Urban Gardening Coalition & ACTS Christian Fellowship in the News

Posted on June 19, 2012 by staff

Watch this recent piece from KCEN News, featuring the efforts of the Urban Gardening Coalition and ACTS Christian Fellowship.

The Heart of Texas Urban Gardening Coalition, with whom WHRI partners on many projects, was founded by Bethel Erickson-Bruce, a WHRI alum. Zac Bryan, who you will see in the video, is a former WHRI staff member and Live-In Volunteer, and now serves the UGC as an AmeriCorps VISTA member through WHRI. Also in the video is Conway del Conte, another former WHRI staff member.

WHRI and ACTS Christian Fellowship are currently partnering together on a volunteerism grant. We are grateful to ACTS Christian Fellowship and their support of the farm.

Ride for Relief – Join Today!

Posted on March 1, 2012 by intern

As a new addition to Spring Farm Day on April 14, World Hunger Relief, Inc. is inviting families or teams to join in a 5K fun bike ride to raise support for our work in alleviating hunger. You can help us three ways:

Sign up to ride here.

Sponsor a team here.

Join our event on Facebook and spread the word to your friends.

All funds raised up to $10,000 will be matched by Christian Mission Concerns!

E-mail ride4relief@worldhungerrelief.org or call Matt Hess at 254-799-5611 with questions.

Updated! Alumni to host PBS Hunger Special

Posted on February 29, 2012 by staff

Jeremy Everett (WHRI alumni) will be hosting this special tomorrow night!

Feeding Minds: Texas Takes on Hunger and Obesity

Texas PBS, which represents 12 public television stations across the state, has finished production of, “Feeding Minds: Texas Takes on Hunger and Obesity.”

It is a documentary film that explores the overlapping challenges of childhood hunger and obesity, and what seven cities in Texas are doing to solve this problem. The documentary is hosted by Jeremy Everett, director of Texas Hunger Initiative at Baylor University, and Camille D. Miller, president/CEO of Texas Health Institute. USDA Food and Nutrition Service Southwest Regional Administrator Bill Ludwig was interviewed for the documentary.

We hope you will tune in, and let others know about the upcoming broadcast. The program will premiere on all 12 Texas PBS stations tomorrow, Thursday, February 23rd. Those stations are:

KACV/Amarillo
KLRU/Austin
KAMU/College Station
KEDT/Corpus Christi
KCOS/El Paso
KMBH/Harlingen
Houston PBS/KUHT/Houston
KNCT/Kileen & Waco
KTTZ/Lubbock
KPBT/Basin PBS/Midland & Odessa
KERA/Dallas, Fort Worth/Public Media for North Texas
KLRN/San Antonio

Watch the Two-Minute Screener of the Documentary

** Update:If you couldn’t watch the video when it first aired, there is a link to the video here: http://video.kacvtv.org/video/2200752389

Helping the Poor

Posted on February 28, 2012 by staff

The following Letter to the Editor was published in the February 21, 2012 edition of the Waco Tribune Herald. It was written by WHRI’s own Amber Jekot.

There have been several stories lately detailing food stamp fraud, specifically regarding charges of local gambling. But we should not forget that food stamps are important to the well-being of many in our community. Food stamps offer those struggling financially some nutritional stability as they get back on their feet. This also helps to stabilize and improve our local economy. Those previously unable to contribute to our local economy can use their increased purchasing power from food stamps to positively affect our economy.

Though many in our community are in need, not all apply for food stamps. McLennan County had an allotted $48.7 million in 2009 for food stamp recipients who failed to apply. This unused federal money had a potential economic impact of $87.3 million in our county.

We need the community’s help to achieve economic growth and better nutrition in our community. One way to get involved is through the Food Planning Task Force of McLennan County. The FPTF is a diverse group of organizations, businesses and individuals whose goal is to help all in the community secure sustained access to nutritious meals. The FPTF invites those who receive food stamps, as well as interested community volunteers, to contribute to conversations to help us create a system that will increase food stamp participation locally. Email fptf@gmail.com to get involved.

Amber Jekot, Community Outreach Intern, World Hunger Relief Inc.

Eradicating Poverty

Posted on February 27, 2012 by staff

Check out the below Letter to the Editor, which appeared in the Waco Tribune Herald on February 19, 2012.

Thanks to the Tribune-Herald for reporting on actlocallywaco.org in the Feb. 13 story “Website spotlights poverty in Waco.”

I am grateful for the efforts of Ashley Thornton, who leads Waco’s Poverty Solutions Steering Committee, for keeping Waco residents informed about how we are trying to end poverty in our community.

I’ve been impressed with the way people in McLennan County are coming together to face some of our most difficult problems. We have not got it right yet, but we are moving in the right direction; creating spaces to share information and ideas is a key part of that.

There are many people who are rightfully receiving credit for providing charity in our community, but in order to see actual change in our community we need people like Ashley who are quietly working in ways that make sure people are able to use time, money, energy and talent in efficient and transformative ways.

Matt Hess, Education Director, World Hunger Relief, Inc., and co-organizer, Food Planning Task Force of McLennan County