Living Our Values: Colleges Promote Fair Trade

As institutions inspired by faith, Catholic colleges and universities live their values in many ways, including through academic pursuits, business decisions, and student activities. One way Catholic colleges and universities reflect their mission to care for the poor and vulnerable throughout the world by protecting the rights of workers, upholding ethical economic practices and supporting sustainable environmental practices is through fair trade.

Fair trade is a designation placed on products to ensure that producers are paid a fair price for what they create by examining factors like price, labor conditions, sustainability, and community development. Carroll College and St. Norbert College are two examples of Catholic institutions that have successfully implemented different strategies to raise awareness for fair trade products and practices in creative ways.

Carroll College has promoted fair trade through academic courses, student life, and the Hunthausen Center for Peace and Justice. Fair trade principles and practices were introduced in the class “Theological Foundations,” part of Carroll’s core curriculum, as a case study during a unit on Catholic Social Teaching. Another course, “Market Research,” also examined the issue of fair trade through a research project on fair trade awareness in the community and on campus. Using research from this project, students from the Enactus student club, which focuses on developing business skills, designed a pocket-sized brochure on fair trade and Catholic Social Teaching, which also listed businesses in Helena selling fair trade products. More than 4,000 copies of the brochure were distributed across the Carroll and Helena communities. The student life department, with the Hunthausen Center, also sponsored a public fair trade market in the campus center where fair trade products were made available for purchase. Additionally, three “Fair Trade Friday” events featuring free samples of fair trade products and information on fair trade practices were held in the campus center, promoting greater awareness of the issue. These fair trade–focused projects were funded through the Global Solidarity Grant program, a collaborative program of ACCU and Catholic Relief Services that awards funding to Catholic colleges and universities to increase awareness of global injustice and expand student involvement in bringing about change. After signing a fair trade resolution, Carroll College became a Fair Trade certified university in 2016, the first university in Montana to be certified as such.

Another Global Solidarity Grant recipient, St. Norbert College, incorporated art into the discussion of fair trade. On exhibition in the Baer Gallery of the Bush Art Center was photographer Lisa Kristine’s work “Enslaved: A Visual Story of Modern Day Slavery.” St. Norbert hosted a reception with Catholic Relief Services called “Shine a Light” that used the powerful images on display to present a testimony of the need for change in the area of fair and ethical trade. Featured speaker Caroline Brennan, Senior Communications Officer at Catholic Relief Services, discussed the effects of fair trade programs around the world and how attendees could become involved. She also shared her own story and photographs as a member of the CRS emergency response team to an audience of faculty, students, and members of the local community. At the end of the reception, hundreds of postcards in support of the Business Supply Chain Transparency on Trafficking and Slavery Act were signed by visitors to the exhibit and reception attendees and given to representatives of Catholic Relief Services to send to Congressional representatives.

St. Norbert College students also run a fair trade business called Discoveries International. Run by international business students, Discoveries International sells fair trade items, such as jewelry, coffee, and tea, donating the profits to charities chosen by the group. For the 2016-2017 academic year, Discoveries International is donating to Feed My Starving Children, The Zambia Project, and Doctors without Borders. This business incorporates support for ethical markets with the teaching of management skills to students who are going to be involved in the international market.

Bring Fair Trade to Your Campus

Colleges and universities can connect with Catholic Relief Services Ethical Trade to help promote fair trade principles on their campus. CRS Ethical Trade provides academic resources that include various modules related specifically to incorporating fair trade and labor issues in the curriculum. In addition, they provide campus engagement materials, ranging from prayers to event ideas, that can help raise awareness on the issue of fair labor practices in the campus community. From their experience working with many campuses on promoting fair trade, CRS Ethical Trade tells success stories of Catholic colleges and universities that used the CRS Student Ambassador program to incorporate educational and faith formation resources into campus life while faculty offer academic modules in courses. In addition to these online resources, CRS staff members are available to present on ethical trade and its importance to the campus community.

