15 Minute Presentation

Introduction and Thanks (who am I)...

What we do : Christian Poverty/Hunger Advocacy

• Advocate to meet short term needs and gain long term exit (at home and abroad)

Why we do it : 

• To be effective: 2 leg strategy (Arthur Simon vision)
  • Both public & private response needed, each has strengths. Must do both to be effective 
  • Uniform/reach vs individual  flexibility, FS = 10 x FB
• Answer God's call to help the poor with all our gifts: private action and public influence
  • Cannot box God out from certain parts of our life

How we do it : 

• Nonpartisan - only way to be effective
  • focus on results not ideology (idolatry of ideology)
• Letters : single nationwide OL Issue each year
  • OL Events - Constituient letters have vital impact on these kind of issues - the only thing that counts
  • Membership - Ongoing action alerts when a timed response is needed, follow up on results 
• Past Results
• Child Survival Fund (global immunization effort - saves 2m/yr)
• Debt relief (redirect money to human development)
• Hunger status tracking in US, increased funding for WIC, food stamps, Tanf reform: education
• Poverty Focused Dev Assistance, not export promotion or arms sales

What we are doing now : 

• OL Issue - Increase Pov Focused Dev Assist to meet MDG
  • $5b/yr - focused on public investments: education, health, Ag, nutrition, clean water
  • Pass Global Poverty Act (S2433). make MDG1 official part of US policy, coordinated strategy
  • MDG: Cut Poverty in half by 2015, Numeric goals in Education literacy, gender access, Health: disease, maternal/child, environment sustain (clean water), global partnership: big 4: trade, debt, aid, disease
  • Status: Dev countries partnership comittments not being met (our help is needed)