Helping the Hungry

According to the latest statistics, the US has about 50.1 million people who are food insecure--basically, they don't know where their next meal is coming from.  About 16.7 million of those are children.  Think about those numbers.  That means the number of hungry children in our country is equivalent to the total populations of Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia and Chicago COMBINED.  This in a country with the technology, resources and ability to resolve this horrendous problem.  It's just plain wrong.  Every county in our country has a food insecurity problem.  Some are low (the lowest is Steel County, ND at 5%).  Some are amazingly high (the highest is Holmes County, MS at a staggering 37%). 

Yes, the government does help a little bit.  SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program--also known as food stamps) helps millions of Americans.  Unfortunately, many controlling governmental budgets and regulations see SNAP as a bit lower on the totem pole for funding than other things.  Many say that people who use SNAP just need to get a job (although 40% of households on SNAP have at least one working person in it).  Many say that it promotes a lifetime of government dependency (although the average time on SNAP is just 8-10 months).  Many say that SNAP recipients are mooching off of the taxpayer's money (although SNAP funding ends up being about $1.40 per person per meal per day--try feeding your family on that). 

In reality, government legislation is the only way to truly eliminate the problem.  Hunger in America was almost wiped out during the 1970's.  But funds were cut in the '80's and the problem grew into the monster we have today.  So while we wait around for a government that will dedicate itself to destroying this affliction (and there are some in Congress who are leaders in this cause--futilely, unfortunately in many cases), it is up to us--private citizens to help those in need in our local areas. 

5.1% of American households used food from food pantries and other organizations in 2011.  That's 6.1 million households.  A huge number, but small compared to the 50.1 million who need them.  Virtually every town in our area has food pantries to help those in the community who need help to just keep food in their kids' bellies.

Only about 5% of food donated to help the hungry comes from private donors.  That means 95% comes from the government.  So a 10% cut in funding would require 3 times as much from private organizations--a daunting task.  But we're trying to do our part.

On June 29, St. Paul's Lutheran Church (837 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown, PA, 18951--directly across from the Haycock Firehouse) will be hosting Joyful Noise V, a day-long festival to benefit the 3 food pantries in Quakertown--the Quakertown Food Pantry, St. Isidore's Food Pantry and Milford Square Shelter.  100% of profits from the day will be spilt between these three worthy groups, which assist thousands in our community.  We raise funds from personal and corporate donations, food and raffle ticket sales and "passing the bucket" after each performance.

Put on every other year since 2005, we have raised over $20,000 for our charities and have collected hundreds of pounds of food.  The festival is FREE (yes, free), although we ask that guests bring food donations as "admission".  Gates open at 10 AM and music starts at 11 and will run all day.  (Bring a chair, too.)

Seven performances will entertaining the crowd all day:

St. Paul's Joyful Noise Band (our "house band"): 11:00-11:30 
Deb Capece (singer/songwriter): 11:55-12:25
Once Called Saul (Quakertown-based rock band): 12:50-1:20
BASIC (contemporary choir from Allentown): 1:45-2:15
Ian Holmes (American Idol contestant from the Lehigh Valley): 2:40-3:25 
Caribbean Steel Rhythms (steel drum band from the Lehigh Valley): 3:50-4:50
Greater Shiloh Music Ministry (gospel/R&B choir): 5:15-6:15

In addition to the great music, you can enjoy a classic car cruise, historic church tours, great food, lots of fun activities for the kids, local artists and crafters and more!

Please call 215-536-5789 with any questions.  Check out our Facebook page and please help to spread the word so we can work together to assist those many in our area who need these important programs to survive.  I hope to see you there!

Musings

Some food stuff from the weekend...

Jake, my parents and I went to Owowcow Creamery last week (MB went out to eat with some friends, so we needed a treat, too!).  Really, I think this is the best ice cream I've ever tasted.  So good.  I know you want to know, so I'll tell you what we got.  Jake got half Chocolate-Covered Pretzel and half Mango Sorbet.  Mom got Blueberry-Lemon and Dad went with Blood Orange-Raspberry (excellent!).  I got Chocolate-Fudge-Walnut (really dark chocolate) and Chai (incredibly yummy).  If you haven't been there, go!  Now!

Greater Shiloh Church Choir at Joyful Noise IV.

