Hunger Symposium 2023

Hunger Symposium

April 30 1:30 – 4:00 PM

St. Luke's United Methodist Robertson Chapel

EVENTPROGRAM

WELCOME

Rev. Rob Fuquay, Senior Pastor St. Luke's UMC

SPEAKER

Jim Morris, Vice Chairman Pacers Sports Entertainment

SPEAKER

Fred Glass, President/CEO Gleaners Food Bank

SPOTLIGHT ORGANIZATION

Crooked Creek Food Pantry

INTERMISSION

DOCUMENTARY

"The Working Hungry"

SPEAKER

Dave Miner, Indy Hunger Network

ACTION STEPS

CLOSING

Shelly Clasen, Director of Outreach St. Luke's UMC

a meal and medicine. But, I’ve also seen how, with urgent action, we can change course and save lives."

ith a master’s degree from Butler uch of his life in Indianapolis in a variety of key positions, including Chief of Staff for former Mayor Richard G. Lugar, President of the Lilly Endowment, and currently as the Vice Chairman for Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

Before joining PS&E, Morris was the Executive Director for five years for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) where he led the world’s largest humanitarian agency. That took him to many struggling parts of the world as he worked on behalf of the hungry and poor, particularly children. He also served as the Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the humanitarian crisis in southern Africa during those same years.

Morris is happily married to Jackie, and they have three children, eight grandchildren, and two wonderful King Charles Cavalier puppies, Buster and Brownie.

"I saw hunger up close in the worn faces of mothers going hungry to give their kids food, and in families forced to choose between

--Jim Morris

Fred Glass is the President/CEO of Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, the state’s largest hunger relief organization and one of the leading food banks in the Feeding America Network.

Fred has spent a career in various leadership roles where his values-based leadership and collaborative spirit have led to success. Before joining Gleaners, Fred served as Vice President and Athletic Director for Indiana University from 2009 to 2020.

In his memoir, Making Your Own Luck: From a Skid Row Bar to Rebuilding Indiana University Athletics, Fred writes about his father’s efforts to feed the hungry at his bar, including having holiday family dinners at the bar with patrons who had nowhere else to go.

Fred and his wife Barbara live in Indianapolis and have four children and five grandchildren.

"Feeding the hungry is one of the most fundamental and impactful actions we can take as good neighbors and responsible citizens"

--Fred Glass

Dave Miner received a BS and Ph.D. in Chemistry and had a 28year career at Eli Lilly and Co. Since that time, he has become a leading expert on hunger in Indianapolis, heading up five major studies of hunger and food assistance. He also helped produce the recent documentary, The Working Hungry.

As a ‘full time volunteer’ Dave provides leadership for multiple organizations working to end hunger. He has been active with Bread for the World for many years at the local and national level, leading efforts in Indiana, and serving on the national Board of Directors, including six years as chair of the board. Dave was founding President of Indy Hunger Network, is steering committee chair for the Good Wages Initiative, and was board chair for the Alliance to End Hunger. In 2014, he received the Jefferson Award for Community Service.

To get involved with these initiatives, contact Dave at dminer145@aol.com.

I invest myself in changing the systems via legislation. I also believe we need to change hearts to recognize the injustice of poverty and hunger to God's children, which I am sure grieves God's heart deeply."

--Dave Miner

TAKEACTIONTODAY

Midtown Option: Community Garden

Highlighted today with St. Luke's Midtown campus in mind (but open for all), the Community Garden at 38th and Capitol serves a variety of purposes. It brings together neighbors, connecting them through shared work at the garden and block parties on giveaway days. It also (along with a food truck and food pantry) provides neighbors with good healthy produce that isn't easily accessible elsewhere in this food desert neighborhood. On top of all this, it provides a beautiful visual on what would otherwise be an empty lot. Sign up now to work alongside our own Travis and Sara Bannon to connect neighbors, provide food, and enhance our Midtown community.

Volunteer

TAKE ACTION TODAY

#1 Crooked Creek Food Pantry

Crooked Creek Food Pantry (CCFP) was founded in 2015 as a 501(c)(3) corporation with the mission of fighting food insecurity in Northwest Indianapolis. With support from St. Luke's and key founding partners Eskenazi Health, Corteva Agriscience and Gleaners Food Bank, CCFP has grown to become the third largest food pantry in central Indiana. Over 140 volunteers per week enable CCFP to distribute in excess of 280 tons of food to over 4000 families each month. The number of families being served by CCFP in the last year has increased dramatically (up 46%), and they need our help!

Please join the fight against hunger in our community.

The cause of hunger isn’t a shortage of food – it’s access to food, especially nutritious food. Ending hunger for good means addressing the root causes of hunger, such as poverty, climate change, conflict, unemployment, racial and gender inequity, and more. Programs for agriculture, health, education, the environment, and democracy are critical for places struggling with extreme poverty.

