2006 Synod Assembly

Resolution 2006-02:

Strategy to Implement the Minnesota Hunger 101 Workshop to Congregations Across the Synod

Passed

1          Whereas, chronic hunger in
2                      Minnesota is real.  In Minnesota,
3                      380,000 people (7.1%) are food
4                      insecure, hungry or at risk of
5                      hunger according to the latest U.S.
6                      Census.*

7          WHEREAS, between 2002 and 2004,
8                      124 food shelves across the state
9                      have seen an increase in food shelf
10                    visits of 30% or more. Eighty
11                    eight food shelves have seen an
12                    increase of 50% or more and the
13                    need continues to rise.*

14        WHEREAS, 48% of those who
15                    benefit from food shelves are
16                    children, and 17% of our nation’s
17                    children are hungry.  The impact
18                    of even mild nutritional
19                    deprivation can impede cognitive
20                    development and impair their
21                    capacities over a lifetime.* 

22        WHEREAS, of those 65 and over,
23                    10.5% live in poverty.  Of the
24                    87,000 Minnesota seniors that
25                    qualify for assistance through the
26                    Commodity Supplemental Food
27                    Program, only 14,000 (16%) can
28                    receive assistance because of
29                    federal funding limits.*

30        WHEREAS, the fastest growing group
31                    of food shelf clients are the
32                    working poor: 47% of households
33                    using food shelves report that paid
34                    employment is the family’s major
35                    source of income.*

36        WHEREAS, it is unacceptable that
37                    any person should wonder where
38                    their next meal is coming from or
39                    experience hunger given our
40                    state’s resources.

41        WHEREAS, the average donation to
42                    the Hunger Appeal in the
43                    Southeastern Minnesota Synod per
44                    confirmed member is only $2.39
45                    per year.

46        WHEREAS, the Southeastern
47                    Minnesota Synod in partnership
48                    with the Southwestern Minnesota
49                    Synod has applied and been
50                    awarded a domestic hunger grant
51                    from the ELCA World Hunger
52                    Program to facilitate the offering
53                    of Minnesota Hunger 101
54                    workshops across the
55                    congregations of both of these
56                    synods during 2006 and 2007. 

57        WHEREAS, Minnesota Hunger 101, a
58                    workshop and call to action, is an
59                    hour-long immersion simulation in
60                    which participants take on the
61                    roles of Minnesotans at risk for
62                    hunger. In that eye-opening hour
63                    they struggle to get enough food to
64                    feed their family by visiting a
65                    grocery store, food shelf, bank,
66                    and food stamp office.  At the
67                    conclusion of the simulation they
68                    will debrief their learning and
69                    embark upon an action plan.

70        Be it therefore resolved, we
71                    urge each conference to have a
72                    Hunger 101 training at one of its
73                    monthly meetings in 2006 and
74                    evaluate its usefulness.

75        Be it further resolved, that
76                    at the conclusion of each
77                    simulation attendees will develop
78                    a plan to implement Hunger 101
79                    for their congregations and 
80                    identify people who will step
81                    forward to become certified
82                    Hunger 101 Trainers.  As this
83                    initiative rolls out we hope that the
84                    trainers help recruit members from
85                    the synod to assist the Hunger
86                    Committee in reaching all
87                    congregations.

Submitted by the Southeastern Minnesota Synod Hunger Task Force, Rev. Clark Cary, Chair and Policy Council for Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in Minnesota, Rev. Mark Peters, Executive Director

Implementation Partners:
Lutheran Coalition for Public Policy in              
         Minnesota
Second Harvest Heartland
         Channel One Food Bank and Food Shelf

* Source: Second Harvest Heartland Statistical Data

Continue to Resolution 2006-03

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