Below is a speech that Ms. Olson gave at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Service in May of 2011.
Showing posts with label albuquerque. Show all posts
Showing posts with label albuquerque. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 1, 2016
Family Promise Founder to Speak at Grand Opening of New Day Center in Albuquerque
0Below is a speech that Ms. Olson gave at the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Service in May of 2011.
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Dominican Leadership Conference Representative at UN to Speak in Albuquerque about Pope Francis Encyclical on the Environment
0
Sister Margaret Mayce, OP, the NGO (non-governmental organization) representative for the Dominican Leadership Conference at the UN, is the featured speaker at the monthly presentation sponsored by the Dominican Ecclesial Institute (D+E+I) in Albuquerque on Sunday, October 25, 1:00 -3:00 PM,UNM Continuing Education Building, 1634 University Blvd. NE (map).
The topic of Sister Margarets address is "Sustaining God’s Creation," continuing with the D+E+Is reflections on Pope Francis’ encyclical on the environment Laudato Si.
Sister Margarets work with worldwide governmental representatives on environmental issues will give a broad dimension to the crisis the Pope addresses in his encyclical.
Sister Margaret has also worked on other issues at the UN, including womens rights. Here is a piece that she wrote in February of this year.
If you plan to attend the talk, please RSVP to: contact@deiabq.org or 505-243-0525
Free to D+E+I members; others $10 free-will offering is appreciated.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Interfaith Procession and Candlelight Prayer for UN Climate Meeting Scheduled for Monday November 30 in Albuquerque
0
Even as the world is reeling from the violence in Paris, World Leaders from more than 150 nations prepare for the UN Climate Change meeting in Paris, November 30-December 11. An unprecedented number of leaders of religious traditions, including Pope Francis, the Dalai Lama and Muslim and Jewish world leaders are calling all people to act for climate justice. They will offer a moral voice to public officials as they meet to agree to an international agreement.
Order of evening:
*Procession calling to mind the many climate refugees
*Candle light prayer in Immaculate Conception with music, sacred dance, prayers by major religious tradition representatives, blessing of those going to Paris and blessing of those representing organizations that will be in Paris, call to action.
Co-sponsors: New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, New Mexico Conference of Churches, New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps, Bread for the World-New Mexico, Catholic Charities of Central New Mexico, Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe, and others.
For more information contact Sister Joan Brown (joan@nm-ipl.org).
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Videos from Interfaith Vigil in Old Town Albuquerque
0
A couple of days ago we posted a few images and quotes from the program at the Interfaith Vigil in Old Town in Albuquerque on the eve of Pope Francis Address to Congress on Sept. 24. Here are a couple of videos from the same event
Sister Joan Brown welcomes participants and urges us to reach out to one another in the spirit of Pope Francis
Donna Detweiler and Rev. Anita Amstutz led participants in the Interfaith Vigil in Old Town Albuquerque on Sept. 23, 2015, in "This is My Song of Peace" by Jan Sibelius
Sister Joan Brown welcomes participants and urges us to reach out to one another in the spirit of Pope Francis
Donna Detweiler and Rev. Anita Amstutz led participants in the Interfaith Vigil in Old Town Albuquerque on Sept. 23, 2015, in "This is My Song of Peace" by Jan Sibelius
Sunday, May 8, 2016
A Free Healthy Meal Seven Days a Week for Children and Youth in Albuquerque
0
The cafeteria is located on level 5-2, north side of the hospital, located at 1100 Central Ave. SE (map)
No identification is necessary, and any child or youth of 3-18 years of age qualifies.
You will need to order from a cashier and sign a log showing that you received a meal. The meal must be eaten at the hospital. A voucher is not necessary.
The program is sponsored by Presbyterian Community Health.
Thursday, April 28, 2016
Where Can You Help Out This Thanksgiving in Albuquerque
0
Every year at this time, Albuquerqueans call up social service agencies asking where they can serve Thanksgiving dinner, a way to give back to those who are less fortunate materially than they are. They may want to involve the whole family.
The truth is, the places that serve Thanksgiving dinner do not have to look for volunteers to serve the meal -- they already have more people offering to serve than they have places on the buffet line.
However, each year La Mesa Presbyterian Church, 7401 Copper Ave. NE (map), which serves a HUGE Thanksgiving meal, is looking for people to help with set-up, clean-up, and delivery of meals to people who are homebound. You can call the church office, 255-8095, and ask: “What can I do to help you out on Thanksgiving Day?”
