"While each of us may not be poor, poverty affects all of us... the continued existence of injustice -of unnecessary and inexcusable poverty in this most favored of nations- this knowledge erodes our ideal of America, our basic sense of who and what we are. It is in the deepest sense of the word, demoralizing to all of us." -Robert Kennedy
MAIN IDEAS ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN:
-
IN THE 1980s, there were roughly 35 emergency food programs (food pantries and soup kitchens) in the five boroughs of New York City. Today, there are over 1,200 and more than one million low-income New Yorkers are forced to depend upon these agencies for food.
-
Emergency Food Programs are on the frontlines of the fight against hunger. We, as emergency food providers, need to address the problems that bring guests through our doors. For decades, EFPs have been measuring success by the number of people we serve. However, as that number continues to increase with no end in sight, we realize that true success is measured by the numbers of people who achieve self-sufficiency by no longer requiring emergency services.
-
EPISCOPAL AND OTHER FAITH COMMUNITIES- led by Episcopal Charities, Cathedral Community Cares and Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen- are partnering with leading anti-hunger groups, the New York City Coalition Against Hunger and FoodChange, to:
1) Assist EFPs in providing Beyond Emergency Services that lead to empowerment of food program guests.
2) Help program staff, volunteers, guests and congregations Advocate for Social and Economic Policies that offer sustainable solutions to hunger
3) Lead the way in Transforming the Way Food Programs Address Hunger by encouraging the shift from “feed the hungry” to “feed the hungry AND take the next step to address the root causes of hunger and poverty”
-
The ultimate goal of the FEED THE SOLUTION Campaign is to initiate social transformation that addresses the social ills perpetuating hunger and poverty. While the term “social transformation” may sound overwhelming, the members of the FEED THE SOLUTION Campaign believe it is actually realistic and attainable. We believe that small steps can lead to big change.
-
We see a future where New York’s emergency food programs can be a gateway to self-sufficiency, hope and success and where hunger advocates are united to meet the needs of the hungry while changing the systems that create poverty and hunger. Our goal is to live in a community where soup kitchens are no longer necessary and New Yorkers are free from hunger and empowered to reach their potential.
Can we, as food providers, take the next steps to FEED THE SOLUTION?
|
|
