Meeting Notes
Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger
September 14, 2005
Trinity Episcopal Cathedral
Minutes of the
September Meeting
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church
11229 NE Prescott
Portland, Oregon
9 – 11 am
Directions:
I-84 east from Portland
Exit at NE 122nd,
North to NE Prescott
West to St Matthew’s Episcopal Church
Oregon Interfaith Community Food
Partnership- That’s My Farmer, 2005-06 Ecumenical Ministries of
Oregon’s Interfaith Network for Earth Concerns
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
Goal and Objectives
The central goal of the project is to
test and develop a long-term model based in the faith community that
can be adapted by other underserved communities across the region and
country to increase food access and local, sustainably grown food and
support small, new and immigrant low-income farmers through increased
direct market sales.
Specific objectives for year one are
as follows:
1. Conduct
community food assessments among congregations and surrounding
low-income neighborhoods they serve
to identify community food issues and assets and
tailor project activities as needed.
2. Provide
education and training for congregations and community groups,
including low-income individuals, on community food systems, nutrition,
buying locally, hunger abatement and the essentials of community food
assessments, community organizing and the role of food policy councils
and other policy networks.
3. Increase access
by low-income households in targeted areas to culturally appropriate,
local fruits and vegetables.
4. Increase direct
market opportunities for small, new, part-time and low-income farmers,
especially immigrants.
5. Promote
collaboration among faith communities, farmers, community organizations
and groups, and low-income residents to maximize long-term
sustainability of the project.
Collaborative Partners
The lead organization and fiscal
agent for this project is Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon and its
Interfaith Network for Earth Concerns. It will provide overall project
coordination and links to the faith community. Oregon Food Bank
(OFB) is the primary statewide partner in this project. It conducts
food assessment workshops, provides expertise on working with
low-income individuals and develops nutrition education and food access
materials.
Other statewide partners and their
roles are as follows:
-Oregon Farmers Market Association
(OFMA) provides expertise in direct marketing training and access to a
statewide network of farmers and market managers who will assist
congregations in their partnerships with farmers.
-Lutheran Advocacy Ministries of
Oregon’s (LAMO) relationships with farmers in the communities to be
served will provide a link to low-income farmers.
-Oregon State University Extension
Small Farms (OSUE) provides direct marketing expertise and workshop
development expertise, as well as educational materials for
distribution to farmers and congregations
-The Heifer Project Pacific Northwest
Region (HPNR) provides educational sessions on cultural issues, makes
connections with low-income, immigrant farmers and connects the project
with the regional network of immigrant farming projects and relevant
resources. In the Corvallis area, a key partner is the Food Systems
Coalition of Benton County who will participate in and help guide the
food assessment in Benton County. The following congregations are
partners: St. Mary Catholic Church, Corvallis, First United Methodist,
Corvallis; Portland; and Monroe United Methodist. Additional partner
congregations will be added as the program gets underway.
BACKGROUND ON GEOGRAPHIC AREAS:
Since the full budget for the project
has not been raised, project activities will concentrate on Corvallis
However, more limited activities-to be determined, will
take place in other locations.
1.
Corvallis/Philomath/Monroe, Benton County, Oregon: Corvallis is a
compact city surrounded by farmland and small towns. According to the
2000 Census, nearly 15 percent of residents are below poverty level.
Benton County has many rural residents, especially the elderly who are
food insecure and face barriers such as transportation.
2. Rockwood
neighborhood, Gresham, Multnomah County, Oregon: Rockwood is Gresham’s
poorest and most diverse neighborhood and encompasses approximately
five square miles. In 2002, three Rockwood census tracts had the
county’s highest concentration of people who speak limited or no
English. The per capita income is $16,600 and 41 percent of residents
are renters. As a result of the trend of declining business activity, a
large supermarket moved out of the area several years ago, and now
residents have access only to mini-marts and the limited and expensive
gas and grocery store outlets. High-speed boulevards that dissect the
area discourage pedestrian traffic. The total population for the area
is approximately 30,000.