Also each year, there is a huge project you can get involved with that provides food boxes to approximately 100 families during Thanksgiving week, when many students have inadequate nutrition while school is closed for the holiday. The project is directed by Help Equals Hope, a program of the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization called Americas Children. Visit their website to learn more about this organization. They work with teachers, principals, shelters and social workers to identify those they know who are in need of a Thanksgiving Week food box.
How can you help? By donating Smith’s or other grocery store gift cards for the purchase of turkeys and other food items – OR – by donating non-perishable food items and taking them to one of the five designated drop-off locations:
- !Explora! at 1701 Mountain Rd. NW (map);
- GN Services, Inc. at 1425 Carlisle NE (map);
- Sports…Décor & More! at 1001 Yale Blvd. SE, Unit K (map) ;
- Sol Acting Academy at 5500 San Mateo NE, #114 (map);
- Outcomes, Inc. at 1503 University Blvd. NE (map).
Food items requested: turkeys, stuffing, sweet potatoes, potatoes, canned vegetables, cranberry sauce, bread/rolls, chile, olives, rice, cereal, beans, gravy mix, desserts, drink mix, etc.
The easiest way to help organizers get enough turkeys is to buy a gift card at Smiths, Walmart, John Brooks or Albertsons, and drop it off at one of the five drop-off sites or mail it to:
Help Equals Hope
P.O. Box 66765
Albuquerque, NM 87193
Include a note saying “this is for the Thanksgiving food drive.”
Each year Help Equals Hope also holds a school supply drive in August, providing backpacks of school supplies for children whose parents cant afford to purchase them, and they gather monetary and in-kind donations year-round.
(The author worked at St. Martins Hospitality Center for 21 years, including her role as client advocate for much of that time. She continues to network with colleagues in homeless services).
Sunday, April 24, 2016
Albuquerque Offering of Letters Workshop on March 12
0
This years letter-writing campaign, entitled "Survive and Thrive," urges Congress to prioritize support for global maternal and child health programs, emphasizing nutrition. We will view the video for this years campaign, review resource materials and answer questions.
Our featured speaker is Hellen M. Mbithi, a pediatric nurse at the University of New Mexicos Childrens Hopsital. Hellen, a member of St. John XXIII Catholic Community in Albuquerque, was born and raised in the small village of Ngai, in the Eastern Province of Kenya(See her full biography below). She will tell us more about how a lack of nutrition in for mothers and infants can impact the development of children. Hellen wil also tell us about the challenges of rural communities like hers in finding adequate health care, and how she is working to improve access to medical care in Ngai.
In 2015, 20 churches in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Gallup and Truchas participated in our Offering of Letters, generating more than 2,000 letters to Congress on an initiative to renew the Child Nutrition Act and protect feeding programs for children. We hope to match or increase the numbers this year, both in terms of the number of participating churches and the number of letters generated to Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Rep. Steve Pearce, Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, Sen. Tom Udall, and Sen. Martin Heinrich. We have created an Event on Facebook for the Offering of Letters workshop.
Hellen M. Mbithi was born and raised in the small village of Ngai, in the Eastern Province of Kenya, in Eastern Africa. After completing secondary school, she travelled to the capital city of Nairobi to train as a nurse. After graduating with an associate’s degree in nursing from the Cicely McDonnell School of Nursing in 2003, Hellen worked as a Registered Nurse and Midwife. She worked at Nairobi Hospital and Muthale Mission Hospital between 2003-2006.
In 2007 Hellen journeyed to the United States and after passing the NCLEX started working as a RN in Texas. She later worked as a travel nurse visiting several states specializing in dialysis.
In 2009, Hellen was attracted to the warm desert climate of New Mexico. She began working at Fresenius Medical care in 2009. Since 2010, she has also worked in pediatric infusion and dialysis at The University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital. Hellen enjoys taking care of both adults and pediatric patients, compassionately helping those with acute and chronic renal conditions.
Hellen has a passion to help the poor and the sick. Having lived in Kenya most of her life, Hellen knows first-hand what it feels like to go to bed on an empty stomach. This first hand experience inspires her to work hard to bring needed changes in her village. Having witnessed so many children die of malnutrition, and having witnessed pregnant mothers or their babies being lost in childbirth - Hellen has a passion to save lives as a nurse and a midwife.
