Teaching the waste not, want not approach
John Arnolds is executive director of Second Harvest Gleaners Food Bank of West Michigan. His program provides about 68,000 pounds of food every day to 1,150 charitable agencies in 40 Michigan counties. John Arnolds has become a leader in education and advocacy for the “waste not, want not” strategy.

This strategy is the fruit of research conducted and funded by Michigan State University and a Heart of West Michigan United Way grant. Studies by the Waste Not Want Not Project have revealed that the gap between resources and unmet needs is a result of how resources are distributed. "Waste not, want not" recommends meeting the needs of the hungry through accessible food pantries that offer a wide variety of foods, and food banks, not grocery stores, that serve as distribution points.



Here are just a few tactics to consider as we work to turn the system around:

1. Access: Is your food pantry close to public transportation? Are the hours convenient? Are the pantry's clients treated in a respectful and welcoming manner? May they shop as often as they need to, or are they limited to weekly visits? (Think about it: How often do you stop by the grocery store?)

2. Fund drive, not food drive: “Canned food drives cannot end hunger in America—they don’t leverage enough resources,” Arnold reports in “Charity Food Programs That Can End Hunger in America”. Perhaps someone who is willing to donate a few cans of food would be just as willing to donate $5. “Giving in ways that are easy to document for tax deduction purposes can drive down the community-wide bottom line cost of ending hunger by up to 25 percent,” he writes.

3. Food banks, not grocery stores: Food banks are one of America’s best-kept secrets, Arnold claims. “Every community in America is served by a food bank or a food rescue organization that is a member of America’s Second Harvest, The Nation’s Food Bank Network.” When you buy your food from a food bank (and you can) instead of a grocery store, you pay far less. The choices are not as varied as a supermarket, but the food bank has the necessities. Find your area’s America’s Second Harvest member.

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“I found myself homeless unexpectedly,” said Tammy J. of Cincinnati, Ohio, who recently used the services of Family Promise. “I’m a college graduate, and I have two young daughters and a third child on the way. What I liked about our hosts in the network is that they treated me like a person, not a statistic. They understand that we’re real people with real feelings in situations that we didn’t plan on being in.”

For various reasons, many families find themselves without a place to sleep or food to eat or hope for the future. That’s when Family Promise steps in. Through its Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN), Family Promise offers homeless and low-income families lodging, food, and the opportunity to break free from dire economic situations.

IHN brings together clergy and congregations of all faiths who offer overnight accomodations in their own buildings. ELCA congregations play a significant role in the national IHN program, which currently involves 110,000 volunteers in 123 cities in 39 states.

Volunteers turn classrooms into bedrooms for the families and stay with them through the night. They serve home-cooked meals, assist children with homework, and help parents get back on their feet economically. Unlike other shelters that separate women and men, IHN facilities help families stay together.

IHN volunteers have created programs to help families beyond their immediate need for food and shelter. These include transitional housing, job and life skills training, budgeting and banking assistance, and more.

Trying poverty on for size
To help IHN volunteers understand the root causes of poverty and homelessness, Family Promise has developed a nine-session, multimedia program called Just Neighbors. Through interactive exercises, participants "walk in the shoes" of low-income families. They gain a better understanding of the truths and myths about poverty and are motivated to advocate for public policies that assist families in need.

Just Neighbors was developed for IHN congregations and volunteers, but word of its effectiveness soon spread to other non-profit organizations, schools, and religious institutions. Habitat for Humanity uses it as part of its ongoing training program, and educators from grade schools to graduate schools have praised its content and approach.

In the past year, the ELCA has sponsored two Just Neighbors retreat weekends. One Just Neighbors session became the basis for an all-day simulation of what happens to a town when a large business shuts down, was offered during a Global Mission Event July 28 in Amherst, Massachusetts. With the assistance of a grant from the ELCA, Family Promise has updated its Just Neighbors Web site.

Family Promise continues to expand
The Interfaith Advocacy Program, the newest Family Promise initiative, creates networks of advocates across the country. These advocates work with local, state, and national organizations to develop public policies that benefit low-income families, such as minimum wage bills and housing trust funds.

Want to learn more? Find out more about Family Promise.

Mary Lou McKinley lives in New York.
 

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