National Hunger Awareness Day:
A day for Christians to uphold those in need.

Society of St. Andrew offers free church resource packet.

BIG ISLAND, VA – National Hunger Awareness Day is the grassroots movement to raise awareness about the solvable problem of hunger in America. Now in its fourth year, this day serves as a platform for domestic hunger-relief organizations to raise awareness about hunger in America and the work they do.

Hunger Awareness Day is also the day when the faith community is called to uplift the poor, the hurting and the hungry throughout this nation of incredible abundance. The Society of St. Andrew has prepared a packet of resource materials for churches to use as they observe Hunger Awareness Day and engage their congregations in helping the poor and hungry in their own communities.

The Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600) is a partner sponsor of Hunger Awareness Day, which is observed on the first Tuesday of June each year. This year it will be held on June 7th. A variety of activities are being planned by partner sponsors, other groups, and individuals to observe the day locally and nationally. Activities are listed at the National Hunger Awareness Day web site at www.hungerday.org.

In conjunction with National Hunger Awareness Day, the Society of St. Andrew will host dozens of gleaning events and engage thousands of local volunteers to glean excess but nutritious produce and distribute it to thousands of feeding agencies nationwide. Society of St. Andrew is a national faith-based nonprofit organization salvaging fresh produce that will go to waste and donating it to food banks, church pantries, soup kitchens and other agencies that feed the hungry.

To guide and assist churches in their observance of Hunger Awareness Day, the Society of St. Andrew’s free church resource packet includes: Bulletin insert with responsive reading and information about Hunger Awareness Day; a sample sermon titled “NIMBY”; sample Children’s Time presentation; a short skit that could be done by several youth; sample Call To Worship, Prayer of Confession, and list of scriptures that direct us to care for the poor; and a bulletin insert presenting a Hunger Awareness Day Fast. These materials are available at no charge from the Society of St. Andrew or they can be downloaded in PDF format from the Society’s web site.

Also available from the Society of St. Andrew is a new 12-unit Hunger Bible Study and its very popular and successful Vacation Bible School hunger mission program. The VBS materials are free; the Hunger Bible Study is available in hard copy for a donation of $10, on CD for a donation of $5, or it can be downloaded free from the web site.

Churches are encouraged to help build awareness of hunger in the U.S. and what we, as Christians and the faith community, can do about it. Contact the Society of St. Andrew: call toll free 1-800-333-4597; email church@endhunger.org; online at www.endhunger.org.

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