Friday, April 22, 2016
Tavis Smiley Foundation to Hold Forum in Albuquerque on Immigration and Poverty
0
Smiley, in conversation with a multidisciplinary panel of local and national experts, has created a forum to examine poverty in America, and its connection to the labor market and immigration. The local panel will explore related issues, including education, health, homelessness, foreclosure, national security, the prison industrial complex and other issues. Panelists will also discuss ways to empower those living in poverty to become their own best advocates through civic action.
The panelists:
- Dr. Jozi De Leon: Vice President for Equity and Inclusion/Chief Diversity Officer, University of New Mexico
- Gabriel R. Sanchez, Ph.D.: Executive Director, Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Center for Health Policy, and Associate Professor of Political Science
- Dr. Veronica Garcia: Executive Director, New Mexico Voices for Children
- Antoinette Sedillo Lopez: Executive Director, Enlace Comunitario
- Yvette Kaufman-Bell: Executive Director, New Mexico Office of African-American Affairs
Check-in begins at 6:00 pm
6:00pm - 8:30 pm: Opportunity Marketplace
7:00pm - 8:30 pm: Town Hall Discussion
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Food Prescription Program Comes to Albuquerque
0
“I would rather see health care in the grocery store than in the pharmacy.” -David Perry, program director, Zenger Farms, Portland, Oregon
“Food should be considered a treatment option for our patients,” -Lee Hammerling, MD, chief medical officer and chief physician executive, ProMedica, Toledo, Ohio
Food Prescription programs make it easier for low-income patients and their families to access the fresh fruits and vegetables they need in order to ensure that they are eating balanced, healthy diets. The programs generally begin with a partnership between a hospital and a local farmer’s market or CSA (community supported agriculture) to increase access for people who need access to nutritious food to improve their health.
"Although Food Prescription programs are relatively new, pilot programs have shown promising results in improving health outcomes in communities where they have been implemented," wrote Molly Miller in an article published by Stakeholder Health in 2014.
According to Miller, there is already some evidence that the food prescription programs are working. She notes that the The Fresh Prescription Program, which seeks to build partnerships between the local food system, the healthcare system, and low-income patients in the Detroit area, has shown some signs of promise. See above video about the Community Health and Social Services (CHASS) Center.
Roadrunner Food Bank Opens Healthy Foods Center
In Albuquerque, Roadrunner Food Bank has launched a food prescription pilot program in partnership with five local clinics. The program has been in place for several months but was only announced to the general public on Feb. 11 at the grand opening of the Healthy Food Center, located at the food bank, 5840 Office NE. Read more in Albuquerque Journal.
The health partners participating in the program are three Community Dental Services clinics and two University of New Mexico Hospital clinics. Here is how it works: the five clinics do a sort of triage among their patients. "Patients are asked about their food situation. If they answer in a way that indicates they aren’t getting enough to eat or are skipping meals, the health care partner issues a ‘prescription’ to come here,” said Alissa Barnes, Roadrunner Food Bank’s director of community initiatives.
The prescription provides for one weekly trip to the Healthy Foods Center for a year, where the clients can “choose the products that are right for their home,” Barnes said. The caveat: only clients with these referrals can get food from the on-site pantry.
As the name of the program implies, the focus of the program is entirely on health. “We have a lot of patients with Type II Diabetes, so we don’t offer them anything with added sugar. For those with hypertension, we offer them the low-sodium vegetables. For those with vitamin D deficiencies, we offer more whole grains, tuna fish, and milk so they can get that extra Vitamin D," said Angela Smith, a diet technician with Promedica, a health care provider in Toledo, Ohio. Read more about Promedicas Food Pharmacy.
Working Together
Promedica has partnered with the Alliance to End Hunger and several local health care providers around the country to examine the connections between health and hunger. The two organizations held a conference on this topic in partnership with Presbyterian Community Health in June, 2015. One of the keynote speakers was Ambassador Tony Hall, director emeritus of the Alliance to End Hunger. Other cities have hosted similar conferences, including Columbus, Ohio last fall.
The partnerships between health care providers and CSAs has worked well in other parts of the country. In Portland, Zenger Farm partnered with Multnomah County Health Department and the National College of Natural Medicine in a program that was started in 2014.