3. North/inner
northeast, Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon: This area has
historically been one of the most ethically and racially diverse areas
of Portland. It is undergoing change due to community revitalization
efforts. Nearly 40 percent of the residents of this area are non-white.
At 15 percent, the poverty rate is 6 percent higher than the city
overall. The Hispanic population has increased 142 percent in the last
decade. Total population is over 92,000.
ECUMENICAL MINISTRIES OF OREGON’S
OREGON INTERFAITH COMMUNITY FOOD
PARTNERSHIP-
“THAT’S MY FARMER!
How Your Congregation Can Be
InvolvedThe Oregon Interfaith Community Food Partnerships offers many
opportunities to be involved. No matter what the size of your
congregation or the nature or your ministries, we hope that you will
benefit and join with others to make a difference for the health and
well-being of the community. For more information call 503-221-1054
ext. 278.Please share this with the appropriate groups of committees in
your congregation to see how you might light to be involved. .
Fax this to #503-223-7007 by or email to: inec@emoregon.org.
* Hosting a
presentation at our congregation on food as a faith issue or other
related topic such as importance of supporting local farmers, hunger
and nutritional issues.
* Sent
representatives to the Community Food Assessment training offered by
Oregon Food Bank
* Participate in
the Community Food Assessment in Rockwood, N/NE Portland,
Rockwood (Fall 2005 – Winter 2006)
* Hosting
educational opportunities on food, including cooking clubs for families
with low incomes at our congregation or community group.
* Participating in
opportunities to buy directly from local farmers, especially new and
immigrant farmers in need of new markets, in arrangements that help
make this food also more accessible to low-income people.
* When are you
interested in getting involved? ___ 2006 growing season or __2007
growing season.
* Distributing
information about community food security, and ways to access local
food at our congregation ‘s food pantry or social ministry or at
our
community group.
* Using land or
facilities for community food projects (community kitchen, community
garden).
Providing land for immigrant
gardening and farming projects.
* With the help of
INEC and partners, holding an adult education series on food and faith.
* Hosting an after
services mini-farmers market at our congregation.
(Spring-Fall 2006, Spring-Fall 2007)
* Other
________________________________________________________________________
Congregation/ Org. name:
_______________________________________________________
Contact person(s):
______________________________________________________________
Address:
_____________________________________________________________________
Phone number:
_______________________________________________________________
Email address:
________________________________________________________________
July 13, 2005
St. Paul Lutheran Church ELCA
3880 SE Brooklyn, Portland
Welcome – Introductions
Prayer
Metro area convener John Elizalde
opened with a prayer, as Pastor David Larson was on vacation.
Announcements
Lead
convener Norene Goplen described the categories of membership, and
pointed out that the by-laws are on the website. She asked
attendees to take information about OFRAH to their congregations, to
direct-service agencies, and to denominational leaders. She
pointed out that OFRAH has no dues and no budget.
Legislative
Update
Philip
Kennedy-Wong, Public Policy Advocate with Ecumenical Ministries of
Oregon (EMO), described his role as providing information and resources
to the faith community about political issues, and to politicians about
faith concerns. He distributed a list of bills supported by EMO
that were identified as still having a chance of survival and explained
their status. There was a discussion of what the Emergency
Assistance and General Assistance portions of the Depaartment of Human
Services budget do and the effect their inclusion in the budget (or
failure to include) would have on direct service providers. The
faith community is urged to contact their legislators in favor of
funding these two programs. Philip described the political
discussion of whether the government should provide a safety net and
whether providing it encourages more need for it.
Norene
stated that legislators need contact from people with direct knowledge
of what social conditions really are, and cited the influence of
lobbyists. The House has passed an extraordinary reduction in
capital gains taxes, and refuses to consider taxes on corporate
entities. She pointed out that Oregon has the largest gap between
rich and poor in the U.S., and that legislators don’t have contact with
the poor.
