. . . Easter Sunday

Friday, March 1     In decaying urban neighborhoods and across the country, residents and local institutions are quietly turning things around and recreating a sense of shared hope. This is happening in the Elm Park area of Worcester, Mass., New England's second largest city.  Beginning in 1994, with two member churches in the vicinity, the Worcester Area Mission Society of the United Church of Christ (WAMS) invited local residents, churches, businesses, colleges and non-profit and government agencies to rehabilitate housing, provide economic stimulus in surrounding business corridors, improve public safety and provide ministry and programs for children and families.

Saturday, March 2  Each year, some 2,000 communities across the United States sponsor CROP WALKS.  The walks help to support the overall ministry of Church World Service, especially the grassroots, hunger-fighting development efforts of partner agencies in more than 80 countries.  Each local CROP WALK can choose to return up to 25 percent of the funds it raises to hunger-fighting programs in its own community. This year CROP WALKS will share more than $3.5 million with food banks, pantries, community gardens, and other local efforts nationwide.

Sunday, March 3  "Partners in Hope" is a 20-year commitment by the Atlanta-based Cooperative Baptist Fellowship to give hope to people in the nation’s poorest counties, all in rural areas. The goal -- to remove them from the list of counties with the highest percentage of people living below the poverty level.   One example: "Delta Dawning: A Partnership of Hope," is a collaborative effort of area residents and churches, Mississippi CBF and other groups to combat poverty in the state's three poorest counties - Sharkey, Holmes and Sunflower counties.

Monday, March 4   Not sure whether government funding of Faith-Based Initiatives is a good idea?  There's guidance in the NCC's Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.  In her 2002 Yearbook essay "The Fevered Frenzy Over Faith-Based Initiatives," Editor Eileen W. Lindner offers a succinct guide to the emerging consensus on government funding of faith-based social service.  In 2001, she reviewed all research on the closely related issue of Charitable Choice that had been published by year-end 2000.  Dr. Lindner pointed out gaps and urged faith-based organizations and government alike to base their decisions about Charitable Choice on sound research, not on guesswork.

Tuesday, March 5  The Good News Mountaineer Garage, serving low-income people in West Virginia, is literally putting wheels under a great idea that addresses transportation problems as a barrier to employment.  The West Virginia Council of Churches has partnered with the state Department of Health and Human Resources (WV DHHR) and other organizations to provide donated vehicles to low-income people who otherwise could not get to a job. Recipients obtain the vehicles for the cost of repairs.

Wednesday, March 6    It could be described as a one-room church in a  highly stressed community. That would be true, but it wouldn't hint at the power of the vision emanating from West Side Missionary Baptist Church of West Oakland, California or the scope of the achievements of its pastor, the Rev. Ken Chambers, Sr.   Chambers  received the 2001 NCC President's Award for his leadership in faith-based economic development projects.

Thursday, March 7  In the past year, Church World Service has provided 70,339 blankets, along with "Gift of the Heart" Kits - 22,220 Health, 8,500 School, and 4,785 Baby - for homeless, low-income, and migrant families across the United States. Recipients range from several hundred Tribal Elders served by the Fort Peck Tribes Senior Citizen Activity Program in Poplar, Montana to thousands of families served by food banks, homeless ministries, and interfaith services on both sides of the Texas/Mexico border, along the Rio Grande Valley.

Friday, March 8  What happens when a congregation looks at all that it is and does through the lens of Micah 6:8, the Bible passage that asks us to do justice, love kindness and walk humbly with our God? The 35 congregations around the country that have participated in an NCC pilot program on Micah 6 Congregations have found that the program revitalizes congregational life. Growth in membership, a deepening spiritual life, and burgeoning social outreach ministries all result when the integrated approach of this beloved Bible passage is put into action.

Saturday, March 9  Dismal child-care statistics in California underscore the need that prompted a model project of the California Council of Churches and Catholic Charities of California. Begun in 1999, the project has increased quality child-care services in areas of greatest need.  It offers support for congregations in low-income areas of six counties for any child-care and development service they envisioned.

Sunday, March 10  Families make up the fastest-growing portion of Arizona’s homeless population.  Often "invisible" to others because they usually live in their cars, a surprising number of these families can be found in Prescott, Arizona. They come with their children to look for help at places like OPEN DOOR, which is marking one year of service today (March 10).

Monday, March 11   Any company doing business with the city of Los Angeles must pay its employees enough so that they do not fall below the poverty level.  The Los Angeles living wage ordinance was passed in part through the efforts of an organization called Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE).  An American Baptist missionary, the Rev. William Campbell, is CLUE's outreach coordinator.  He is part of a broader economic justice program supported by the denomination.  Read more ...

