Hunger Is Not a Disease

Meet Anna Woofenden – You’re Gonna LOVE Her and Her Book!

 

 

INTRODUCTION –

There aren’t many books about there about hunger in America.  Whenever I think of books about food pantries, the first writer I think of Sara Miles.

Well, it turns out that Sara Miles has a special friend, a writer friend.

I found Anna Woofenden’s book, “This is God’s Table” by accident on a table at the Barnes and Noble store in Kingston, New York.  If only I could give copies of Anna Woofenden’s  book to everyone.  And, I mean everyone, including you.

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Anna Woofenden started a Garden Church without walls in a vacant lot on 6th Street in San Pedro, California.

Anna placed a cedar stump table in the center of her worship space and consecrated it when she anointed it with oil.

From that moment, people joined her as they gardened,  worshiped, and ate together weekly.  All were welcome at God’s Table.

Whenever everyone is welcome,  they all come.  This welcoming,  worshiping, and eating together attracts  the old and the young, the housed and unhoused, the rich and the poor, and everyone in between.

I invite you to get a copy of Anna Woofenden’s book,  “This is God’s Table”,  and read it.

You can connect with her at https://www.AnnaWoofenden.com.

Again, thank you for reading this blog post.

If you liked this post, will you please forward it to your favorite social media network?

You can connect with me on Facebook.

Thanks again!

Thurman Greco

 

Hungry and Homeless Now

 

The food pantry is closed for business and  will not open today.

Where will the hungry and homeless go now?

It’s Wednesday, the pantry day in Woodstock.  Weekly, the food pantry attracts several hundred hungry and homeless people to the basement of a local church where they experience community, gratitude, healing, and a three-day-supply of shared food.  The isolation often felt by hungry and homeless people is softened in the pantry.  One thing the soul longs for is connection.

As people travel down their life path to the pantry, they lose things.  One of the most soul-strangling downsides of this new-found simplicity is isolation experienced as people become cut off from their community.  This experiences always changes reality.

When people no longer fit in, their voices become smaller and smaller and smaller until, finally, all is silent.

The rule is this:  As the community for the hungry and homeless diminishes, so diminishes the support system.

All things are connected and intertwined but we have a difficult time remembering this when we are in our most alone circumstances in life.  With assistance, we begin to recall our spiritual connections and know we are not along, not forgotten.

But, with the Coronavirus, this is very challenging.  A few things are in play here.

First, for those needing to shelter in place, the main question is this:   ” Where will I go?”  Sofa surfing won’t happen anymore.  The cemetery will work as long as it doesn’t snow or rain.

Second, a person without food can think of nothing else:  “Where can I get food?”

For the hungry and homeless person in Woodstock, that focus is real because the food pantry closed.

At a time when the people need this food the most, the pantry is closed.

“Where can I get food?”

Thank you for reading this blog post!

Please refer it to your preferred social  media network.

Thurman Greco

Woodstock, New York

You can help

GNP43

Your support is crucial to food pantries.  Food pantry volunteers everywhere  are committed to feeding the hungry with dignity and awareness.  People working in pantries  know  of the connection and kinship to every person who needs food.

When you help your local pantry, you  not only strengthen your community, but  offer  some peace and harmony for those caught in a seemingly never ending struggle.

When you support  a food pantry you help the volunteers in their work to feed the hungry.  No pantry can  succeed without you!  Here are some opportunities for participation:

SEND A PANTRY A FINANCIAL GIFT.

Pantries everywhere  need $$$ to keep  going.  Your contributions are tax deductible.  Think of a food pantry the next time you prepare your taxes.

CONSIDER A PERIODIC  DONATION.

It’s easy to set up a monthly or quarterly donation in whatever amount you choose on Paypal if your pantry of choice is signed up.    If you prefer to send a check, let the pantry treasurer  know so you can get some  self addressed envelopes to make the job easier.  Regular donations offer a financial flow coming to the pantry.  This is, really, the easiest way to offer your support.

PAY A SPECIFIC BILL FOR THE PANTRY.

One of the biggest ongoing expenses a pantry has is gasoline for pantry  vehicles.    You can help  in this effort when you buy a gas card for the pantry.  The volunteers will be appreciate  your generosity.

GIVE A DONATION TO HONOR A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER.

Often, when you give a contribution as a gift to a friend or loved one, the pantry  will send a personalized card to the recipient acknowledging your gift.  Include the name and address of the honoree, along with your tax deductible donation so the volunteer can do this.

SHARE THIS LETTER WITH EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST.

Please forward this post to everyone you know.

PRAYERS, LOVING SUPPORT, AND KIND THOUGHTS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME.

Thank you for  supporting your local food pantry.  You are important.  I send blessings your way.  Pantries do not work in a vacuum.  They simply cannot succeed without your help.

http://www.greatnationseat.org

Thank you also for reading this blog/book.

Please send a comment.

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Peace and food for all.

Thurman Greco