77-9 Resolution on World Hunger Awareness
Background
There are an estimated 500 million people in our country and around the world who suffer from malnutrition—they receive less than a subsistence level of protein and other nutrients. These people suffer diseases almost unknown in this country for decades. Approximately one-half of the child deaths in the world are due to malnutrition. Countless numbers of babies die before their first birthday or in utero because their mothers are undernourished. Food production is not keeping pace with world population growth. Increasing food prices force some Americans into inadequate dietary habits—as a result some low-income people resort to eating car or dog food. Americans comprise 6% of the world’s population and use one-third of the world’s energy resources. These and other facts indicate the need for greater awareness and concern.
Resolved
1) That LSM-USA students be encouraged to increase hunger awareness and to help provide relief for the hungry in our country and around the world.
2) That local and regional groups sponsoring hunger projects be encouraged to submit reports to Judy Koch (715 Third Avenue, Eau Claire, WI 54701) who will submit articles using this information to the LSM-USA NEWSLETTER and provide copies of the reports to interested groups.
3) That University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire (UWEC) prepare a list of hunger relief agencies, “hunger facts” (statistics on domestic hunger habits and the world hunger situation), and information on hunger politics (i.e. Bread for the World) for interested campus ministry groups. This information will be available from the LSM-USA office.
4) That UWEC coordinate a Holy Week Fast for interested campus ministry groups. Funds collected by eliminating meals or certain foods (i.e. meat) and contributions solicited from individuals will be donated to Lutheran World Federation for hunger relief projects.
+ Five articles about world hunger, Bread for the World, and LSM-USA’s fast day appeared during the year in the LSM-USA NEWSLETTER.
+ Two mailings were produced by Judy Koch, Hunger Fast Chairperson, (University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, WI) and sent to the 300 full-time campus ministries. The first was a sheet of “hunger facts” and the second was a complete fast day resource packet.
+ From those 300, 14 evaluation forms or letters were returned to the national office. All were very positive about the fast day and the resource packet. They reported a total of $1724.24 collected and donated to world hunger agencies.
+ Various activities happened throughout the country. University of Cincinnati and University of Minnesota had Ash Wednesday worship services donated the offering to world hunger. Using bulletin inserts and other publicity, Michigan State University encouraged their entire parish to fast. At the University of Wisconsin (Whitewater) there was a World Food Day sponsored by the joint campus ministries. The dining hall services cooperated by reimbursing meal money. The whole event generated a fair amount of enthusiasm and participation from diverse persons and groups. A number of persons indicated an interest in engaging in the same type of event next year. UCLA had a similar successful event, called Fast for World Hunger, with educational programs and a fast. They also plan to have a fast day event next year. Students at Southern Illinois University fasted on Ash Wednesday. For them the fast caught the imagination of many and they urge such a program to be offered and continued in the years ahead. The Lutheran Students/Young Adults Group of Eugene, Oregon fasted and then gathered together in the evening to discuss the hunger issue and to see a filmstrip on it. Afterward they shared the Eucharist. They felt it was meaningful and learning experience that should be repeated. They enjoyed the feeling of working together with other Lutheran students.
Each of the other groups that participated, University of Virginia, the Beta Sigma Psi Fraternity at Kansas State University, the Elm Center at the University of South Carolina, University of Miami, and Colorado State University, as well as two individuals, planned and held activities similar to those described above.
+ Articles about the fast day appeared in the February 1978 issue of the LC-MS Indiana District’s LUTHERAN WITNESS Supplement and the February 7 and 8 issues of the UCLA DAILY BRUIN.
+ LSM-USA has continued its membership in Bread for the World.
+ LSM-USA’s world hunger resource file and Bread for the World file continue to grow and are available for the price of zeroxing to any interested group.