FOCUS Alert

April 12, 2013

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Ecumenical Advocacy Days A Place at the Table Domestic Violence Workshop: April 13 The Feinstein Challenge Easter Dawn Photos Take Action

1. Ecumenical Advocacy Days

A gathering of over 750 representing faith communities around the countrymeet in Washington DC to advocate for food justice.

April 8, FOCUS met with the staff of Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Tonko. The purpose of the visits were to advocate for multi-year reauthorization of a farm bill that supports conservation, alleviates hunger and malnutrition, and builds local food systems. If your congregation is interested in learning more about Ecumenical Advocacy Days, contact FOCUS at info@focuschurches.net . FOCUS can provide an EAD 2013 Report, and advocacy opportunities.

2. A Place at the Table

What does hunger look like in the United States?

A Place at the Table, a new eye-opening documentary, answers that question through the lives of three people. Barbie, a young Philadelphia mother, fights to make ends meet and break the cycle of poverty. Rosie, an imaginative fifthgrader, tries to distract her mind from hunger pangs as she learns and grows in rural Colorado. And Tremonica, a sunny Mississippi second-grader, struggles with health problems caused by the poor nutritional value of the food that her mother can afford. Their stories reveal the depth of the hunger crisis in America and the factors that drive it. The film also shows that we have made progress against hunger in the pastand that we can do it again.

The next local showing:

4/18/2013 at 7 PM
The Linda WAMC Click here for info on WAMCs web site.

3. Domestic Violence Workshop: Tomorrow

Saturday, April 13th, 2013
Time: Registration at 9:30 am; Program from 10 am-1 pm Site: Emmanuel Baptist Church, 275 State St., Albany NY 12210 Free Parking: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 85 Chestnut Street. Light refreshments provided!

This free half day conference is an opportunity for faith leaders in the Capital Region to discuss how to improve their faith communitys response to domestic violence. It is an event dedicated to the memory of Tonette Thomas, murdered on Nov. 26, about a mile from the site of this workshop. Contact Karen.Ziegler@albanycounty.com for more info and registration.
Sponsored by: Healing Hearts Ministry, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Westminster Presbyterian Church of Albany, African American Cultural Center of Capital Region, Inc.; Albany County Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (ACCADA), Albany Presbytery, AVillage, The Capital Area Council of Churches, Capital Region Theological Center, Equinox Domestic Violence Services, and FOCUS

4. The Feinstein Challenge

FOCUS Interfaith Food Pantry is officially a part of the 2013 Feinstein Challenge!
FOCUS will receive a percentage of $1 Million that philanthropist Alan Shawn Feinstein contributes to organizations nationwide to alleviate hunger. Now to April 30, all donations, contributions, cash and food items brought into the pantry will count toward the challenge. Each item donated will count as $1.00.

D O N AT E

Please spread the word! If you are planning on making a contribution to the Interfaith Food Pantry, & soup kitchen please do so before April 30.

5. Easter Dawn Photos

E A S T E R D AW N

8. Take Action

Call House Members Urge them to cosponsor Rep. James McGoverns House Resolution 90. What is it? It is a resolution that urges House members to stand against any and all cuts to SNAP in the farm bill. Hear Rep. McGovern talk about the End Hunger Now campaign (VIDEO).

Read more about what our Senators are doing on behalf of hungry people.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrands letter to fully fund the SNAP program (pdf) in the upcoming farm bill. Click here to see the current list of co-sponsors, including Senator Schumer.

House Directory

Engage your congregation in the Offering of Letters

The Offering of Letters is a campaign promoted by Bread for the World. Together, we write members of Congress to advocate for policies that help end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Click here to read more about the Offering of Letters and how to begin!

Did you know that FOCUS has a presence on the web on our website, Facebook, and Scribd? Find us online today!
www.focuschurches.net

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