Many Catholic universities also work with Fair Trade Campaigns to become a fair trade–certified university through their multi-step process. To start, a campus creates a team to support fair trade, who then reaches out to campus outlets to ensure a minimum of two fair trade products are available in campus-owned and -operated venues. The team works to grow the movement, using fair trade products at university meetings, events, and in university offices, and planning fair trade educational events or celebratory activities. The final step to certification is for the college or university to develop and pass a fair trade resolution. Fair Trade Campaigns has a toolkit available for ideas on how to meet these goals. As of February 2017, 21 Catholic colleges and universities are certified as fair trade institutions. ACCU provides more information on how to become a fair trade university, why Catholic institutions value fair trade, and additional creative ways to incorporate fair trade on campus on its Fair Trade webpage, where visitors can also download the Fair Trade and Catholic Higher Education brochure.

A rising number of Catholic colleges and universities are using their purchasing power as a way of expressing their Catholic mission by supporting the rights of workers to a fair wage and safe working conditions through fair trade items. Carroll College and St. Norbert College are engaging the issue of justice for workers, global solidarity with the poor and vulnerable, and care for creation through a variety of programs and awareness campaigns. By bringing together students through business practices, academic courses, and cultural events, these colleges are showing how fair trade practices in the daily workings of an institution can make a global impact.

Camilla MacKenzie is an undergraduate student at The Catholic University of America and the Peace and Justice Intern at the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities.

Catholic Relief Services Introduces New Faculty Learning Commons

The CRS Faculty Learning Commons (FLC) is an online learning community and curricular resource that highlights the latest strategies for global relief and development with special emphasis on the application of CRS’ justice lens and opportunities for building global solidarity.  This fall, the CRS Faculty Learning Commons will offer four distinct academic modules under the theme of Peacebuilding.

For ease of use, the material is broken down into four interrelated modules, described below.  The resources can be used by a variety of disciplines, and you are free to select from the modules to support your specific course needs.  You will find videos, short articles, book excerpts, discussion guides, and course learning objectives. To access and use the material, however, CRS asks that you simply sign up. 

Fall 2016 Peacebuilding Modules:

WHAT IS PEACEBUILDING AND WHAT IS CATHOLIC ABOUT IT? 

Age-old debates over just war and pacifism are well known.  What is less well known and understood is the Church’s role in conflict prevention, conflict mitigation and post-violence reconciliation.  From Colombia to South Sudan, the Catholic community, including Catholic Relief Services (CRS), is working with other religious actors and the wider civil society to promote peace amidst some of the world’s most intractable conflicts.   This session provides an overview of the Church’s role, considering it in the context of Catholic social teaching and a strategic approach to peacebuilding, with special attention to the peacebuilding work of CRS.

CIVIL SOCIETY, THE CHURCH & PEACE PROCESSES

Since the end of the Cold War, there has been a growing appreciation of the critical role of civil society actors in people-to-people peacebuilding, and in directly and indirectly supporting formal and informal peace processes.  Increasingly, active engagement by civil society actors (Track 2 and Track 3 diplomacy) is considered an important factor in addressing the fact that half of peace settlements fail within five years.  In many countries embroiled in conflict, the Catholic Church is a leading civil society actor.  In South Sudan and Colombia, the churches often play an indirect role, organizing local, regional and national peace processes for civil society that complement official peace processes.

AFTER THE PEACE ACCORD: Transitional Justice and Reconciliation

When wars end, some of the most difficult challenges of peacebuilding begin.  The Church has played a role in formal Truth and Reconciliation Commissions in South Africa, South Sudan, Guatemala, Burundi, and other places.  These formal processes often involve painful moral dilemmas, pitting legitimate demands for justice and accountability against the practical demands for amnesties and calls for forgiveness.  While governments often speak of reconciliation, defined narrowly as political accommodation, the Church promotes a much deeper and fuller understanding of political, communal, and personal reconciliation.  Moreover, reconciliation is not just or mostly a matter of formal post-war processes; it is an integral component of preventing and mitigating violent conflicts.