On Saturday, Joyful Noise IV, our church's charity music festival benefiting the Quakertown Food Pantry, went off with flying colors.  Beautiful weather, incredible music, great food (those Blooming Glen Pork sandwiches are soooooo good).  Final numbers aren't in yet, but I'll let you know how much we made for the pantry.  The Quakertown Food Pantry served well over 15,000 individuals in 2010, so lots of people will reap the benefits of our festival.

Ceili Rain rockin' the tent.

How does your garden grow?  We've gotten a lot of nice, sweet peas and a few green beans.  It won't be long before we'll have squash and tomatoes.  Can't wait!

Joyful Noise IV

You may remember when I wrote about hunger in our country a short time ago (click here for the article).  In it, I wrote about Joyful Noise IV a charity music and arts festival that is coming up this Saturday, June 25.  (I know I wrote about it about a month ago, but it doesn't hurt to remind you!)

The event is held at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Applebachsville (in the suburbs of Quakertown), 837 Old Bethlehem Rd, Quakertown, PA, 18951.  Gates open at 10AM and there will be fun and music running all day.  There is NO cost, but you are encouraged to bring food items to be donated to the Quakertown Food Pantry as "admission".  All proceeds from the day--from the sale of raffles and food and by "passing the bucket"--will be given to the Pantry.  In the 3 previous Joyful Noise festivals, over $16,000 have been donated.

Come out and see some beautiful classic cars at our car show.  Find out about the historic church building with a church tour.  Kids' activities run all day.  Take in the work of many local artists and crafters.  Buy raffle tickets for a variety of great prizes.  And don't forget all the great food there to sustain you throughout the day: pulled pork, burgers and dogs, waffles and ice cream, fresh fruit salad and much more.

But music rules the day.  You'll hear a wide variety of musical styles and performances throughout the day--culminating with Ceili Rain, an incredibly energetic Celtic-rock band that will lift your spirits and get your feet moving.  Click here for my other post that tells more about the other performers.

So bring your sunscreen, a chair or blanket, a big appetite and get ready for a full day of fun for a great cause.  Hope to see you there!

Mark Your Calendars!

Block off Saturday, June 25 for a great day of music, fun and helping a great cause.  Joyful Noise IV  is a charity music festival that benefits the Quakertown Food Pantry.  The big event is held at St. Paul's Ev. Lutheran Church of Applebachsville, 837 Old Bethlehem Rd., Quakertown, PA, 18951.  It's a FREE event, but we do ask that  you bring food donations as your "admission".  Gates open at 10AM.

In addition to the music, there will be a classic car show, historic church tours, kids' activities, local artists and crafters showing their wares, and more.  All funds above our expenses will be donated to the Pantry and will be raised with food sales, raffle sales and "passing the bucket" during performances.

The performance schedule is:

• 11:00AM  St. Paul's Joyful Noise Band--"homegrown" inspirational music
• 12:00AM  Bill Clinton--country music from the Quakertown area
• 1:00PM  Keith Spencer--spirituals, gospel and more from an exceptional vocalist
• 2:00PM  Greater Shiloh Baptist Church Music Ministry--exciting gospel choir from Easton, PA
• 3:15PM  Simon Apple--positive and uplifting pop/rock
• 4:45PM  Ceili Rain--Celtic rock with energy, fun and a great message

Ceili Rain

So come on out for a great time--and bring your family and friends (bring lawn chairs or blankets, too).  Eat great food, hear great music, enjoy the company of others and help out the many in our community who need it so badly.  You won't be sorry!

Who's Hungry?

As many of you know, I'm involved in a big event coming up on June 25.  Joyful Noise IV is a charity music festival that benefits the Quakertown Food Pantry produced by my church, St. Paul's Lutheran Church of Applebachsville.  I'll be writing more about it as we get closer to the event date.

But since the festival benefits the food pantry, I've been thinking and reading a lot about hunger in this country.  And what I've been finding out is pretty disturbing.  In this incredibly wealthy and technologically advanced country, thousands of people--many of them children--don't know where their next meal will come from. 

Hunger threatens people of all races and religions.  It affects city dwellers and country folk.  You may not realize it, but it thousands in our community deal with it every single day. 

Read my article on Bucks County Taste for more details.  There's also a link to BCT's calendar with more info about Joyful Noise IV.