Hunger Action Congregations

As disciples of a loving God who inspires us to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God, we commit to faithful action to end hunger and address its root causes. –Hunger Action Congregation covenant

The Hunger Action Congregation process celebrates the faithful work of Presbyterians around the country who are responding to the biblical call to help alleviate hunger and end its causes. Through stories and encouragement, we wish to be mutually inspired to pursue broader and more justice-oriented ministries.

Your church can be a covenanting Hunger Action Congregation if you are active in at least one of the six areas below. Congregations that are doing an activity in all six areas can be Certified Hunger Action Congregations.

Ending Hunger and Its Causes — Six Areas:

• Hunger Alleviation: providing and/or sharing food in a dignified way with an eye to long-term structural solutions
• Development Assistance: addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty through equitable and sustainable development
• Hunger Education: learning about systemic causes of hunger, leading towards faithful action that is informed and guided by directly affected people and partner groups
• Lifestyle Integrity: adopting sustainable personal and corporate lifestyles to restore justice and protect all of God’s creation
• Corporate and Public Policy Witness: advocating and campaigning for changes in policies and practices to end hunger and its causes, promote self-development, and care for creation
• Worship: incorporating prayer, education, and preaching about ending hunger and its causes into worship

How to Become a Hunger Action Congregation

Step 1: Form a Hunger Action Team. (if you don’t already have a similar team or committee to steward this work). Gather church members – including children and youth – who are passionate about addressing hunger, poverty and related injustices, and meet periodically to assess and grow the church’s practices in this area.

Step 2: Gather your congregation’s information. Download a copy of the covenant, review it together, and fill it out. Please keep this Word version of the application for your own records.

Step 3: Covenant to Become a Hunger Action Congregation. Enter the information from your Word document (cut-and-paste) into the online covenant form at bit.ly/hungeractionform. This is the official application that PHP receives. September 15 is the annual deadline.

Online Covenant/Application

As a Hunger Action Congregation, you will:

• Receive an acknowledgment from PHP welcoming you as an HAC. Certified HACs (those active in all 6 areas) will also receive a printable certificate.
• Be celebrated on October 16, World Food Day.
• Be recognized on the PHP web page for 3 years (we’ll send a reminder when it’s time to renew.)
• Receive periodic communications from PHP with updates, opportunities, and stories from other congregations to encourage you to increase or broaden your hunger ministries into other areas.
• Receive invitations to connect with other HACs through social media.

Resources

• Map of current HACs
• Online list of current HACs
• HAC Bulletin Insert — customize with your congregation’s information, and use to assess interest within your church
• Poster/placemat – Become a Hunger Action Congregation
• Become a Hunger Action Congregation flier — please share with other PC(USA) congregations who are doing anti-hunger work and may be interested in joining!
• Ending Hunger and its Causes — 6 Areas — printable list of ideas from the HAC application
• Eliminating the Causes of Hunger – ideas for tackling underlying causes

Stories about Hunger Action Congregations

• Black Mountain Presbyterian Church Tackles Food Insecurity
• Presbyterian hunger ministries persevere despite pandemic
• Faith Des Peres fights hunger in greater St. Louis
• Backpack Buddies to Living Wages: Clarksville Presbyterian Church, Virginia, serves students and others in their community
• Pleasantville Presbyterian Church (New York) practices outreach, looks for innovative ways to help people in need
• Small congregation, Covenant Presbyterian Church in Kansas City, Missouri, broadens its reach through active engagement
• Read about the launch of the HAC program in 2017.