Inter-religious Dialogue and Action

Inter-religious dialogue and peacebuilding are often seen, by religious and secular actors, as the natural antidote to religious violence or identity conflicts with a religious dimension.  Interreligious peacebuilding can also be indispensable in conflicts where religious differences are not at issue in the conflict, as with the Lord’s Resistance Army in northern Uganda.  The goals of interreligious peacebuilding depend on the nature of the conflict and one’s theory of change.  They range from (1) repairing and/or deepening relationships, (2) improving mutual understanding, (3) finding common ground on beliefs and issues, (4) promoting common action, and/or (4) encouraging complementary action for peace and justice.  In some cases, the most effective work of inter-religious peacebuilding is done alone within one’s own faith community.

 

Catholic Relief Services Responds to Ecuador Earthquake

On April 16, 2016, Ecuador endured a 7.8 magnitude earthquake. According to Michigan Technological University, this type of ‘major’ earthquake only occurs an estimated twenty times a year, as opposed to the ‘strong’ earthquakes, which occur an estimated 100 times a year. Catholic Relief Services (CRS) reports that this is “one of the most powerful in Latin America over the last two decades,” and has taken the lives of at least 500 people.

Many towns in the affected area are experiencing power outages, lack of running water, and the devastation of coastal infrastructure. In response, CRS has been directing its efforts towards meeting the immediate needs of remote areas that have not yet received assistance. Their work currently includes bringing clean water, temporary shelter, food, and living supplies to those in need. Sanitation and hygiene will also be provided, so as to prevent the spread of disease.

Ecuador is in desperate need of assistance and any contribution counts. Anyone can donate as an individual or set up a fundraising campaign with their campus, school, or parish.  Be sure to check out other ways to respond, and join us as we pray:

How is your college or university contributing to assisting Ecuador? Let us know! 

ACCU and CRS Fair Trade Resources

World Fair Trade Day, a day of celebration and awareness of fair trade initiatives organized by Fair Trade Campaigns on May 14, is the perfect opportunity to highlight some of the wonderful work Catholic organizations do around fair trade and making it accessible to colleges and universities.

The Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities  published a comprehensive pamphlet on Fair Trade and Catholic Higher Education highlighting the work of ten different colleges and universities that have incorporated fair trade into all areas of student life, from the coffee shops and bookstore to becoming Fair Trade Universities.

Catholic Relief Services has many resources devoted to fair trade. CRS Fair Trade has long been very active in spreading the word about Catholic Social Teaching and fair trade, how and where to buy fair trade, and matters of economic justice. For college students, CRS Fair Trade offers a guide to making fundraising campaigns fair trade, stories of catholic colleges pursuing fair trade initiatives, and a wealth of educational materials that can be used on campus.

These are only a few examples of Catholic higher education’s involvement with fair trade and economic justice. Be sure to check out the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops resources on the economy and economic justice to learn more.

How does your college or  university integrate Catholic identity with fair trade and economic justice? Let us know! 

Villanova University’s Year of ‘Running for Refugees’

In addition to the Catholic higher education institutions recently profiled, Villanova University has also been deeply involved in education, advocacy, and service activities around the Syrian refugee crisis.

To begin the academic year, the CRS Partnership, CRS Ambassadors, the University’s Law School Clinic for Asylum, Refugee and Emigrant Services (CARES) and the College of Nursing’s Center for Global and Public Health joined together to produce a forum on the Syria and Iraqi Refugee Crisis. On October 21, 2015, over 250 members of the Villanova community gathered to hear from representatives of each of the sponsors as well as the founder and director of the University’s Center for Arab and Islamic Studies, a former UNHCR Protection Officer in the Middle East, and a Syrian CARES client applying for asylum. Among the topics addressed were the migration path, push factors, laws governing protection, adjudicating refugee cases, impacts of refugees on the region, and what we can do in the United States. During the event, Kathleen O’Hara, Global Health and Migration Coordinator for Villanova’s CRS Ambassadors, encouraged the audience to advocate on behalf of the refugees by writing letters to President Obama and their state legislators.

To finish the fall semester, the CRS Ambassadors hosted a “Season of Solidarity” Interfaith Vigil for Syrian and Iraqi Refugees on December 3, 2015. As part of the Season of Solidarity, the Ambassadors’ ongoing awareness, service, and advocacy campaign in support of Syrians and Iraqis fleeing violence, the Vigil brought together the Villanova community to hear from University President Fr. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, CRS Student Ambassadors, Assistant to the President Fr. Kail Ellis, a refugee who fled Syria two years ago, and other CRS representatives. Together, participants and speakers prayed for the safety of those fleeing violence and for peace.