According to Barnes, Roadrunner Food Banks pilot program in Albuquerque will continue to the end of the year, and then “other health care clinics will be slowly rolled in.” The Healthy Foods Center will eventually incorporate other services, including immunizations, tax preparation, nutrition education and health screenings, she said.
Presbyterian Community Health, which recently recently launched a program offering a free healthy meal to children and youth seven days a week, is likely to join the food prescription effort in a more direct way soon. The program has already created a strong partnership with La Cosecha CSA. (See more in this video).
“Food should be considered a treatment option for our patients,” -Lee Hammerling, MD, chief medical officer and chief physician executive, ProMedica, Toledo, Ohio
Food Prescription programs make it easier for low-income patients and their families to access the fresh fruits and vegetables they need in order to ensure that they are eating balanced, healthy diets. The programs generally begin with a partnership between a hospital and a local farmer’s market or CSA (community supported agriculture) to increase access for people who need access to nutritious food to improve their health.
"Although Food Prescription programs are relatively new, pilot programs have shown promising results in improving health outcomes in communities where they have been implemented," wrote Molly Miller in an article published by Stakeholder Health in 2014.
According to Miller, there is already some evidence that the food prescription programs are working. She notes that the The Fresh Prescription Program, which seeks to build partnerships between the local food system, the healthcare system, and low-income patients in the Detroit area, has shown some signs of promise. See above video about the Community Health and Social Services (CHASS) Center.
Roadrunner Food Bank Opens Healthy Foods Center
 |
| Produce at Railyard Market |
The health partners participating in the program are three Community Dental Services clinics and two University of New Mexico Hospital clinics. Here is how it works: the five clinics do a sort of triage among their patients. "Patients are asked about their food situation. If they answer in a way that indicates they aren’t getting enough to eat or are skipping meals, the health care partner issues a ‘prescription’ to come here,” said Alissa Barnes, Roadrunner Food Bank’s director of community initiatives.
The prescription provides for one weekly trip to the Healthy Foods Center for a year, where the clients can “choose the products that are right for their home,” Barnes said. The caveat: only clients with these referrals can get food from the on-site pantry.
As the name of the program implies, the focus of the program is entirely on health. “We have a lot of patients with Type II Diabetes, so we don’t offer them anything with added sugar. For those with hypertension, we offer them the low-sodium vegetables. For those with vitamin D deficiencies, we offer more whole grains, tuna fish, and milk so they can get that extra Vitamin D," said Angela Smith, a diet technician with Promedica, a health care provider in Toledo, Ohio. Read more about Promedicas Food Pharmacy.
Working Together
Promedica has partnered with the Alliance to End Hunger and several local health care providers around the country to examine the connections between health and hunger. The two organizations held a conference on this topic in partnership with Presbyterian Community Health in June, 2015. One of the keynote speakers was Ambassador Tony Hall, director emeritus of the Alliance to End Hunger. Other cities have hosted similar conferences, including Columbus, Ohio last fall.
The partnerships between health care providers and CSAs has worked well in other parts of the country. In Portland, Zenger Farm partnered with Multnomah County Health Department and the National College of Natural Medicine in a program that was started in 2014.
According to Barnes, Roadrunner Food Banks pilot program in Albuquerque will continue to the end of the year, and then “other health care clinics will be slowly rolled in.” The Healthy Foods Center will eventually incorporate other services, including immunizations, tax preparation, nutrition education and health screenings, she said.
Presbyterian Community Health, which recently recently launched a program offering a free healthy meal to children and youth seven days a week, is likely to join the food prescription effort in a more direct way soon. The program has already created a strong partnership with La Cosecha CSA. (See more in this video).
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Family Promise Invites You to Christmas Homes Tour Fundraiser in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque
0
Family Promise of Albuquerque invites you to its annual Christmas Home Tour on Saturday, November 21 (10:00 a.m-4:00 p.m.), and Sunday, November 22 (noon-4:00 p.m.)
Enjoy beautifully and uniquely decorated homes in the Los Ranchos area while supporting the homeless children of Albuquerque.
Tickets are $20 and are available online or at the homes on the day of the tour.
- 4638 Orchard Ct. NW (map)
- 5714 Eakes Ct., NW (map)
- 1124 Salamanca, NW (map)
- 4609 Los Poblanos Circle, NW (map)
Sunday, April 3, 2016
Thanksgiving Meals for the Homeless Community in Albuquerque
0
 |
| Courtesy of ClipArtSheep |
November 21 (Saturday)
11:00 am to 3:00 pm -- Chava Trucking Company Thanksgiving Dinner, 409 Clark Road SW (2-1/2 miles south of Rio Bravo off of 2nd Street).
