What is the Hunger Network in Ohio?
The Hunger Network in Ohio is a faith-based organization dedicated to
eradicating hunger by changing conditions causing poverty. Largely through the
commitments of judicatory sponsors and caring Christians, this ministry combines
faith and action. Participants are given information on current hunger issues
and educational opportunities for on hunger policy development and ultimately
enabled to become public advocates for those who are hungry.
Prayers, Pennies, and Public Policies
Hunger Network in Ohio:
A Shared Ministry for Reducing Hunger
Recognizing the need for food as the most universal human priority and
privilege, the Hunger Network in Ohio is a ministry for reducing hunger. Whether
close by or around the world, the desperation of starving and malnourished
neighbors call especially people of faith to respond to the basic needs of those
Jesus called "the least of these." Beyond services to the destitute, the
commitment of the Hunger Network involves prayers, pennies, and public policies.
Prayers
To minister to the hungry is first of all to pray both to accept ourselves as
stewards of whatever we possess and those in need as equally deserving
recipients. Effective caring begins with caregivers who recognize the common
Source of this goodness and, not only "count," but spread their "blessings." As
Christians we understand stewardship as not giving away what is ours but
acknowledging what is meant for all.
Such prayers as foundations of reducing hunger are ideally reflected in Grace
before meals. Within gratitude, remembering those deprived of life's essentials
who symbolically join us at our table is an exercise in bringing perspective to
any sense of sacrifice on our part. Whether parents and children, a church
school class, or worshipping community, we thereby broaden the meaning of this
kind of "Grace" and envelop the human family into our own.
Pennies
Cultivating more than sympathy for imagined poor, a ministry for reducing hunger
involves self-giving. As an alternative to popular notions about forwarding our
children's uneaten meals for the less fortunate in China--or Toledo or Akron or
Lancaster --"2 cents-a-meal" offers a modest opportunity for everyone--including
children or families with limited means--o contribute to programs that make a
difference. All that is required is adding to prayers before meals a container
and reason for collecting pennies. With confidence of planters of mustard seeds,
we sow our most fundamental measure of material worth in hope of relieving the
world's most fundamental deficiency.
The willingness of families and congregations to glean and share their spare
change has largely funded the 25 year ministry of the Hunger Network. And under
a formula that provides designates half of everything given for use within
contributing churches and judicatories, "2 cents-a-meal" has generated many
local ministries as well.
Public Policies
The unique mission of the Hunger Network is not only to feed hunger people but
to change conditions causing hunger--in Ohio and around the world. Along with
providing prayers and pennies, interested persons are encouraged to attack the
reasons for poverty and public policies that inhibit self-sufficiency. Armed
with information and strengthened through a network of similarly committed
persons and groups, participants in this ministry are given tools to become
public advocates for those who are hungry.
A Call for Prayer, Pennies, and Commitment to Impact Public Policies
This booklet contains ideas for followers of Christ to implementing such hunger
ministries within their families, congregations, and judicatories.
The USDA reported in 2000 that 10.5 percent of all U.S. households, representing
20 million adults and 13 million children, were "food insecure" because of lack
of resources.
U.S. households with children experience food insecurity at more than double the
rate for households without children. During the period from November 2000 to
November 2001, requests for emergency food assistance in the U.S. increased by
an average of 23 percent.
Between 50 to 60 percent of all childhood deaths in the developing world are
caused either directly or indirectly by hunger and malnutrition.
Between 1998-2000, there were an estimated 840 million people worldwide that
were undernourished.
For assistance or more information, please contact
Hunger Network in Ohio
82 East 16th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43201
614.424-6203 (Phone)
614-262-7004 (Fax)
hunger_no@yahoo.com
Origin of Hunger Network in Ohio
The roots of the Hunger Network in Ohio extend into the late 1960's when
previously scattered advocates for social change began to discover each other
and organize themselves for greater effectiveness. Dreaming of one statewide
organization, they formed the Action Training Network (ATN) in 1969. A
prime-mover of that group, Presbyterian clergyman and social activist, Dr. Bob
Bonthius was able to obtain a substantial grant from the Bishop John Burt of the
Episcopal Diocese of Ohio to initiate the Community Action Training Services in
Northern Ohio (CATS).
With Bonthius serving as Director in the North, other community organizing
efforts were being spread throughout the State. By 1970 training centers had
emerged in Columbus and Cincinnati, getting contracts in the middle and southern
Ohio, in all employing up to 16 part-time trainers. On January 1, 1976 these
programs were merged into a singular and central ATN in the "All American City."
During the next several years, with combined support from the Episcopalian,
United Methodist, and Presbyterians, the ATN was able to secure their first
contract to work locally for economic justice on an international level. A
sub-committee on "Poverty and World Hunger" was created and chaired by David
Crean who represented the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio task force on
community issues. The Hunger Project, as it became known, took on the commitment
to address systemic causes of hunger on three fronts simultaneously--within
Ohio, the U.S., and the world.
In January 1978, a letter was written by ATN staff organizer, Fran Carter to
nearly 2000 persons from churches and community task forces across the State who
had been recruited by the ATN their efforts to develop "a mass organization of
people concerned to act on public policy issues of hunger." The response to this
first invitation launched the fledgling group. Using materials from National
IMPACT, an ecumenical witness on public policy in Washington, D.C. and the Ohio
IMPACT of the Ohio Council of Churches, the Episcopal, United Methodist, and
Presbyterian denominations engaged the ATN to assist them in managing what was
initially called the Hunger Network in Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky. By end of
that year, the Organization had evolved into the Ohio Hunger Network and became
officially recognized as a 501(c)3 organization electing "to make expenditures
to influence legislation."
Founders of the Hunger Network described "our vision of the network...is the
creation of a world community in which the right of all persons to a
nutritionally adequate diet is both recognized and affirmed by all the world's
peoples and their governments. The vision we share and the factors which
contribute to the present crisis call us to a strategy of change..." FROM
emphasis upon temporary, individualized human services as bandaid solutions TO
emphasis upon long-term, governmental policies which address causes; FROM
"Ethics of charity"--sharing some of our affluence with the less fortunate--TO
"Ethics of Justice"--redistributing power so all can produce adequate resources
(for themselves).
Locally, they imagined "several thousand churchmen and women in Ohio who are
dependably informed on state and federal issues that concern them in terms of
live and justice, and who choose to intervene with legislators, public
officials...and related public servants is a variety of ways that are timely and
effective."
"The Hunger Network would provide information, recruiting and training,
coordination of Network participants across the State for interventions,
including lobbying and public relations."
The products of such a Network would be many: "Chief among them would be changes
in the policies and practices of government at state and federal levels -
changes which would be in the interest of social justice...brought about in part
because active and informed church people acted out of Christian concern
supported by a Christian community in Ohio."
Over the past 25 years, this Organization became officially the Hunger Network
in Ohio under the sponsorship of the West Ohio Conference of the United
Methodist Church, Episcopal Diocese of Ohio, and Episcopal Diocese of Southern
Ohio. Just this year, two other judicatories have joined: the Northeast Ohio
Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in American and Eastminster Presbytery
of the Presbyterian Church, USA. Since 1978, the pattern of providing
information & communications, education & training, advocacy & lobbying has
continued to address the wide range of hunger-related issues within the State,
across the country, and around the world.
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