Growing Connections Between Faith-based and Secular Emergency Response Groups To Support Food Access During Fires and Flood Disasters
This Spring, Interfaith Food began an initiative to build the capacity of faith-based organizations to support food access during fires, floods and other disasters. This included focusing our May conference around the theme. Our goal is to fill the information gap between disaster response organizations and faith organizations to support efficient communication during crucial times immediately following a disaster. In addition we are looking for partners that need financial resources to grow their infrastructure to assist during disasters. This may include improving a congregation’s kitchen, cold storage capacity and even back up power generation. Currently Interfaith Food is conducting a survey of faith-based organizations to identify specific resources, assets, and contact individuals in geographically diverse communities. food access during disasters. We need your help, getting the survey to the appropriate person at your congregation whether it is a food ministry/committee member, administrator or clergy! Please use the button below, and please share with other faith organizations in your network!
MENU OF OPTIONS
We have compiled a Menu of Options, a list of ideas to assist you with deciding on which food system project is the best fit for your congregation.
Farm Partner List
MINI-GRANTS
We offer Mini-Grants from $1,000-$2,000 to advance food projects your congregation wants to start or continue developing:
- Breakfast program serving children and their families; or
- Educational Forum or event (i.e. promotional materials or funds for a speaker)
Click here for more information and the criteria for evaluating proposals.
RESOURCES TO ENHANCE WHAT YOUR CONGREGATION ALREADY HAS TO OFFER
Congregational leaders find they have a wealth of assets within their own congregations. Still, the Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative staff can help you identify needs and access support from outside the congregation. Are you looking for?
- Templates for agreements with community gardeners or farmers that you’ll be working with?
- A sample congregational food policy?
- Skilled volunteers to help with a garden design?
- Where to find $ for interns, building materials, seeds etc?
- We may be able to help with all of this and more!
Your congregation can work to ensure it supports: sustainable agricultural production to protect creation; family farms that build local economies; access to healthy food for those in need; social justice for farm workers; and conservation programs that protect soil and water for future generations.
What does your faith tradition say about how our government should impact food and agriculture? Is your local congregation working to advance the positions of your national affiliate? The faith community can amplify the voices of advocates working to ensure farmers get support to be better stewards; and nutrition programs send the right signals.
Please contact us so that we can work with you and your faith community to help enhance the many resources your congregation already has available.
NATIONAL FAITH-BASED RESOURCES ON EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING RESOURCES ON FAITH, FOOD AND SUSTAINABILITY:
- Farmers: FREE WORKSHOP! How to Get Authorized to Accept WIC/SFMNP vouchers.
- Green Faith An interfaith coalition for the environment
- Interfaith Food & Farms Partnership A project of the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
- Come to the Table A project working with people of faith to relieve hunger and sustain local agriculture
- Bread for the World A Christian hunger advocacy group
- Presbyterian Hunger Program Works to alleviate hunger and eliminate its causes
- Hazon Works to create a healthier and more sustainable Jewish community and world
LOCAL RESOURCES ON INTERFAITH COUNCILS AND EVENTS:
- Interfaith Center at the Presidio’s Interreligious Calendar (San Francisco Bay Area)
- Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County’s Calendar of Events
- Interfaith Council of Sonoma County
- Marin Interfaith Council’s Event Calendar
OTHER FAITH-BASED RESOURCES ON FOOD AND FAITH:
- Just Eating? Practicing Our Faith at the Table A seven-session curriculum for congregations that explores the relationship between the way we eat and the way we live
- Is the Kingdom of God Build of Vegetables? A blog about Faith-based CSA’s in Washington, DC
- Just Gleanings A blog by Rev. Josephina Borgeson provides a range of resources and commentary about food system work
- North American Interfaith Network A network building communication and mutual understanding among interfaith organizations
- Moyers on America Religion and Environment Join Bill Moyers Citizen Class to discuss views on the environment from various faith perspectives
- 1434 Ramadan – the Month of Blessings & Peace Article from Imam Ali Siddiqu, Director of the Muslim Institute for Interfaith Studies & Understanding, and member of the Interfaith Sustainable Food Collaborative Advisory Board
- Faith, Food & the Environment Faith perspectives shared at a November 2014 conference sponsored by Catholic Rural Life
- What’s Up With Wheat? Elizabeth DeRuff shares resources about food, farming, and faith and offers her Farm to Altar Table Workshop
- T B’Shevat a Jewish Holiday known as the New Year of the Trees