News & Updates | Posted Friday, March 20, 2015
Poverty is widespread in Soe on the island of West Timor in Indonesia. Poor infrastructure, lack of educational opportunities and little access to basic necessities creates major challenges for people living in rural areas. On my visit there, I met with Nakor Sabu, a community leader in Oeulasi village outside of Soe, and his wife Maria who have three children. …
News & Updates | Posted Thursday, January 1, 2015
I’m old enough to know that New Year’s resolutions do me little good. Like a lot of people, I can be full of ambitions for things like more exercise, less weight and a cleaner desk. But I usually stumble by Feb. 1. The life lesson for me? I’d do better to chip away at things in small increments and try …
News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, December 24, 2014
At this festive time of year, I can’t help but recall the many Christmases I have spent away from home. I am mindful of so many in our world that can merely dream of being “home” for the holidays. Home, for some, is but a distant cherished memory, as they remain exiled in refugee camps or fleeing from conflict, environmental …
News & Updates | Posted Thursday, November 20, 2014
Thousands of householders in Southeastern Michigan still need help following last August’s devastating flooding. About one in five of them is a senior citizen. An estimated 900 households still need volunteers to muck out their basements, and that’s just the first step in the long-term recovery process. After the muck-out there will certainly be a need for mold remediation, replacement …
News & Updates | Posted Friday, November 14, 2014
I’m going to be honest, before a few months ago I had never actually walked in a CROP Hunger Walk before in my life. My involvement with CWS was through theCWS Blanket Sunday my church did every Mothers’ Day. But what an experience it has been to see communities come together to raise funds and build awareness towards hunger needs …
News & Updates | Posted Tuesday, November 4, 2014
There’s a reason why the CROP Hunger Walk is considered the “granddaddy” of all walks. It is not just because CWS has been hosting walkathons longer than any other organization. It is not just because CWS is filled with pacesetters who pave the way for others to go out and fight the injustices of the world. It is because CWS …
News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, September 24, 2014
The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina issued the Food Stamp Challenge to be in solidarity with people who live on $4.06 worth of food each day. I accepted the challenge and then searched grocery websites for the cheapest prices and sought tips from friends before making a 5-day meal plan. I visited several different stores to get …
News & Updates | Posted Wednesday, September 17, 2014
With what amounts to three full-time jobs—wife, mother of a 10-year-old-son, and full-time work as a nurse educator– it’s hard to imagine how Beth Simon, coordinator for the Pittsburgh East CROP Hunger Walk, could ever find the time to do what she does to help people in need. But indeed she has found time– for nearly a decade — and …
News & Updates | Posted Thursday, September 4, 2014
I am so glad to know that Church World Service is there to meet needs around the world – and just down the highway from where I live and work, among households now cleaning up following flash floods August 11 in eastern Michigan. That evening, I had a CROP Hunger Walk recruitment meeting in Grosse Ile, Mich. When it finished …
News & Updates | Posted Thursday, August 21, 2014
Recently, I was re-introduced to Monie. After the CROP Hunger Walk team captain rally in High Point, North Carolina, Monie approached me and introduced herself. She said, “I think we’ve met before…” Monie moved from nearby Greensboro, where she was a valuable team captain for her church and on the Greensboro Urban Ministry CROP Planning Team for several years. As …