Shuttle service will be provided, beginning at 10:30 am, at St. Martin’s, Good Shepherd Center, Albuquerque Rescue Mission, Project Share, Noon Day, Salvation Army Temple (on Broadway & Lead), and Joy Junction
November 23 (Monday)
- 6:00-7:00 pm – Pre-Thanksgiving meal at Joy Junction
November 24 (Tuesday)
- 8:00 am to 4:00 pm -- Noon Day is open (showers, laundry and breakfast, but no lunch)
- 11:00 am to 2:00 pm – Albuquerque Rescue Mission’s Thanksgiving meal (no breakfast or dinner that day at ARM)
*****All other sites will have regular schedule*****
November 25 (Wednesday)
- 8:00 to 11:00 am -- Noon Day is open (showers, laundry and breakfast, but no lunch)
- 11:00 am to 2:00 pm – Joy Junction’s Thanksgiving meal at the Convention Center downtown (you can get free tickets at various shelters for reserved meal times, but no one will be turned away)
*****All other sites will have regular schedule (including HCH)*****
 |
| Courtesy of ClipArtSheep |
- There will be a circle of remembrance, a sunrise gathering in honor of Native peoples (6:25 am sunrise) in the parking lot of the Albuquerque Center for Peace & Justice (Harvard & Silver SE)
- 8:30 to 9:30 am – Thanksgiving brunch at Good Shepherd Center (only meal that day at Good Shepherd)
- 9:00 am – holiday meal at St. Martin’s (hours are 7:00 to 11:00 am on Thanksgiving Day)
- 10:00 am to 2:00 pm –Thanksgiving meal at Salvation Army Temple, 501 Broadway SE (& Lead)
- 11:00 am to 2:00 pm – Thanksgiving meal at La Mesa Presbyterian Church, 7401 Copper NE (north of Central, east of Louisiana)
- 2:00 to 4:00 pm – Thanksgiving dinner at Joy Junction
- 5:00 to 6:00 pm – Thanksgiving dinner at Project Share, 1515 Yale SE (south of Kathryn)
- 5:00 to 6:00 pm – regular dinner at Albuquerque Rescue Mission (no breakfast that day, but opens at 12:30 pm)
November 27 (Friday) Homeless services: St. Martin’s hours will be open 7-4 with 10:00 am meal only; all other sites (Noon Day, Healthcare for the Homeless (HCH), Good Shepherd Center, Albuquerque Rescue Mission and others) will have regular schedule.
Circus Performance to Benefit Five Albuquerque Organizations
0
 |
| Photo from Albuquerque Aerialist Collective website |
The next questions that comes to mind is, "circus, really?" and "how do you fit a circus into a church space?
There is a simple answer. The event is not a full circus, but a series of trapeze and other aerial acts performed by the local non-profit group, Albuquerque Aerialist Collective. The performance will benefit the New Mexico Conference of Churches, La Mesa Arts Academy, New Mexico Interfaith Power and Light, and the New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice, and of course, also the Albuquerque Aerialist Collective.
Purchase Tickets
Tickets are $40 and can be purchased on the NMCC site or at the door (you can write a check for any of these organizations). The cost of the ticket includes dinner and a reception. Each of the organizations will make a presentation. This is a great way to observe not only the Week of Christian Unity in Albuquerque, but also interfaith unity and collaboration between religious and secular organizations.
 |
Flier courtesy of All Type Printing |
Tuesday, March 29, 2016
So Many Restaurants Albuquerque Edition
0
Every Friday, The Albuquerque Journals arts and entertainment section publishes two restaurant reviews: one in Albuquerque and another in Santa Fe. The reviews reflect the wide variety of cuisines available in the Duke City and in the City Different. Many of these restaurants along with a couple of food-service companies (32 in Albuquerque and 29 in Santa Fe) are giving back to the community by participating in the annual Souper Bowl event that helps raise funds for the Food Depot and Roadrunner Food Bank. Both events will take place on Saturday, January 30, a week before the National Football Leagues Super Bowl 50. Read about hunger in Northern New Mexico and around the state. Hunger is more than just statistics. Here are some people stories from Roadrunner Food Bank.
