Take Action

Strategies & Resources

Offering of Letters Strategies for Your Church or Campus

Attend a Local Offering of Letters Workshop. Learn about the campaign and how to plan an Offering of Letters in your faith community. Check Bread for the World's events calendar for workshop dates and locations. Most workshops happen from January to April. If you cannot make it to a local event, consider attending a "virtual" Offering of Letters workshop. Bread for the World will be offering these free workshops online and by conference call. All you need is a phone line and an (optional) internet connection. Check www.bread.org/events for more details.

Visit Our Web Site and Bread Blog. We're constantly updating this Web site to bring you the most recent campaign news, sample letters, resources, and more. We also have an active blog. Visit Bread blog for innovative ideas, inspiration, to post your own comments (we read them!), and to help your congregation or group know how the campaign is going.

Connect your Offering to the education and worship in your church. Use the resources in this kit to help.

Pray regularly for the world's people to have enough food, good health, and the means to lift themselves out of poverty. Also pray for our elected officials to stand up for people struggling with hunger and poverty.

What More Can You Do?

• Call your senators and representative
  Why call? Because it works. Connect by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Occasionally, we also open a special, toll-free number to Congress. Tell them what you would like to see them do to end hunger. Sign up for Bread for the World's "Quickline," a telephone and email notification system to learn when an urgent call to Congress is needed. Subscribe by checking the box next to "Quickline" to join our online community.
  
  
• Organize a lobby visit
  Politicians do not like saying "no" to their constituents. Most members of Congress are regularly in their home states, particularly around congressional recesses. Organize a group of Bread members, local faith leaders, and local organizations for a visit. If the member of Congress is not available, request a conference call with the congressional staff in Washington that handles foreign affairs. Some local offices even have "teleconference" capabilities.
  
  
• Do some sleuthing
  Why will your senator or representative care about global poverty? There's a reason for just about everyone, though some may not know it yet. Start by "Googling" around on issues of concern to them. Once you have determined their specific concerns, seek to respond in your communications with them.
  
  
• Write a letter to the editor or an opinion piece (op-ed) or meet with your local newspaper's editorial board. Visit our Get Involved: In the Media section for ideas and help.
  
  
• Start or join a local Bread for the World group
  Meet with others to study the issues, build a broader movement, and advance hunger advocacy.
  
  
• Multiply
  Speak and recruit other activists at other local churches, ecumenical gatherings, or other relevant events.
  
  
• For more in-depth ideas, contact your Bread regional organizer.