Tapestry of Faith: The Wi$dom Path: An Adult Program on Money, Spirit, and Life

Faith In Action: Food Insecurity in Your Community

Part of The Wi$dom Path

Preparation for Activity

  • Contact local food banks or food redistribution services and find out about volunteer opportunities they have for children, youth, and adults.
  • Work with your religious educator and other congregational leaders to gain support for a multigenerational service project.
  • Invite the organization with which you are working to offer a brief multigenerational presentation about food insecurity in your community and how the organization works to alleviate it.
  • Schedule a date and time, and arrange logistics for both a learning component and a hands-on service component of the project. Secure appropriate written permissions for minors.

Description of Activity

Coordinate a multigenerational service project at a local food bank or food redistribution center. Work with congregational leaders to publicize and promote the project. Host a breakfast or luncheon after the event and invite participants of all ages to gather in small, multiage groups to process their experience using these questions as prompts:

  • Thinking about your experience, how has your understanding of food insecurity in our community changed?
  • Was there anything that surprised you?
  • What did you find most challenging?

Facilitators should remind participants that hunger and food insecurity are not particular to any one group of people: there may be people in your congregation and in your project group who currently need food aid or have needed it in the past. Care must be taken to avoid “us” and “them” language when sharing stories.