One exciting upcoming event is the “Run for Refugees 5k,” which will take place on April 15, 2016. Planned by the CRS Campus Ambassadors, all Villanova students and student organizations are invited to run or assist with the 5k, which will include opening remarks, an opening interfaith prayer, and education around the refugee crisis throughout the run. Runners will be asked to play a role as a refugee and may be stopped at a border, before they can begin running again. Runners may be asked to run carrying a baby or remove their shoes, replaced with sandals, while running. Through the 5k, the CRS Ambassadors hope to create empathy for the refugees. Register to run or volunteer! 

The breadth and depth of Villanova’s efforts to increase awareness and action around the Syrian and Iraqi refugee crisis is impressive and inspiring.  How is your college or university engaging in the Syrian refugee and migration crises? Let us know! 

Catholic Relief Services Releases Lenten Resources

As the season of Lent approaches, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) invites all to participate – including and especially college students – in the annual CRS Rice Bowl. CRS has developed multiple additional resources tailored to colleges and universities. Among their resources, CRS includes a list of things you can do to participate in the Rice Bowl in various ways:

1. Share your faith: Community Reflections in English and in Spanish on climate change and Laudato Si’ are available to all.
2. Eat simply: All are encouraged to not only go meatless on Fridays but to continue to eat simply throughout Lent.Delicious meatless recipes available here!
3. Keep Lent in your pocket: The CRS Rice Bowl app is available for iPhone and Android devices! This is an easy way to keep track of the daily reflections and your Lenten fast.
4. Distribute CRS Rice Bowls: Giving to the best of our abilities is still a part of Lent! Order your Rice Bowl kit for FREE here.
5. Volunteer with a local faith community: We are also called to give of our time and talents. Check out CRS school and parish resources!

Does your college or university have other Lenten resources? Let us know! 

 

CRS and ACCU Announce Global Solidarity Grants

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) University Engagement (http://university.crs.org/) and the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities (ACCU) are jointly offering small grants of up to $2,500 to ACCU member institutions to advance Catholic mission through global solidarity by developing creative projects that move them towards a CRS Global Campus designation.

Learn more about CRS Global Campus designation, CRS student ambassadors, and CRS Faculty Learning Commons.

Proposal criteria

Appropriate projects will draw on the programs and resources of CRS’ University Engagement.  They will foster and build commitment to the CRS Global Campus designation through innovative and high-impact events and programs that embed Catholic social teaching, prayer, education and action (including advocacy).

Projects that promote collaboration across campus (i.e., between academic and student life areas), reach a significant portion of the campus population and have a digital and traditional media dimension are highly regarded.  Projects must involve students in a significant way but must have a faculty or staff sponsor.

Application components

1. Cover Sheet – List the title of project, primary sponsor(s) and contact information, amount requested, and 100-word description of the project. An administrative contact (grants officer or business office administrator) must be identified. The cover sheet must be signed by the sponsor(s) and the administrative contact.
2.  Narrative – For each of the three following areas, please describe:
   1. The educational rationale and goals behind the proposal, the intended audience, how it advances global solidarity through CRS as a part of the Catholic mission of the college or university and moves the campus toward becoming a CRS Global Campus.
   2. A project plan that details how the proposal’s goals will be met, and identifies the specific resources needed to accomplish the plan and proposed activities. Outline how campus constituencies will collaborate to carry out the proposal and explain the potential for continuing activity.
   3. The qualifications of the sponsors to carry out the project, and qualifications of other persons (e.g., guest speakers) who may help with the project.

The narrative must be clear, complete, and free of jargon. Please limit the narrative to three to five double-spaced pages.

3. Budget – Provide an itemized list of proposed expenditures (stipends, travel, reference and teaching materials, fees, etc.). Stipends may not exceed $125 per day for participants from the sponsor institution, and no one person may receive more than $500 total for work on the project. Appropriate honoraria for speakers may be proposed. Support from other sources should also be listed if a project’s total cost is expected to exceed $2,500. Charges for administrative overhead (to cover business or grant office expenses) may not exceed 10 percent of the project total. Funds will be released only when the project is completed.

