Help Stop Hunger

A Service Opportunity for Students

Hunger is a pressing problem in the world and in our local community. Make a real difference.

1. Come by the Etc. Coffeehouse at Wesley Sunday, September 6 between 12:30 and 2:30pm and help us make 10000 Crosses.
2. Help us at our display on the Quad this Wednesday, September 9 (First 20 volunteers get T-shirts.)
   8-9a Setup the crosses on the Quad out in front of Lincoln Hall. Everyone is welcome to come plant the crosses.
   9-11a Host Table
   11a-1p Host Table
   1-3p Host Table
   3-5p Host Table
   4 Clean up

A number of Campus Ministries across the state of Illinois will be setting up displays on campus' highlighting how many persons die of hunger every day. Approximately 25,000 persons die of hunger and hunger related causes every day (Source: The State of Food Insecurity in the World, FAO). We will have a display set up on the quad with 9,000 little tombs (popsicle stick crosses, stars and crescents) representing the number of persons who died "Last Night as you were Sleeping." The goal of the display is three fold:

1. To raise awareness about the extent of hunger in the World, in the United States and in Champaign County.
2. To "Rethink" the root causes of hunger primarily war (international) and financial distress (US, often brought on by sudden job loss or medical crises.)
3. Invite students, faculty and staff to make positive steps to alleviate hunger.

We will be passing out fliers that on one side will share statistical information about hunger and its causes and on the other side will suggest practical steps that persons can take to make a real difference.

Still working on the list but it will be something like:

• Write your congressman or representative to support "The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004" that will be up for renewal this coming session of congress AND sign up on Feeding America http://www.hungeractioncenter.org to support future hunger initiatives. Find your representatives at congress.org!
• Sponsor a child through an agency. Such as World Vision, Compassion International or Holt Child Services.
• Help at a local food pantry with contact information for Salt and Light, TIMES Center and Wesley Food Pantry.
• Volunteer information will be available for the Wesley Foundation Food Pantry on the 3rd Thursday each month (It's right on campus and serving over 1000 persons each month.
• Create a fund raiser to support a Food Pantry or Soup Kitchen.
• Or Volunteer or attend the Haunted House for Wesley Food Pantry
• MULTIPLY YOUR EFFECTIVENESS. AFTER YOU CHOOSE TO HELP IN SOME WAY RECRUIT AT LEAST TWO OTHER PERSONS TO HELP.

The list is still in process but I want real hands on things that students can commit to.