ENDING HUNGER TAKES MORE THAN GROWING

TAKEACTIONTODAY

#2 Contact Your Congressmen

TheU.S.farmbillisupforrenewalin2023.Thissweeping legislationincludesprovisionsforallfederalnutritionprograms, whichprovide85%ofthefoodsafetynetinourcountry.Ourown IndianaSenatorBraunsitsontheSenateCommitteethatoversees thisbill.UrgeCongresstosupportreauthorizationofafarmbillthat buildshealthy,equitable,andsustainablefoodsystems.

ExcerptsfromaninterviewwithDaveMiner

Whatmadeyousopassionateaboutbeingachampion fortheGoodWageInitiative?

ItbeganwithadozenyearsofworkingtogetherwiththeIndyHunger NetworktobesurenochildinIndianapolisgoeshungry.Wemadegreat progress,butitalsobecameclearthatwecannotfeedourwaytotheendof hunger.Wearelargelymeetingtheneedforfoodassistance,butthenumber ofpeopleneedingassistancehasnotdeclined.Wearefeedingpeoplebutnot makingthemfoodsecure.Somethingelseisneeded.Thatistheintellectual argument.

Atanemotionallevel,severalyearsagoIvisitedawonderfulfoodpantryon thenorthsideandInoticedthreepeoplecomein,allwearingthesamelogo ofawell-knownIndianapoliscompany.AtfirstIthoughttheywerethereto volunteer,butthenIrealizedtheywerecomingtogetfood.It'snotrightthat peopleworkingafull-timejobshouldhavetostopatafoodpantrytofeed theirfamilies.

IsGoodWagesInitiativeinvolvedinlocal,state,&federalpolitical arenastoincreaseournationalminimumwage?

Ifyes,how'sitgoing?Ifno,willit?

No.Effortstoraisethenationalminimumwagehavebeenmiredformany years.Thelastmajorproposalafewyearsbackwouldhaveraisedthe minimumto$15overa5yearperiod.Weknewthatourlivingwagewas already$18.

Thereissignificantdisagreementamongeconomistsaboutraisingthe minimumwage.Asresultsbecomeclearerfromseveralexperimentsaround thecountry,suchasinSeattle,maybethiswillchange.Inthemeantimewe decidedtodosomethingnow,locally.

Iinvestmyselfdeeplyinchangingthesystemsvialegislation.Ialsobelieve weneedtonotjustlegislatebuttochangehearts.Changeheartsto recognizetheinjusticeofpovertyandhungertoGod'schildren,whichIam suregrievesGod'sheartdeeply.

ChangingheartsisanotherreasonbehindtheGoodWagesInitiativeandThe WorkingHungry.Iwasamazedwhenwedidfeasibilitystudyinterviewswith twodozenCsuitefolksfromlocalcompaniespriortolaunchingtheinitiative. Mostdidnotknowwhatthelivingwagewas,nordidtheyknowthewagesof theirlowestpaidemployees.Weallshouldknow!

TAKEACTIONTODAY

#3 Good Wages Initiative

Look who benefits from Good Wages: Employers

Good wages translate to better employee attendance, productivity, and focus. Turnover and associated costs decrease as employers can more readily attract and retain highly qualified talent.

Workers

Providing sustainable wages and health insurance enables workers to support themselves and leads to improved mental and physical health, which helps to improve on-the-job performance and foster financial security.

Community

As businesses pay higher wages, buying power increases stimulating the economy, improving community vitality, and boosting aggregate economic demand. When workers are able to pay for basic needs, public assistance spending declines – which currently costs taxpayers roughly $153 billion annually.

Register

Attend a 1-hour info session on May 22 to become a Living Wage Ambassador

employindy.org/goodwages

$3,500

The turnover cost per entry-level worker

$18

The hourly living wage for Central Indiana

1in3 Indy residents lack money for basic needs

INLOVINGMEMORYOFSTEVECLAFFEY

StephenAllenClaffeywasalongtimememberatSt.Luke’s UMC,servinginvariouswaysovertheyears.Hepassed awayonJanuary30,2023,attheageof77.In2015Steve andhiswifeLinda,inconnectionwithSt.Luke’sandseveral significantpartners,helpedfoundtheCrookedCreekFood PantrytohelpalleviatefoodinsecurityinIndianapolis.Steve servedasExecutiveDirectorandPresidentoftheBoard, andhispassionandcommitmentpropelledthegrowthof CCFPintooneofthelargestinthestate.Steve’slegacywill liveonthroughthefoodpantrywhich,beyondhisfamily, washisproudestaccomplishment.