Kim Thomas,
Oregon Food Bank, explained that legislators apply 2 sets of rules to
the poor and to corporations, expecting the poor to be more
self-sufficient.
Philip
advised that service providers need to invite legislators to visit and
meet with those most affected by the elimination or reduction of safety
net programs, and need education about systemic failures such as
lay-offs, lack of healthcare, and the need for family-wage jobs.
He offered that he can arrange legislative delegation visits to direct
service providers, and pointed out that Kim is a valuable resource.
A question
arose about whether seeing the work done by direct service providers
might further convince legislators that churches can do it all.
In the situation of healthcare, for instance, there is no possibility
that churches can meet the needs of the 400,000 Oregonians without
healthcare.
John
Elizalde pointed out that the need for assistance is growing (40% from
June 2003-June 2005 at Northeast Emergency Food), and that legislators
get money from the same population churches do. Continued cuts
will cause greater demand for help.
Philip
stated that EMO is now discussing getting direct service providers
together to propose bills for the 2007 Legislature to do the
groundwork: meet to discuss problems and try to identify
legislative solutions.
Norene urged
attendees to engage legislators as soon as issues are identified, and
to support legislative friends of social justice who may become
targets. There is a level of justice that can occur through
government involvement, and the faith community needs to work on
legislative relationships.
Kim pointed
out the need to network with congregations and for people to let their
representatives know what we expect of them, and Philip suggested
inviting legislators to OFRAH functions.
Meeting of
Statewide Conveners with Bishops and Church Executives
Norene
reported on a meeting between OFRAH conveners, OFRAH technical
advisors, bishops and church executives in which the conveners shared a
“Cliffsnotes” version of what OFRAH is, how to deeply engage religious
communities (clergy, laity and academics), and how to assist them in
claiming public space to hear the voice of the poor through the group
voice of religious leaders. The meeting included a discussion on
the questions: If there were a religious initiative on hunger in
Oregon, what would it look like? How can many voices be gathered
around the issue? An ongoing Internet conversation between these
people is envisioned. Norene will be meeting individually with
some of the church leaders who weren’t able to attend the
meeting. The University of Portland, George Fox University, and
Concordia College will be meeting in late summer to focus on the role
of the academic community in dealing with the issue.
June 7th
Tri-County Hunger Summit Debriefing
It was
agreed that Trinity Cathedral was a very good facility for the event –
it provided good movement to and from the breakout rooms.
Including the preliminary half hour in the scheduling worked
well. In the future, better information about using public
transportation should be provided.
The direct
action portions of the program were important – taking the time to use
cell phones to phone legislators and having Offering of Letters
materials available.
The panels
of direct service providers were helpful, but those breakout sessions
could have used more time for questions of the panel members
(especially for Multnomah county) and more networking time between
attendees.
It would
have been helpful to have recorded the sessions.
In future,
media people who might be interested should be especially invited, and
someone should be assigned to help them find participants to talk to.
Payday Loans
Kim reported
that even though the bill had not passed out of the House Committee,
the Food Bank staff hadn’t given up. She urged attendees to call
legislators to express disappointment that the bill hadn’t gotten a
hearing, and should be a priority. She stated that none of the
consumer bills had been successful, even though they wouldn’t have cost
the State anything, because of the activity of lobbyists. One
alternative not requiring legislation is to encourage credit unions to
provide short-term loans. Another action that might help is
providing brochures explaining just how payday loans work to direct
service clients. OFRAH members are encouraged to challenge the
payday loan advertising, and to provide substantive information about
the workings of the industry to congregations.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING WILL BE
9:00 -11:00 AM, AUGUST 10, 2005, AT TUALATIN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, 20200 SW MARTINAZZI
AVENUE, TUALATIN. Take exit 289 (Nyberg Street) from I-5, and go
west toward Tualatin; veer to the right of the Tualatin City
Median. Turn left on Martinazzi Avenue. Tualatin Methodist
is up the hill, south of Sagert Street, on the
left.