Grant applications are due on Friday, November 6, 2015, and should be submitted as a Word document or in PDF form to accu@accunet.org.  Proposals will be reviewed by a committee of three to five representatives from CRS and ACCU. Notifications to grant winners will be sent in December 2015. Final project reports should be submitted to ACCU no later than May 31, 2016. The final report must include a summary of the event or project, including evaluation by the grantee, and a description of plans to continue the work. Photos, videos, and any media coverage would also be welcomed with the final report.

Please address questions or comments to: Alexandra Bradley, Director of Membership and Member Services & Programs, Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036. E-mail: abradley@accunet.org. Telephone: (202) 457-0650, ext. 224.

Catholic Higher Education: In Solidarity With Migrants

Mount Mercy University students during their immersion trip to El Paso, Texas

With the 2016 U.S. presidential race already underway, candidates are discussing their ideas regarding the social, economic, and political issues facing America, many of which are of great concern to the Catholic Church. One of most prominent issues is immigration. Shortly after launching his presidential campaign in June 2015, for instance, Donald Trump made controversial statements about Mexican immigrants, characterizing them as drug dealers, criminals, and rapists, ending with, “Some, I assume, are good people.”

Such harsh statements about people who seek a better life in the United States come from an unfortunate public misconception and general lack of knowledge regarding the complexity of immigration. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops explains in Strangers No Longer Together on the Journey of Hope that the decision to migrate is strongly influenced by factors such as poverty, injustice, religious intolerance, and armed-conflict in other countries. The Catholic Church has spoken strongly regarding the importance of welcoming immigrants who pursue the American dream of safety, opportunity, stability, and freedom, while also working to address the root causes of migration.  Recognizing the need for reform of both political policies and individual hearts, Catholic higher education, along with the Catholic Church, provides students with the information and experiences to learn more about migration.

As the leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis frequently speaks about the importance of respectful treatment of migrants. In his message on the World Day of Migrants and Refugees in 2015, the pope asserted, “Often … migration gives rise to suspicion and hostility, even in ecclesial communities, prior to any knowledge of the migrants’ lives or their stories of persecution and destitution. In such cases, suspicion and prejudice conflict with the biblical commandment of welcoming with respect and solidarity the stranger in need.” The Catholic Church affirms the importance of standing in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, regardless of immigration status, as we are all part of one human family, created in the image of God. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops explains in their public policy statement on immigration reform that we must welcome the foreigner and show respect for every person as part of their inherent human dignity, following Jesus’ prophetic proclamation, “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35).

Guided by Catholic Social Teaching, Catholic higher education stands in solidarity with migrants, educating students about the reasons why migration occurs and supporting communities through service and advocacy for immigration reform.  Catholic colleges and universities have undertaken activities to support immigrants and immigration reform such as establishing scholarships for students from immigrant backgrounds, welcoming undocumented immigrant students, and promoting educational opportunities for students to encounter the experience of migrants and the difficult journey they face. One example of a powerful educational opportunity is Cabrini College’s project titled, “#RefugeesSeekingSafety.”

Funded by the Global Solidarity Grants program sponsored by ACCU and Catholic Relief Services, the #RefugeesSeekingSafety project led participants through an innovative 25-minute simulation of the experience of unaccompanied minors fleeing from violence in Central America by coming to the United States. The simulation was originally designed by a freshman social justice course, “Our Interdependent World.” The grant from ACCU and CRS helped students from the class, Cabrini Catholic Relief Services Ambassadors, and members of the Cabrini Mission Corps edit and expand the draft of the simulation and create a website to promote and share the simulation. The students debuted the final simulation in spring 2015, when more than 75 participants got a glimpse of the situations and options that minors face at the U.S.-Mexico border. The group reflected on the root causes of migration; learned about advocacy programs, ranging from social media tags to petitions to Congress; and gathered for a solidarity prayer-walk. These participants gained a better understanding of the issues that refugees seeking safety face and learned how they can support change and take action on immigration reform.