This post features the Roadrunner Food Bank fundraiser, which will take place at the food banks facility,
How many of these restaurants below have you patronized? Raise your hands if you have dined at all 32 of these fine establishments? How about half of them? One quarter? Never mind. You have a chance to sample the fare of any or all of these restaurants on the last Saturday of January. Scroll down for more details....
Yes, its RoadRunner Food Banks 2016 Souper Bowl.The annual event helps raise funds for our local food bank, which covers a large area of central and southern New Mexico.
If youve been to the event before, you know the drill. Here is the information on how to get tickets. Bon Appetit!
This post features the Roadrunner Food Bank fundraiser, which will take place at the food banks facility,
How many of these restaurants below have you patronized? Raise your hands if you have dined at all 32 of these fine establishments? How about half of them? One quarter? Never mind. You have a chance to sample the fare of any or all of these restaurants on the last Saturday of January. Scroll down for more details....
Yes, its RoadRunner Food Banks 2016 Souper Bowl.The annual event helps raise funds for our local food bank, which covers a large area of central and southern New Mexico.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
A Brief and very Abbreviated Account of World Food Day Commemorations in Albuquerque
0
"Millions of poor people face hunger and poverty this year and next because of droughts and erratic rains as global temperatures reach new records, and because of the onset of a powerful El Niño – the climate phenomenon that develops in the tropical Pacific and brings extreme weather to several regions of the world." -from Oxfam America briefing note (published on Oct. 1, 2015) entitled "Entering Unchartered Waters"
World Food Day has been observed in Albuquerque every October 16 in one way or another over at least the past couple of decades. The commemoration was created by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 1979, and the first observance took place globally in 1981.
There was once a local group of volunteers that planned an event around a national telecast featuring a panel of experts. The event, which coincided with the national events held by the U.S.-Canada World Food Day organization, was usually held at the Technical Vocational Institute (TVI), which is now Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), or at the University of New Mexico. The event also included local speakers, panel discussions and special recognition for anti-hunger efforts. For example, organizers in 2006 recognized the efforts of the (now-defunct) New Mexico Task Force to End Hunger to convince mayors of 103 communities to commit to end hunger.
At about the same time that the momentum to hold the event faded locally, the local volunteers for New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps stepped in to hold their own commemoration of World Food Day on the Saturday closest to October 16. Over the past three years, St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church and First Congregational Church have opened their doors for the event, which has featured a Hunger Banquet, a discussion on how to support local farmers by buying food locally, the importance of women farmers, and much more.
An Invitation to the 2015 Commemoration
The fourth annual World Food Day commemoration sponsored by New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps will be held on Saturday, October 17, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Albuquerque Mennonite Church, 1300 Girard Blvd. NE (map) in Albuquerque. Enjoy a free locally sourced community dinner and live entertainment, but please RSVP online via this link.
The event will celebrate small farmers, locally and globally, but will again place an emphasis on the impact of climate change on food production. This connection between global warming and hunger has been a common theme for local World Food Day celebrations, including the one that the previous organizing group held at UNM in 2008.
There was once a local group of volunteers that planned an event around a national telecast featuring a panel of experts. The event, which coincided with the national events held by the U.S.-Canada World Food Day organization, was usually held at the Technical Vocational Institute (TVI), which is now Central New Mexico Community College (CNM), or at the University of New Mexico. The event also included local speakers, panel discussions and special recognition for anti-hunger efforts. For example, organizers in 2006 recognized the efforts of the (now-defunct) New Mexico Task Force to End Hunger to convince mayors of 103 communities to commit to end hunger.
At about the same time that the momentum to hold the event faded locally, the local volunteers for New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps stepped in to hold their own commemoration of World Food Day on the Saturday closest to October 16. Over the past three years, St. Thomas of Canterbury Episcopal Church and First Congregational Church have opened their doors for the event, which has featured a Hunger Banquet, a discussion on how to support local farmers by buying food locally, the importance of women farmers, and much more.
The fourth annual World Food Day commemoration sponsored by New Mexico Oxfam Action Corps will be held on Saturday, October 17, 6:00-8:00 p.m., Albuquerque Mennonite Church, 1300 Girard Blvd. NE (map) in Albuquerque. Enjoy a free locally sourced community dinner and live entertainment, but please RSVP online via this link.
