Bread for the World "Gets Into Your Heart"

Joe Martingale joined Bread for the World more than 22 years ago. Having previously served as member of Bread for the World's board of directors – where he chaired the Finance and Administration Committee and served as Treasurer -- he was recently reelected to the board and will begin his new term next year. He is also a generous financial contributor to our work.

"Bread for the World just draws you in…. Once Bread gets under your skin and into your heart, there's not much you can do,” Joe says.

"I'm involved in a lot of volunteer activities," he continues, "and I relish all of them. But there's no denying that Bread for the World is special. Improving our government's policies on hunger is more effective than direct service can be. We are working directly for those who would otherwise have no voice."

Bread for the World's former Northeast regional organizer, Jim Stipe, worked closely with Joe for years. "Joe is deeply committed to speaking out on behalf of hungry and poor people. He combines his Christian faith and his care for poor people with thoughtfulness, passion and integrity. He keeps going, even when it’s hard. For example, Joe’s representative in Congress is not very open to Bread for the World’s anti-hunger legislation, yet year after year Joe faithfully meets with him. Joe represents the best of Bread for the World members."

Joe finds our annual Lobby Day especially important.

"It's good to actually walk around Congress trying to see our elected representatives,” he says. “Bread for the World members know that we have to keep the faith. It's so important that we just have to keep at it. When we go to talk to them, I think it helps that we're not in there asking for something for selfish reasons. And it certainly helps that other Bread for the World members – hundreds of constituents – feel strongly enough about hunger initiatives that they've written to their representative about it. You know that somewhere in that office, those letters are there, and that member of Congress keeps hearing about our issues.

"Bread for the World's mission is not about ourselves, but about actually getting something done. It's a powerful, spiritual and effective way to work on a problem like hunger."

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