OREGON FAITH ROUNDTABLE AGAINST HUNGER
Portland Metro
May
11, 2005
First Presbyterian Church
Oregon City
Welcome – Introductions
Reflection:
Pastor Bruce Martin, First
Presbyterian Church spoke on verses in Proverbs and Ephesians that
address the way we treat those in need.
HELPING OTHER PEOPLE EAT
Pastor Martin explained First
Presbyterian’s role in HOPE, the Oregon City collaborative emergency
food program. Five local churches have banded together to assure
that people in need can get food 5 days per week. This innovative
arrangement allows each church to operate its own program with its own
way. However, they share Oregon Food Bank food and share the
records of people receiving food. The member churches generally
need to augment funding so they can offer program features to meet
their needs. First Presbyterian also gets support of money and
food from other churches in their part of town. In 2004 they
served 11,099 people with 3 days of food.
Announcements
The OFRAH
conveners have a Eugene roundtable that is active. The Astoria
roundtable is considering inviting the employers who are church members
to attend a session to discuss community needs. The Salem
roundtable held its kickoff meeting the week of May 2, 2005. The
conveners will be at a planning session on June 3. Please send
anyone of them suggestions for improvements.
OFRAH webmaster
Pastor Kurt Rizer discussed the plans for website enhancement.
Ther is a series of fact sheets being developed that will allow
visitors to get materials directly from the site rather than use links
to other sites. The calendar needs more information and is
available for non-OFRAH events that might appeal to
members/visitors. Eventually, local roundtables will have their
own website as well.
The Portland Metro
Member Survey was distributed in an attempt to get feedback from
attendees for future topics, meeting locations, etc. PLEASE
RETURN YOUR SURVEY TO nefp@emoregon.org. An electronic version
was mailed with the metro agenda.
The Episcopal
Jubilee Program is underway in McMinnville. The Rev. Steve
Norcross was on his way to visit a local food program and reaffirm
their ministry. In addition, he was planning to raise up the
possibility of adding advocacy to their service.
Legislative Update
Patti Whitney Wise provided a written
summary of key legislative initiatives being followed by OFRAH.
There are a few items of note.
Oregon is one of 3 states to tax the
incomes of people living below the federal poverty level. This is
one of the reasons OFRAH is support legislation to reduce the tax
burden on low-income people.
SB 545 dealing with payday loans has
been watered down in order to get a bill through the Senate and
hopefully heard in the House. Attendees stopped the meeting
and turned on their cell phones to call legislators and ask for support
for this bill. As these notes are being prepared (6/23/05) the
bill is languishing in the House. Pressure needs to be placed on
House leadership to get this important bill an up or down vote.
Federal Budget issues are working as
well:
Department of Agriculture budget cuts
could impact Food Stamps. Growers of products not getting
production subsidies (fruits and vegetables) are likely to support Food
Stamps in order to keep a robust market for their products.
The real federal budget issues evolve
from recent tax cuts (40%) and defense/homeland security spending
(30%). However, the tiny impact from spending on other programs
makes the most vulnerable in our society possible targets in the budget
process.
NEXT REGULAR MEETING WILL BE JULY 13,
2005, ST PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 3880 SE BROOKLYN, PORTLAND (between SE
Division and SE Powell on SE 39th St.)
MEETING MINUTES
April 13, 2005
St. Mary’s
Cathedral Portland Oregon
1. Welcome and
Prayer
Father Joe, St. Mary’s Cathedral
2. Announcements
There was trouble getting the meeting
notice distributed with an incomplete email list and an error on the
meeting location.
June 7 – OFRAH sponsored Tri County
Hunger Summit
3. June 7 Tri
County Hunger Summit
The summit will be at the Trinity
Episcopal Cathedral in Portland from 8:30a until noon. Organizing
and arranging for speakers is in motion.
