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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodists together |
February 2007 |
Feeding Indiana's hungry
Giving voice to the voiceless, hope to the hopeless
By David McCleary
The Society of St. Andrew, an Advance special of The United Methodist Church, runs a very simple business of feeding the hungry in Jesus name. It is an enormous task to bridge the gap between 37 million hungry Americans and 96 billion pounds of food wasted each year nationally. Through various means, including gleaning Indiana fields after farmers harvest, we can help feed Indiana's hungry.
There is a growing global chasm between the rich and the poor. While there are many complex and difficult problems faced by the poorest, most defenseless among us, we at the Society of St. Andrew are determined to help concentrate our efforts in one area, that of hunger.
It's a simple business, but we need many volunteers and farmers who will donate their fields for gleaning. We also need small and large financial donors that believe in our efforts. Through projects and programs of the Society of St. Andrew, our compassion will touch and improve the lives of people in Indiana and the United States.
The number of Indiana residents living in poverty increased 13 percent from 2004 to 2005.
"Poverty is the most important issue facing the State and Country today because it is the underlying reason for so many of the 'other' problems we must deal with, from health to education to crime," said Pattie O'Callaghan, president of the nonprofit Indiana Coalition for Human Services.
For the third straight year the North Indiana Conference was in the top 10 conferences for Meals for Millions donations. Hoosiers were in 8th place in 2004, 6th place in 2005 and 5th place in 2006. A special thanks to Gary Hostetler and his Kokomo District for raising $2,550. Thanks to everyone for your contributions.
Of the 332,340 pounds of produce given, 77,970 pounds were gleaned and 254,370 pounds were potatoes.
Please give SOSA your support as second mile giving. Just think what would happen if our more than 98,000 United Methodist members in North Indiana would give $1 each. Send checks to "Meals For Millions," The Society of St. Andrew, 3383 Sweet Hollow Road, Big Island, VA 24526-3054. This is a United Methodist Advanced Special #982225. Your local church, district and the North Indiana Conference will be credited for your gift.
An achievable goal would be a minimum of one gleaning per District this year. Each gleaning takes between four and eight hours one day a year. I can help you with finding fields to glean. Now is the time to be looking for farmers who could be approached to allow gleaning. Consider these sources:
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Farmers markets,
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County Extension agents,
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Farm service agents that are a part of USDA and
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State agriculture universities such as Purdue.
Make gleaning at the conference and/or district levels an enjoyable task this year. It's a good way to unite and promote our United Methodist Men's organizations by gleaning Indiana's fields to feeding Indiana's hungry.
To find out more about SOSA by logging on to their Web site, www.endhunger.org. For some info about Indiana, go to page 139. For more information, call 574-269-1143 or by e-mail at hranin@endhunger.org.
David McCleary serves as the North Indiana Conference Hunger Relief Advocate for the Society of St. Andrew.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008