Clergy Corner -- Rev. Amy Freedman: Feeding Body and Soul

Hunger is a physical need with spiritual implications. Given that every person needs food in order to live, hunger is an issue that touches all of our lives. We need the nourishment of food in order to survive and function. Eating regular meals promotes our health and well-being. People who hunger often struggle to make ends meet. Children who hunger often have difficulty learning.

The world’s religions uphold feeding the hungry as a virtue. Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Unitarian Universalism, Taoism, and other spiritual teachings all remind us that we are part of one human family. Just as we would not allow our own children to starve, we cannot rest until all children are fed. Just as we invite guests into our homes to share in a bountiful meal, we must find ways to serve those who hunger locally and globally, knowing that our lives are interconnected.

Hunger is a serious problem worldwide afflicting 800 million people, including 300 million children. In the United States, 36.3 million people live in households that experience hunger or the risk of hunger, which represents one in ten households and closer to home, 14 percent of Newport residents live below the poverty line.

On Aquidneck Island, there is a network of faith communities serving those who hunger. Every month, a Soup Kitchen Calendar lists meal sites in Newport. The calendar is published by the Christian Action Center, with copying and mailing courtesy of the Salvation Army. Each weekday morning and every evening, a hot meal is available for free in Newport.

This program that has been in place for over four decades, promotes community involvement through rotating responsibility. This is a truly ecumenical effort. Participants include the Salvation Army who provide Sunday meals, Community Baptist Church who provide Saturday meals, Presbyterian, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox, Baptist, Lutheran, Congregational, and Unitarian Universalist congregations.

The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center on Dr. Marcus Wheatland Boulevard hosts a Breakfast Program, open Monday-Friday from 8:30-9:30 am, serving hot, nutritious meals. Emergency food support is also available through the Feed-A Friend Food Pantry and Holiday Baskets for Thanksgiving and December Holidays. The King Center provided 58,490 meals last year. The Florence M. Gray Center on York Street also provides outstanding service such as an emergency food pantry, a nutritional program for women, children, and infants, and a wide range of social services.

“Are You Hungry? Feed your Soul!” is the theme of the next Soulful Sundown, Celebrating the Arts and Spirituality, on Friday, March 3rd at 7 pm at Channing Church. Through music, poetry, and storytelling we will celebrate and appreciate all those serving need the needs of the hungry in our communities. This will be an uplifting event and is open to the public.

Soulful Sundown will also be the kickoff event for the Aquidneck Island CROP WALK Against Hunger scheduled for Saturday, April 29th, 2006 in Newport, RI. Our mission is to raise funds and awareness to help stop hunger locally and globally. This marks the 28th year of the local CROP WALK Against Hunger. Sixteen faith communities and community organizations were represented in last year’s walk.

In 2005, Aquidneck Island faith communities raised $13,320 to care for the poor. CROP WALKS help support the work of Church World Service, especially the grassroots, hunger-fighting development efforts of partner agencies in more than 80 countries. Of the total raised in CROP WALKS, 25% stays in our local community. Our share will be divided between the Martin Luther King Center, and the Florence Gray Center.

Imagine if Newport became known as the place that truly nourishes all people. We have structures in place to end hunger in our community. Your support is needed to insure that these vital programs meet the growing needs of local citizens. Community service not only helps others but also contributes to personal spiritual growth and development. Through simple actions, we can help to end hunger by making donations of nonperishable goods, contributing money, serving at a Soup Kitchen, celebrating at Soulful Sundown, walking against hunger, supporting a CROP Walker. We can make a difference one step at a time.