Fasting, Prayer & Budget Cuts

Coalition of Faith and Other Leaders Announce Campaign to Protect Programs for Vulnerable People

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In the midst of the political battle about the budget, a broad coalition of religious and other leaders will launch a new fasting, prayer and advocacy campaign to protect programs for vulnerable people. This campaign is in response to budget proposals that will disproportionately impact hungry and poor people in the U.S. and abroad.

WHAT:	Press conference to launch a new campaign of fasting, prayer and advocacy to protect vulnerable people from Congressional budget cuts
WHEN:	Monday, March 28, 2011, 9:45 a.m. EDT
WHERE:	Murrow, White, and Lisagor Rooms, National Press Club, 529 14^th Street, NW, Washington, DC
WHO:	Ambassador and former Congressman Tony Hall; Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World and World Food Prize laureate; and Jim Wallis, president and CEO of Sojourners
WHY:	These three leaders will announce personal fasts and call on others to join in fasting, prayer and personal sacrifice to form a circle of protection around programs benefiting vulnerable people domestically and abroad. Along with a broad base of coalition partners, they will call on national leaders to not balance the budget on the backs of hungry and poor people.
	The growing list of partners in the campaign includes: Alliance to End Hunger, American Jewish World Service, Bread for the World, Congressional Hunger Center, Feeding America, Food for the Hungry, Islamic Relief USA, Meals on Wheels Association of America, New Manna Inc., ONE, Society of Saint Andrew, Sojourners, World Food Program USA. Visit HungerFast.org for details.
	Background: In 1993 Congressman Tony Hall fasted for 22 days in response to budget cuts that would hurt poor and hungry people. Last month Sojourners ran a full-page ad in Politico with 28 national Christian leaders asking Congress “What Would Jesus Cut?” Bread for the World has organized clergy and denominational heads to speak out budget issues and meet with legislators.
	To RSVP, please contact the following: Kristen Youngblood (Bread for the World), at [phone], [e-mail]; Tim King (Sojourners) at [phone], [e-mail]; or Chris LaTondresse (Alliance to End Hunger) at [phone] cell, [e-mail]
	Photo opportunities will be available after the program.

The Alliance to End Hunger (www.alliancetoendhunger.org) engages diverse institutions in building the public and political will to end hunger at home and abroad. Bread for the World (www.bread.org) is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. Sojourners’ (www.sojo.net) mission is to articulate the biblical call to social justice, inspiring hope, and building a movement to transform individuals, communities, the church, and the world.