishioners to get involved with speaking up for vulnerable members of the society. The Pax Christi committee is part of Pax Christi USA, which advocates for Christian non-violence.[[In-content Ad]]
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