Attendees responded with ideas for
a. Bread for the
World offering of letters.
b. An on-line
presence so people could see and work with the Oregon Food Bank website.
c. Having OFB staff
present to answer questions about statewide or local hunger issues
since the summit is not going to have a session on the statistics.
d. We should have
copies of a recent NY Times editorial that addresses the issue of the
responsibility for providing support to those in need.
e. Summit
organizers need to create a list of chores for other PDX members to
share in the summit activities.
4. Sisters of the
Road Café, Monica Beemer, Executive Director
The featured
speaker for the meeting was the Executive Director of one of Portland’s
landmark social change agencies. The café is known for its
300 lunchtime meals served each day. Monica explained that the
real purpose of the café and its variety of programs is systemic
change and community organizing. These minutes cannot do justice
to the excellent presentation.
The café
opened in 1980 and is located at NW 6th and NW Davis where it provides
homeless people with a hot meal, dignity and a variety of
services. Meals cost $1.50 for a meal and a drink or $1.25 for
just a meal. Food stamps are accepted.
Meal Coupon program
Supporters of the
program can buy meal coupons for $2.00 and give them to homeless people
to meet the panhandling opportunities in the city. The first meal
for a homeless person is free and then the coupons provide valuable
access to a good meal.
Other services
include a mailing address, phone message service, information packets
about services, personal hygiene programs, job training on the
café staff and recovery support. There is a barter system
that allows people work and receive a meal or credit towards a
meal. Jobs last from 15 minutes (1 meal) to 3 hours ($18
credit). Once the credit account has a positive balance on the
books labor can be donated to others in need. Thus the system
provides opportunity for self-help and service to others. The
café gets workers and stays neat, clean and orderly as a result.
The agency is
particularly skilled at helping people with complex problems. AS
such the goal is to export the system change mission rather than open
or expand the café operation. The advocacy work tends to
be at the city level to facilitate the homeless relationship with local
agencies. Sisters is supporting the 10-year plan to end homeless
and sits on the mayor’s livability committee.
The agency
recently completed a detailed (2 hr) of homelessness by interviewing
600 people to get answers to the question: What needs to
happen? Results are being compiled by UW-Tacoma with publication
next year.
The agency
completed its “Photo Voice Project” by giving its participants low cost
cameras and asking them to take pictures of life on the street.
The project, co sponsored by the PSU School of Social Work, has
displays available to civic groups. They can bring leaders, have
a cross class dinner and discuss what individuals can do.
Funding comes
from 50% individuals, 25% foundations and 25% other donors including
faith communities. They are supported by the OFB/USDA.
5. Steps Toward
Justice
OFRAH conveners have a policy of
making suggestions for advocacy only after reaching a consensus among
the conveners. Thus, OFRAH members can know that any positions
taken by OFRAH are based on consensus.
Renter Tax Credit Legislation
This OFRAH priority is likely to be
part of any tax reform package coming through the legislature. Of
course, there are not assurances that there will be any tax reforms
this session.
The bill received a hearing where it
was explained that the credit would be treated similarly to the
mortgage tax deduction. The biggest positive impact on low-income
people would be if it were a refundable income tax credit.
OFRAH continues to watch and support
legislation
6. Other business
There was additional discussion of
the Payday loan testimony.
The group learned of an effort at
Holiday Park Plaza a retirement facility in the Lloyd Center area of
Portland. Members have decided to take on working to influence
the establishment and advertising of the schools summer meals
program. These residents understand their efforts as a means to
leave a legacy for the community.