Tuesday, March 12   The New Mexico Conference of Churches (NMCC) is a statewide ecumenical organization working to bring understanding and reconciliation among churches and seeking diversity healing, justice, unity and peace through active ministries. In 2001, the NMCC launched its newest statewide initiative, Jubilee Housing, to provide affordable housing to low-income individuals and families in New Mexico. In its first year, Jubilee Housing has initiated projects to rehabilitate and stabilize a 52-unit apartment complex in an older urban neighborhood in Albuquerque and to build housing for women and children survivors of domestic violence in rural New Mexico.

Wednesday, March 13  The Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches (GMCC) is observing anniversaries of several of its 10 programs to help struggling Minnesota families living with little, including the annual statewide food drive. In the view of GMCC, "It would be much more rewarding to celebrate the end of hunger, homelessness and poverty. But that is not to be. At least not yet."

Thursday, March 14 “We Can Do That, Too! Hunger Education Activities That Work” is a Web-based resource from Church World Service for CROP WALK recruiters, TOOLS OF HOPE planner, hunger/mission leaders, Bread for the World organizers, youth leaders and anyone else who seeks to lift up the issue of hunger in their congregation or community.   Included are worship resources, simulations and games, bulletin inserts, dramas and links to additional resources for fighting hunger in the United States and around the world.

Friday, March 15   U.S. regional and local ecumenical bodies are hard at work against poverty!  Finding out who's doing what is easy -- just consult the "Index of Select Programs" in the 2002 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.  The listing covers 25 much-in-demand program areas including clothing distribution, CROP Walks, economic/social justice, employment assistance, environment, healthcare issues,  homelessness/shelter, hunger/food, public education advocacy, rural issues, and immigration and refugee services.

Saturday, March 16  The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with some five million members, initiated a Ministry Among People in Poverty project in 1999. Among goals: to transform members' attitudes and behavior toward people who are poor. One way to achieve this goal is to make sure that low-income individuals share in decision-making in the church. During March and April 2002, focus groups of people in poverty are being convened in four locations around the country to discover barriers and bridges to the participation of low-income people in decision-making in various church venues. Once the research is completed, funds will be used to train and enable people in poverty to be at the table.  For more information on this and other programs, such as the ELCA's support for domestic relief and development work nationwide, contact the Rev. John Halvorson at jhalvors@elca.org   or log on to www.elca.org

Sunday, March 17  A new "Combined Catalog of Health Ministries Resources of Denominations" offers invaluable contacts, resources and program ideas for congregations seeking to be promote the well-being of the whole person.  Contact Connie Gates --  conniegates@hotmail.com -- for a copy.

Monday, March 18  For 15 years, the  Children's Defense Fund has worked with the religious community to respond to the needs of poor and neglected children. Out of that partnership, religious leaders of several faiths have noted the need for greater spiritual sustenance to help advocates hold on and keep struggling to protect children.  In response, CDF and the National Council of Churches developed Holding Children in Prayer, A Lenten Guide.  It is designed for use by Christians in personal devotions, and offers a scripture reading, brief reflection and prayer for each day.

Tuesday, March 19  Hunger No More: Decisions 2002 is an easy-to use packet of educational materials for Christian congregations.  A unique cooperative effort of 18 Christian organizations, including the National Council of Churches, it was produced by Bread for the World in conversation with Islamic and Jewish groups and the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Wednesday, March 20 Whether gathering porcupine quills for one of her artistic creations or modeling a homemade jingle dress near the woods, Juanita Blackhawk has found peace using her talents through the Circle Loan Fund of the White Earth Land Recovery Project (WELRP) in Minnesota. WELRP promotes economic development based on sustainable use of the land for edible products (wild rice, berries, maple syrup) and for raw materials for use by native artisans. The Circle Loan Fund, with support from the CWS TOOLS OF HOPE Program, provides tools, supplies, and other forms of support to tribal artists. With a 65 percent unemployment rate and 50 percent of the reservation's residents living below the poverty line, creating viable livelihoods is critical to the community's future.

Thursday, March 21  In 82 cities, from Las Vegas, Nev., to Eau Claire, Wis., to Southern Pines, N.C., hundreds of local churches and synagogues are joining hands to provide shelter and other assistance to homeless families.  Their work is part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network, a New Jersey-based ministry that began when Karen Olsen bought a sandwich in 1981 for an elderly, homeless woman she encountered on her daily commute into New York, and realized that the woman needed something more than food. Soon, Karen and her two sons were delivering sandwiches each Sunday evening to homeless persons outside New York's Port Authority Bus Terminal, getting to know them personally, listening to their life stories. She told members of her church, and with congregations nearby, they organized the first hospitality program, using church facilities.  Read the rest of this inspiring story . . .

Friday, March 22  Michael Mulqueen, chief of the Greater Chicago Food Depository, largest food bank in America, has a new plan to feed the poor.   He's a retired brigardier general, but the war he's fighting now is fought with chili, cereal, and tons of other life-giving food.