The event will celebrate small farmers, locally and globally, but will again place an emphasis on the impact of climate change on food production. This connection between global warming and hunger has been a common theme for local World Food Day celebrations, including the one that the previous organizing group held at UNM in 2008.
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Albuquerque Faith Communities Examine Teachings of Pope Francis
0
Dominican Ecclesial Institute Invites You to Journey with Francis
The Dominican Ecclesial Institute announces a new series, entitled Journey with Francis, coordinated with Pope Francis’s visit to the United States
The series will take place on Tuesdays,
September 8, 15, 22 and 29
6:00 – 7:30 pm
UNM Continuing Education
1634 University Blvd NE
South of I-40 & Menaul (East of I-25)
North of Indian School
WHAT’s HAPPENING?
Learn about, reflect on, and imagine the future of the Catholic Church under the inspiration of Pope Francis
Four unique sessions led by Professor Richard L. Wood, UNM Department of Sociology and former director of the UNM Religious Studies Program (Dr. Wood is an active Catholic and serves as a pro bono advisor to the U.S. Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development)
WHO’s INVITED ?
Email your name and contact information to D+E+I: contact@DEIabq.org, or call Shirley Theriot 505.243.0525. Complimentary Registration; Donations accepted
New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue to Host Session on Laudato Si
Laudato Si, Pope Francis encyclical on the environment will be the topic of the next monthly meeting of New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue on Thursday, September 17, in the Pavilion at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 601 Montaño Road NW (map) in Albuquerque, 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. All are welcome
The discussion will center on messages about intertwined social and environmental ecology that may be included in the Popes addresses to Congress September 24 and the United Nations the following day. Father Joseph Brinton, the new Rector of St. Michael’s, will join in the discussion for at least part of the meeting.
The monthly meetings have been moved to a later time to allow people who work to participate, and to accommodate Muslim Asr prayer time.
While Laudato Si has received a lot of attention lately, other faith communities have issued statements on climate change and environmental protection. Here are links to A Rabbinic Letter on the Climate Change Crisis (2015), Jewish Values and the Position of the Reform Jewish Movement on Climate Change (2009), Islamic Declaration on Climate Change (2012), Islamic Faith Statement on the Ecology (2003), Islamic Declaration on Sustainable Development (2002), and Episcopalians Confronting Climate Change. Here is a comprehensive list of Climate Change Statements from World Religions from The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University.
The series will take place on Tuesdays,
September 8, 15, 22 and 29
6:00 – 7:30 pm
UNM Continuing Education
1634 University Blvd NE
South of I-40 & Menaul (East of I-25)
North of Indian School
WHAT’s HAPPENING?
Learn about, reflect on, and imagine the future of the Catholic Church under the inspiration of Pope Francis
Four unique sessions led by Professor Richard L. Wood, UNM Department of Sociology and former director of the UNM Religious Studies Program (Dr. Wood is an active Catholic and serves as a pro bono advisor to the U.S. Bishops’ Catholic Campaign for Human Development)
WHO’s INVITED ?
- D+E+I Members from nearly twenty parishes College Students, Parish Councils, Faculty, Religious, Deacons, Priests, Catholic Center
- Groups focusing on Social / Gospel Justice, Religious Formation, and Ecumenism
- Your friends and neighbors
Email your name and contact information to D+E+I: contact@DEIabq.org, or call Shirley Theriot 505.243.0525. Complimentary Registration; Donations accepted
New Mexico Interfaith Dialogue to Host Session on Laudato Si
The discussion will center on messages about intertwined social and environmental ecology that may be included in the Popes addresses to Congress September 24 and the United Nations the following day. Father Joseph Brinton, the new Rector of St. Michael’s, will join in the discussion for at least part of the meeting.
The monthly meetings have been moved to a later time to allow people who work to participate, and to accommodate Muslim Asr prayer time.
While Laudato Si has received a lot of attention lately, other faith communities have issued statements on climate change and environmental protection. Here are links to A Rabbinic Letter on the Climate Change Crisis (2015), Jewish Values and the Position of the Reform Jewish Movement on Climate Change (2009), Islamic Declaration on Climate Change (2012), Islamic Faith Statement on the Ecology (2003), Islamic Declaration on Sustainable Development (2002), and Episcopalians Confronting Climate Change. Here is a comprehensive list of Climate Change Statements from World Religions from The Forum on Religion and Ecology at Yale University.