Notes from John Elizalde, EMO’s
Northeast Emergency Food Program, 503 284 5470
MEETING MINUTES
MARCH 9, 2005
Valley Community Presbyterian Church
Welcome
and Prayer
Pastor Ben, Valley Presbyterian Church
Theme: Thinking Globally,
Acting Locally; a Mowri Prayer from New Zealand
Announcements
March 20 CropWalk in support of Church World Service and 5 local
agencies; 1:30 registration, Westminster Presbyterian Church, NE
16th/NE Hancock
March 20 Peace Walk, 2, south Park Blocks
April 6 Martin Luther King March, 11 – 1, unsure of location or
sponsors
April 6/7 Eyes Wide Open art exhibit on theme of war and peace, First
United Methodist Church, NW 18th/NW Jefferson
April 9 Train the trainer, re: Health care advocacy, 9:30 – 4:30,
Central Lutheran Church, NE 20th/NE Hancock, $40
April 15 Jim Wallis presentation (author of God’s Politics and many
other books and articles, 7, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 147 NW 19th
April 18 Seder meal, sponsored by the American Jewish Committee, 6,
Congregation Neveh Shalom, 2900 SW Peaceful Lane
New study on hunger in Oregon, released March 8, 2005 by OSU
professors, Bruce Weber and others. The report addresses hunger
on the county level. Look for a forthcoming summary.
Bread
for the World
The group watched the 2005 Bread for the World,
offering of letters video. It features hunger in Oregon and the
various approaches being used to both feed the hungry as well as
address the causes of hunger. The major focus of the video is the
work of one church, St. Luke Lutheran Church in Southwest Portland.
Presentation by Lisa Wenzlick, St. Luke Lutheran Church
Lisa explained the St. Luke story much as she did on
the Bread for the World video. St. Luke has a long history of
supporting social concerns action. Since the late 1960’s the
church as been contributing 25% of its income, ‘off the top’, to social
concerns. Thus, the seeds for community action were already
sprouted and developed. However, the OFRAH May 2004 Hunger Forum
inspired church members to more action. Church lay leaders, with
pastoral support, sought and received training on how to activate a
congregation. They selected a letter writing event as their first
entry into action about hunger. Their strategy was to focus on
the 2005 Oregon Legislative session and two primary issues of payday
loans and low income tax relief. A November worship service was
used to alert and motivate the congregation; the letter writing took
place during the coffee hour.
Lisa reported
several interested findings. Congregants were willing to write
letters; they had about 85 letters mailed. Generally, people
don’t know who their state legislators are; the biggest challenge of
the morning was getting the correct legislators’ names on the
letters. It is fair to conclude that the average citizen doesn’t
contact their legislators about matters of concern to them. The
average citizen weren’t aware of the facts relating to the two topics
that St. Luke chose. The organizers of the event had sample
letters and fact sheets available for the letter writers. The
vast majority of the letter writers received written responses from
their legislators.
The event has
served to create some momentum at St. Luke. They had 7 people
attend the Interfaith Advocacy Day in Salem. They have another
letter writing event planned and they are sending two members to attend
the Evangelical Lutheran Church Advocacy day in Washington DC.
OFRAH
discussion: comments related to a need to influence youth our
role in civic and political activity; local TV coverage is woefully
short on matters of social concern (and long on local fires or
celebrity trials) and there is a need to help people learn how to write
letters and or testify or otherwise influence the legislative
process. The OFRAH website has resources available.
Steps
toward justice: Report on the Interfaith Advocacy Day
There were about 150 – 160 people from around Oregon who attended the
meeting. The training on how to talk with legislators effectively
was effective and helpful. Those attending were encouraged to
maintain their relationship with their legislators in writing by
carrying the advocacy message based on real life activity.
Attendees learned that it is possible for anyone (lay or clergy) to
provide the invocation for the start of each day’s sessions. This
means the vast majority of the members are in attendance, listening and
you have the microphone to politely share your message,
concisely. Go to Oregon.gov for information on how to volunteer
to invoke or on how to testify.
Payday Loan Legislation
SB 545 will be heard in committee on March 15, 2005 at 3pm with a work
session to follow. Concern people should contact their members
about this bill now, regardless of committee membership. OFRAH
attendees discussed the upcoming testimony since some of the attendees
will speak to the committee.
A good website on the issue of
payday loans is responsiblelending.org. Note: the FDIC
warned financial institutions about predatory lending practices, in a
notice the week of February 28, 2005.
