RICHMOND — Top leaders in the Mid-Atlantic region have declared Sept. 29 an Interfaith Day of Service, encouraging faith communities and other nonprofit groups to collaborate to fight hunger and food insecurity.
Governors Bob McDonnell of Virginia and Martin O’Malley of Maryland joined Washington Mayor Vincent Gray in issuing the call, along with West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin.
Gov. Bob McDonnell (right) has joined other leadres in declaring Sept. 29 as a Day of Service in Virginia. (Photo courtesy Virginia Office of the Governor)
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“The sad truth is that far too many children in our city and across our nation go to bed hungry each night and wake up not knowing where their next meal will come from,” said Gray. “Food insecurity should be unheard of in the wealthiest nation in the history of the world.”
Seven members of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks gathered with McDonnell Sept. 4 to kick off a month of hunger-focused events throughout their state.
“Virginia’s food banks need our support more than ever,” said McDonnell. “The Day of Service will be a tremendous opportunity to bring recognition to that need and to do something meaningful about it.” He encouraged all Virginians to support their local food bank, whether it’s by volunteering at a local facility, donating food items or providing monetary support.”
“Throughout the final weekend in September, we’ll be coming together as a community—as Marylanders and Virginians, West Virginians and Washingtonians, as members of many great and diverse faiths—to harness the incredible power of community,” said O’Malley.
The Baltimore Community Tool Bank will offer an inventory of tools — shovels, rakes, drills and other equipment to assist nonprofit organizations, religious and educational institutions, community groups and their volunteers in their projects.
Churches and organizations wishing to participate can find regional maps of events and opportunities at www.daytoserve.org. New events may be registered on the site, which also contains suggested ways to partner with a local food bank.
Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity, has identified September as Hunger Action Month. The network of over 200 Feeding America food banks and their partner agencies will be mobilizing their regions to take part again this year in the “30 Days, 30 Ways” calendar campaign to play a role in ending hunger in their community. Its website is www.hungeractionmonth.org.
Barbara Francis (bfrancis@religiousherald.org) is on the staff of the Religious Herald.