Faith communities summoned to unite in hunger effort

"Mobilizing Faith Communities to End Hunger" is being sponsored by a broad coalition of state and regional faith organizations, including the New York State Catholic Conference.

"No matter how many food pantries there are, we're only attacking the symptom, not the cause," said Andreas Kriefall of the Hunger Action Network of New York State.

Religion's role

"I don't think there is any other group in New York State like church groups," he said. "They have a Scriptural mandate to speak for the poor."

Many faith traditions -- including Judaism, Christianity and Islam -- have this mandate to advocate for the less fortunate, he added, calling it "a responsibility to speak for justice."

Moses, he said, did not take up a collection for the enslaved; rather, he went to Pharaoh to advocate for their freedom. "Mainline denominations must speak up for the powerless," said Mr. Kriefall. "We must use public policy to voice this Scriptural imperative."

Getting together

Church groups, Mr. Kriefall said, have done much to help meet the needs of the poor. Currently, there are 2,800 emergency feeding programs in the state, many supported by religious groups. While they play an important role in meeting the immediate needs of the poor, they do not eliminate the causes of hunger and poverty, he explained.

"We need to complement these efforts with calls for justice," Mr. Kriefall said. "We have to move from charity to justice. If we don't add advocacy, the problem perpetuates."

Impact

Churches in the state, he said, have been supportive of poverty-reducing initiatives, but they have not always come together as a united voice. Speaking together will have an impact. "We need a broad-based church voice," he said.

Organizers of the workshop state that without the involvement of churches, the government will continue to ignore the hunger crisis. Organizers believe there are solutions to end hunger, but in order to implement them, a "loud, prophetic voice for justice" is needed.

Needs of poor

New York State, he continued, has a poverty rate of 16.7 percent, which is higher than the national rate of 12.7 percent. Many working families live in poverty or are forced to turn to emergency food programs for help. Others struggle from paycheck to paycheck, spending 70 percent of their income on housing.

The face of poverty is often a young one, he added, with more than 25 percent of the state's children living in poverty.

Place for religion

"The separation of church and state has been misconstrued," he explained. "It's about the state staying out of religion. Religious groups have always been involved. Churches are made up of voters."

Mr. Kriefall looks forward to the day when advocacy becomes a regular part of Sunday worship. "It should be a normal part of Sunday morning and part of our expression of faith to make a plea for just policies."

Mr. Kriefall expects approximately 100 participants at the workshop. He is hoping for representation from at least 20 Catholic parishes.

("Mobilizing Faith Communities to End Hunger" will be held on Jan. 29, 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m., at the First United Presbyterian Church, Troy. To register, contact the Hunger Action Network of New York State at 434-7371.)

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