OFRAH
Spring Event
The group agreed to take the steps necessary to
organize a spring (April/May) training session on hunger issues
including the scope of the efforts at front line agencies to get and
distribute food. The training will be targeted at lay and clergy
church leaders. A subgroup of those attending agreed to hold a
planning meeting on March 17, 2005 at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
Other
business
There was additional discussion of the Payday loan testimony.
The group learned of an effort at Holiday Park Plaza a retirement
facility in the Lloyd Center area of Portland. Members have
decided to take on working to influence the establishment and
advertising of the schools summer meals program. These residents
understand their efforts as a means to leave a legacy for the community.
Notes from John Elizalde, EMO's
Northeast Emergency Food Program, 503 284 5470
Handout from March 9 meeting
Friends
As a Roundtable, OFRAH makes
recommendations to its members. It is up to each of us in our
faith community and networks to decide whether to act on the
recommendations.
I am providing this informant to
you, to assist you. Background information and copies of SB 545
are available for you today. Among the public policy
recommendations that the Conveners have unanimously agreed to bring to
your attention is in regard to PAYDAY LOANS. Currently SB 545 is
scheduled to be heard by the Senate Commerce Committee, Tuesday march
15, at 3 pm.
NOW is when your representative
need to hear from you regarding this Bill and issue. If you are
unaware of your representatives’ names, or how to contact them, you can
go to the OFRAH website www.ofrah.org.
In the upper right corner, click on the Advocacy section. This
section of the website has provided a direct link to the State of
Oregon legislative contact process. Providing your zip
code, you will be informed of your representative and can send an email
message.
It is important to do this now,
and to continue contacts as this issue moves from the Senate to the
House. Is you receive a response, please let me know what they
have said. Forward the message to LutheranAdvocate@aol.com. I will forward it to the core group which
is coordinating support for SB545.
Norene Goplen
Minutes of OFRAH Roundtable
October 13, 2004, at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, Beaverton
Opening
Norene opened the meeting by sharing a poem on hunger, provided by
Patti Whitney-Wise.
Announcements
1. Community Faith Forum, Washington County, Wed, Oct 27,
8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Emily
circulated brochures.
2. Home
for Good in Oregon conference in Bend Oct 22-23. Oregon
Department of Corrections, re-entry
Issues. Faith organizations are invited to help integrate offenders back into society. Angie
3. Food
Bank Stats are now available. The Federal Hunger Report is
due out soon. Oregon is no
better than he has been, but some others states are getting bad also, so we may no longer rate at the very bottom.
Kim
4. Mayoral
Debate this Friday, with Emily moderating and Norene and David Leslie asking the questions. Noon, October 15th at
1st. Congregational Church, Portland.
Emily.
5. SCAT
program at St. Matthew's Lutheran. We were given a tour of the Christmas Box center and the Food Pantry of this
congregation.
6. Hunger
Teleconference was held last week in 10 sites around the state with
the Governor. Follow-up sessions
were held. Norene.
7. Hunger
Summit last week with legislators involved, including Rep. Scott,
who pledged action, and Rep. Hooley,
who was very supportive. Norene
8. Governor's
Hunger Summit tomorrow. Norene
9. Governor's
principles and Priorities are available on line – a huge document that is not user-friendly. Kim and Bob
10. Groups
have formed to assist with hunger and poverty. Issues include general assistance reinstatement, which OFRAH
supports. WARNING: Kim pointed out that just because it is a high priority for the governor
does not guarantee that the governor’s
budget will adequately fund this need.
11. Pay
Day Loans. The governor’s office probably will not forward a
bill on this matter, but they may
promote administrative rules to address this. A 50% interest cap was not accepted by legislature last
year. There is exploration of a process
to limit treadmill loans, but borrowers can simply turn
elsewhere. Pay Day Loans offer
(1) privacy—family and friends don’t need to know the borrower’s
crisis, and (2) quick funds—employers
are often unwilling to advance pay, and when they do, they often punish the borrower. POSSIBLE SOLUTION
– promote low-interest pay day loans,
such as through credit unions. NOTE: We need stories to
illustrate the horrors of Pay Day
Loans – stories that can be shared with legislators. Illustrate 500% - 1,200% loans.
