By Robin Stephenson
On the eve of the new year, many of us are thinking about our resolution lists. Resolutions remind us of changes we want to make, but are often focused inwardly.
As Christians we are called to a relationship with others, to walk humbly and seek justice. We are called to look outward and ask what we can do to realize God’s vision for the world.
The past year at Bread, we have organized ourselves around three principles: prayer, action, and giving. These principles are mechanisms of change – change that can end hunger.
Below is a short list of hunger-ending resolutions and we invite you to add to your 2016 resolutions.
- Commit to Pray and join thousands of others in Bread’s network praying to end hunger by 2030.
- Call or write your members of Congress on each Bread action alert and encourage three more friends to join you. Include a monthly action in your church bulletin.
- Organize an Offering of Letters in your church, community, or on your campus.
- Make hunger an elections issue. Use Bread for the World resources and ensure candidates in your state are talking about hunger and poverty.
- Build relationships and partnerships with people who experience hunger or tell your own story. Volunteering or taking a mission trip are both ways to get more involved with hunger in your community and abroad.
- Become a Bread leader. Talk to your regional organizer about how you can up your involvement a notch in 2016. Check out the grassroots tool kit for tips on setting up an in-district meeting or attending a town hall.
- Start a study group in your church or community. Bread Institute’s 2016 Hunger Report: The Nourishing Effect includes a Christian Study Guide.
- Become a member and add Bread for the World to your list of charitable giving. Help power our work to end hunger in 2016 and beyond.
Ending hunger is possible, especially if we resolve to do it. May the new year bring you joy and peace – and many opportunities to pray, act, and give.
Robin Stephenson is the national lead for social media and a senior regional organizer at Bread for the World.
Photo: Volunteers at “The Table,” a market-style food pantry at St. George’s Episcopal Church in Fredericksburg, Va. Joseph Molieri/Bread for the World.