Friday, March 11, 2016
Summer Feeding Program in Albuquerque Linked Hunger and Health
0
The Bread for the World Institutes 2016 Hunger Report, released on November 23, took the broad view of hunger as a health issue. A report published the same week by New Mexico Voices for Children examined the impact that a proposed tax on groceries would have on health and hunger in our state.
There are other local efforts underway to link hunger, nutrition and health. First Choice Community Health Care launched a pilot program this past summer aimed at addressing child hunger as a health issue. The program, which took place June 1-August 7, was developed in partnership with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) and the Bernalillo County Office of Health and Social Services.
The pilot program was put in place at the South Valley Health Commons in Albuquerque, offering any child between the ages of 1 and 18 access to a nutritious free lunch. The pre-packaged meals distributed at the Commons met USDAs nutrition standards and were prepared by APS Food Services, which has created a balanced menu that includes fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and low fat milk.
The program was the first of its kind at a primary care clinic, where pediatricians look for signs of malnutrition, including obesity.
First Choice is considering the possibility of expanding the program to its seven other locations in the metro area, as the USDA seeks places to expand its impact beyond the traditional school breakfast and lunch programs nationwide. “Hunger is a health issue in many ways,” said Dr. Will Kaufman, a local physician who specializes on nutrition and health. “Families report skipping meals and buying cheaper food to stretch their budgets, which can mean food that is high in fat, sugar and calories, and low in nutritional value.”
The children’s feeding program is one of several strategies First Choice is using to address hunger and nutrition. Patients also participate in La Cosecha Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, which sells low cost bags of fresh, vegetables grown by South Valley farmers each week of the growing season, delivered to the South Valley Health Commons.
The CSA food is subsidized by Presbyterian Healthcare Services, which helped organize a summit in Albuquerque on health and hunger in May of this year, in partnership with ProMedica and The Alliance to End Hunger. Clients also participate in the WIC program, which provides supplemental food for children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, including vouchers to spend on produce at Farmers Markets.
First Choice also helped launch a mobile farmers market that made stops throughout the South Valley and International District of Albuquerque during the summer. The mobile van, provided by Bernalillo County, featured healthy cooking demonstrations, a mobile pantry stocked by The Storehouse and recipes.
The program was the first of its kind at a primary care clinic, where pediatricians look for signs of malnutrition, including obesity.
First Choice is considering the possibility of expanding the program to its seven other locations in the metro area, as the USDA seeks places to expand its impact beyond the traditional school breakfast and lunch programs nationwide. “Hunger is a health issue in many ways,” said Dr. Will Kaufman, a local physician who specializes on nutrition and health. “Families report skipping meals and buying cheaper food to stretch their budgets, which can mean food that is high in fat, sugar and calories, and low in nutritional value.”
The CSA food is subsidized by Presbyterian Healthcare Services, which helped organize a summit in Albuquerque on health and hunger in May of this year, in partnership with ProMedica and The Alliance to End Hunger. Clients also participate in the WIC program, which provides supplemental food for children and pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, including vouchers to spend on produce at Farmers Markets.
First Choice also helped launch a mobile farmers market that made stops throughout the South Valley and International District of Albuquerque during the summer. The mobile van, provided by Bernalillo County, featured healthy cooking demonstrations, a mobile pantry stocked by The Storehouse and recipes.
Thursday, March 10, 2016
Members of Albuquerque Synagogues Serve Meals at Homeless Shelters on Christmas Day
0
For the past four years, members of several Jewish synagogues in Albuquerque; Congregation Nahalat Shalom, Temple Albert and B’nai Israel, have been preparing and serving breakfast meals to homeless people in our community on Christmas day and Easter Sunday. Volunteers from many different faith communities in Albuquerque also participate.
This year, Nahalat Shalom hosted the meal at the Good Shepherd Center and Congregation Albert prepared and served breakfast at St. Martins Hospitality (in much of the same manner as on Christmas Day, 2014)
We are also participating in the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam, a Hebrew term defined as ‘acts of kindness through human actions that help to repair the world’. Through these actions we seek to transform our broken world so that it reflect the divine values of justice and compassion.
The challenges of hunger, homelessness and poverty are huge issues that must involve all of us- from different faith communities and belief systems—in fact from every aspect of society.
We are grateful to be part of these efforts within our community as well as the many social justice projects affecting our world today.
The author is a member of Nahalat Shalom and a participant in the Interfaith Hunger Coalition.