Hunger
Fellows Dave and Erin reported.
Hunger fellows began in 1983 with the House Select Committee on
Hunger. 10 years later all
select committees ended. This led to a hunger strike which in
turn led to the Congressional Hunger
Center (non-profit, independent). It receives some federal funds. And has two programs for fellows
Lealand Fellows – 2 years, (one
international, one in D.C.)
Emerson Fellows – 1 year, (6 mo in the
field, 6 mo in D.C.)
Erin is Emerson Hunger Fellow for OFRAH, David is Emerson Hunger Fellow
for Oregon Food Bank.
Bread for
the World Mike Hiland is a volunteer for BFW, a 30
year old organization that writes
letters to congress. Each year, they focus on one issue.
Recent issues have been
international, next year will be domestic. They recognize that
private relief is good because it is
flexible, but public relief is necessary because the government has the major resources (deep pockets).
There will be an Oregon BFW letter writing conference next year
with the goal of training folks so
they can go back into their churches and teach them.
Harvest of
Hope Breakfast Emily circulated the invitation
brochure and encouraged everyone to
share them with their congregations and other contacts. Norene
urged membership recruitment, as this
is when we will officially adopt the bylaws and thus have our list of charter members.
Closing
Norene closed at 11:10 a.m.
Oregon Faith Roundtable
Against Hunger
September 8, 2004
Jewish Federation of Portland
I. Announcements
Patti Whitney-Wise describe the meeting with Senator Gordon Smith's
congressional aide on hunger, Elizabeth MacDonald.
Patti also
described a meeting with Erinn Kelly-Siel of the Governor's staff
regarding the 2004 Harvest of Hope events. She announced several
proposed events & dates in October including the Governor to
address the Hunger Relief Task Force. Specific events will be emailed
to OFRAH recipients once final details are available.
Cassandra
Garrison explained the Oregon Food Bank's Food Security Chain Project
that will ask people build to help build a paper chain to present to
the State Capitol. This is a visible way to highlight the important
community links that people in poverty need, as well as the impact when
those links are gone.
II.Welcome to
Hunger Fellows: Erin Hoekstra & Dave Pedula
III.
Blessing: Pastor Kurt Rizer led a prayer about power.
IV. Root Causes
of Hunger
Norene Goplen described three policy recommendations that address root
causes of hunger. The recommendations are from conveners.
---- Support the "Act to End Hunger" as developed by the Hunger Relief
Task Force.
---- Restore funding for the General Assistance Program.
---- A recommendation being considered is to support an Oregon Food
Policy Council.
V. Oregon Food
Policy Council Proposal
Participants were asked to share their comments on the draft
statement.
Patti explained the work of one of the Hunger Action Teams connected to
the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force. The work is a proposal for a
Oregon Food Policy Council. The council will develop guide
government decision-making related to food issues, guide purchasing and
practices regarding regionally produced foods, and provide coordination
among local food policy councils.
VI. Harvest of
Hope Breakfast
The breakfast will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the First United
Methodist Church in Portland on November 4th. The keynote speaker
will be U.S. Senator Gordon Smith. There will be table displays
as well as profiles of emergency food recipients.
Nominations for the Harvest of Hope Awards should be sent to Emily
Gottfried by Oct 1. gottfriede@ajc.org
Nominations for three new convenors should be sent to Bob Castagna at rcastagna@archd-pdx.org by
Oct 1.
Kim Thomas and
Don Shaw will work with Phillip Kennedy-Wong on developing hunger
profiles for different regions of the state. Cassandra
volunteered a visual prop that could be used for the breakfast as an
educational tool. The prop would help explain the cost of living
for people, especially those with little means.
VI. OFRAH
Website
Pastor Rizer announced that calendar items can be submitted to him for
posting on the website. He can be e-mailed at kurtrizer@aol.com.
There were several
announcements by attendees before the meeting adjourned.
Minutes of previous meetings