Saturday, March 23  The National Priorities Project is a Web-based non-profit service that helps the public understand and shape the federal budget to meet community needs.   It provides analysis of critical budget issues, state and local data, and tools for local action.  The NPP website includes data for all 50 states on topics such as Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, Child Poverty Rates and Head Start -- and other topics ranging from nuclear missiles to the environment.  NPP also publishes the Grassroots Factbook series several times a year, providing regular updates on the impact of current spending proposals and debate on our nation's states and cities.   Its Congressional District (CD) Profiles Database, operational later this year, will be fully interactive and designed to provide the user with a CD Profile that includes basic demographic data, in-depth information on unmet social needs, the amount of household income that goes from a community to various programs, how much comes back.

Palm Sunday, March 24  The Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) is more needed today than ever, raising concern that its funding keep pace with rising numbers of poor and hungry people. Under the program, needy families and individuals receive emergency food and payment of one month’s rent and/or utility bill. Shelters can receive emergency funding to keep them functioning. But despite EFSP’s reputation as one of the most efficiently run programs that the government funds, President Bush has not recommended an increase in the current level of funding for the EFSP, but he has suggested that the program be moved to Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a move that the NCC opposes.  Read more ...

Monday, March 25  The bad news is that Pennsylvania has been rated as one of the eight worst states in the nation when it comes to disparity in educational opportunity--and that the problem of inequality in our public schools is widespread across the United States.  The good news is that Good Schools Pennsylvania, a grassroots movement for education reform in that state, offers a unique model to our nation of how we might advocate for funding equity and quality education for all children.

Tuesday, March 26  Housing, education, healthcare and jobs are not separate "issues" for people living in poverty. A lack in any one of these areas has real and disastrous impacts on other aspects of life. So too, when advocacy groups make progress on any single poverty issue, those gains can start a positive chain reaction. That's one reason it is important for anti-poverty advocates to work together.  Many ecumenical and interfaith organizations around the country have been effective at including representatives of a wide range of grassroots organizations when poverty issues are on the table. Among them the New Jersey Council of Churches is notable for fostering a statewide Anti-Poverty Network (APN) that links more than 80 organizations. Through APN, faith-based groups, persons living in poverty, advocacy organizations, labor unions and others who are concerned about ending poverty have the opportunity to share information and to consider joint strategies. Participating groups have also adopted a "Blueprint to Reduce New Jersey Poverty in 2002" that outlines specific, measurable goals. By tracking progress toward those goals, APN hopes to gain insights into the effectiveness of efforts to assist people in poverty.

Wednesday, March 27 Whatever their economic status back home, most refugees lose everything when they flee and have to start over from zero in their new homeland.  The Church World Service Immigration and Refugee Program and its affiliates help refugees become self-sufficient.  For example, the CWS/IRP Miami Office has initiated a micro-enterprise development program for resettled refugees and Cuban/Haitian entrants, which offers business training, finance and credit information, business networking and follow-up support to the eligible entrepeneurs. 

Holy Thursday, March 28  Families USA, known widely as the voice for health care consumers, recently reported that, by a very conservative estimate, more than 2.2 million people lost health coverage in 2001 due to increased unemployment, the largest annual increase in the number of uninsured Americans since 1992. These people swell the ranks of the uninsured, estimated at 39 million in 2001. "These numbers, however, only paint part of the picture about America's uninsured. The most poignant parts of the picture are the millions of people and families who are deferring unaffordable, needed health care - often with tragic results," says Ron Pollack, Executive Director of Families USA.  The NCC, which recently formalized a partnership with Families USA, shares these concerns and hopes to strengthen involvement of the faith community in Families USA's grassroots efforts to advocate for healthcare coverage for the uninsured and for low-income working people.

Good Friday, March 29 Among the many partnerships formed in the NCC Poverty Mobilization is one between the NCC and Habitat for Humanity, International.   Habitat is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry that invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together with families in need.   Through this partnership, the NCC has become part of what Habitat's director Millard Fuller has called "a new movement," in our time--in many respects like the movement to end slavery in the 19^th century--in which "the church of Jesus Christ is in the forefront saying that poverty housing, homelessness, are a disgrace before God."

Holy Saturday, March 30  Grim statistics about world hunger can seem overwhelming, but there are many things that congregations and individuals can do to fight hunger--at home and around the world.  For over 30 years, the Presbyterian Hunger Program, a program of the Presbyterian Church (USA), has provided a channel through which Presbyterians can be engaged in the fight against hunger. Rooted in biblical faith, this broad effort includes direct food relief, development assistance, education and interpretation, influencing public policy and lifestyle integrity. Congregations of diverse Christian traditions can use many of the resources there. Sections on "Hunger in the Bible" and hunger news and facts are available online, as well as information on ordering a large selection of books, videos, brochures, posters and packets on hunger. The site is also rich in ideas for activities that can be used or adapted by many faith groups.

Easter Sunday, March 31 "Good Work" to come ...