Pepsi is giving millions of dollars in grants to fund ideas that will refresh the world. Each month a different group of ideas submitted from all across the nation are voted on in different categories. The ideas that get the most votes are given money to help fulfill their goals. Society of St. Andrew’s (SoSA) hunger relief ministry is in the September voting cycle in the “Food & Shelter” category, $250,000 level. You can help feed the hungry by voting for SoSA. Starting Sept. 1, go to SoSA’s Web site, www.endhunger.org, and click on the “Pepsi Refresh Project” button. You’ll be taken directly to SoSA’s listing, where you can vote once each day throughout the month.

Hunger is a year-in-year-out problem. But during September hunger advocates, agencies and alliances across the country work together to focus attention on the issue of hunger in America. 

Make no mistake – there is hunger in this, the wealthiest nation on the planet! Some 49 million Americans now live with food insecurity – the situation in which one never knows from day to day if they will have enough food for their children and themselves. And this plight is exacerbated by the nationwide depression affecting just about everyone.

September is “National Hunger Action Month,” which offers the opportunity for your church to become more aware of the need that exists right in your own communities and all across the land, and to rise to the challenge of feeding the hungry.

The Society of St. Andrew is providing a variety of free, ready-to-used resources to motivate church congregations to step out on faith to follow Jesus’ commands concerning the poor and hungry. These resources can be used in September or anytime during the year to raise hunger awareness and to call your congregation to action. The resources include: scripture readings related to hunger, poverty and justice; five sample sermons; prayers; a prayer calendar; litany; dramatic reading; bulletin insert; “feed my sheep” art; U.S. and world hunger fact sheets; and steps to fight hunger.  The prayer calendar is specially designed as a way to help your congregation get personally engaged, through prayer and action, in the mission of helping our brothers and sisters who are hungry and to work for an end to the needless injustice of hunger.

 All of these resources are available for free download at http://www.endhunger.org/hunger_action-month.htm or by contacting the Rev. Jennifer Vestal Moore at the Society of St. Andrew at 800-333-4597 or church@endhunger.org

There is still time to sign up for the following events:

Intergenerational Weekends

Fincastle, VA.............September 24-26

Dahlonega, GA..............October 15-17

Palmyra, PA..................October 22-24

College & Young Adult Weekend

Keezletown, VA.................October 1-2

Harvest of Hope is the Society of St. Andrew's dynamic mission-retreat program that focuses on hunger and hunger related issues. Gleaning, education, and fellowship are the basis for these week-long or weekend events.

For more information, contact Scott Briggs, Harvest of Hope Director: Email or call 800-333-4597.