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Millennium
Development Goals
Goal #1
Eradicating Extreme Hunger and Poverty
By: Laura Amendola
This summer in Columbus, OH,
the General Convention of the Episcopal Church named the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs) as the number one mission priority for the next
three years. To learn more about the MDGs and the Episcopal Church’s
commitment, go to:
www.episcopalchurch.org/ONE
Over the next eight months, I will write short articles about each of
the eight Millennium Development Goals beginning with the number one
goal: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger. Occasionally you’ll see that
our wonderful twelve baskets project go hand in hand with the
corresponding month’s goal. Goal number 1 Eradicating extreme hunger and
poverty for example fits well with our basket collection of personal
care items for the Damiano Center.
“Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I
therefore command you, Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in
your land.” (Deuteronomy 15:11)
“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me
something to drink.” (Matthew 25:35a)
Did you know that over 1 Billion people reside on less then $1 a day
world wide? MDG goal #1 aims to half that number of people by the year
2015. To bring it closer to home, our own town of Duluth has a food
shelf that serves many community members. Are you aware that more then
50% of the adults who use this service have jobs that don’t provide
enough income to cover basic needs? They don’t have a livable wage jobs.
Health care, basic needs, child care, and energy costs are hard things
for people to afford. People who are paid minimum wage are below the
poverty line and can only afford $268 a month in rent. This number is
derived from 30% of their income.
The facts: World wide over 800 million people go to bed hungry every
night –some of them right here in Duluth.
What you can do:
-
Join the ONE campaign (www.one.org) Wear a white band to advocate for increased U.S. aid to the developing world.
-
Give: if everyone gave just 0.7% of their gross income we could eradicate extreme poverty. Some suggestions for donations related to hunger: Episcopal Relief & Development (www.er-d.org), Heifer International (www.heifer.org) and Bread for the World (www.bread.org) **0.7% of $10,000 is only $70.00**
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Read: there’s a lot of wonderful material available. A friend of mine, the Rev. Philip Schaffner highly recommends the New York Times Best seller The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs (2005).
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Click: visit The Hunger Site to contribute food at no cost to you: www.thehungersite.com
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Volunteer locally: If Eradicating extreme hunger and poverty is something you feel is a calling in you or your family’s life, consider partaking in our service opportunity this month. Or call the Damiano center at #722-8708 and ask for Erik. Kim Crawford #625-1739 works with Gabrielle project through CHUM and would also be happy to help you in finding ways you and your family can get involved.
Read about the
other goals:
Goal #1: Eradicating Extreme Hunger and Poverty
Goal #2: Achieve Universal Primary Education
Goal #3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower
Women
Goal #4: Reduce Child Mortality
Goal #5: Improve
Maternal Health
Goal #6: Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other
diseases
Goal #7: Ensure
Environmental Sustainability