Similar to this Cabrini program, another example of a powerful educational opportunity is Mount Mercy University’s project, “Standing in Solidarity with Migrants.” Also funded by the Global Solidarity Grants program, this project engaged students, faculty, and the community in educational opportunities to learn, reflect, and take action on immigration issues. First, Sr. Kathleen Erickson, RSM, spoke about her personal experiences with immigration, both as an assistant at a center for immigrant women and as an immersion coordinator. The lecture helped students understand the causes and effects of migration. The following day, the community came together to pray for migrants in an interfaith service and participated in a workshop to reflect on their experiences. The group wrote letters to their representatives advocating for comprehensive immigration reform centered on the fair and just treatment of humans. Lastly, staff, faculty, and students were given the opportunity to experience the lives of migrants through a four-day immersion trip to the U.S.-Mexico Border in El Paso, TX. While staying in a migrant shelter, participants discussed immigration with U.S. Border Patrol representatives, listened to stories of migrants and refugees, met with human rights activists, and visited historical and cultural sites. The four-day immersion trip to El Paso brought together faith, reflection, and action, connecting the complex discussion of immigration to the participants’ spiritual beliefs.

Prior to experiencing either of these initiatives, many of the participants had little to no knowledge about migration. At the completion of these projects, participants had gained invaluable insights, grown spiritually, and developed skills to advocate for solidarity. Both institutions plan to continue their advocacy for migrants. Cabrini College designed a website to share the simulation experience with other students, campuses, and the public to inform them on the perilous journey that refugees face. The #RefugeesSeekingSafety website is also intended to broaden the opportunity for visitors to recreate the experience, learn how to advocate, and take action on immigration reform.

Mount Mercy student Katelyn Bishop explains that after participating in her university’s project, her “eyes are opened to the harsh reality that many immigrants face in the world today.”  The Mount Mercy Social Justice Club, a student group, plans to continue advocating for solidarity and educating fellow students on the topic of immigration next year. Upon returning from the immersion trip to El Paso, Mount Mercy student Abby Herd reflected on her life-changing experience and her plans to continue advocating for immigrants: “I am raising my voice for the thousands that can’t, the thousands of people suffering, the thousands of people that are dying because of a fence that cages people in. I am a voice for the voiceless. Will you be?”

Kathryn Roarty is a 2015 graduate of Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland.  She interned with ACCU in summer 2015.

CRS University Resources: Climate Change and More

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) University offers several resources and ways for your campus to engage in Catholic Social Teaching and climate change activism. One of the most prominent ways in which CRS University fosters student and faculty engagement is through the Student Ambassador Program. By getting involved with or starting chapters at their universities and colleges, students and faculty will have the opportunity to build their leadership skills through learning about and educating their campuses on poverty and injustice around the world. Visit the CRS University website for more information on how to get involved with your university’s chapter or even start your own!

Faculty have the chance to learn more and impart their knowledge of climate change and catholic social teaching through the Faculty Learning Commons (FLC) program. Through FLC, faculty may access resources for the classroom such as course material and discussion guides, multimedia presentations, and suggestions for local action. For the Fall 2015 semester, FLC offers informational sessions on the December 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris and the Climate Change in the World’s Most Vulnerable Places.

Additionally, CRS University offers the CRS Global Campus program. This is designed to promote global solidarity by forming an institutional partnership between CRS and the member colleges and universities. The partnership gives Global Campuses access to training and professional development, CRS staff and partner speakers and academic and campus resources. For more information on the program and how to get your campus involved, please visit the Global Campus program website.

Specifically related to environmental justice, CRS University has begun the “I am Climate Change” social media campaign, which is directed towards college students. In addition to instructions on how to get involved on social media, the website has a full calendar of campaign events, including rallies, advocacy trainings, and more. The campaign also offers an easy format to contact your senator and representative, with a pre-written letter urging the addressee to approve funding for President Obama’s $500 million request for the Green Climate Fund. “I am Climate Change” encourages followers to reflect upon and live by the mantra: “I am the cause. I am the solution. I am climate change” and to use the hashtag #iamclimatechange where ever possible.

Action Steps Against Hunger

What are simple ways for college students to learn about world hunger and engage their campus community? See Catholics Confront Global Poverty’s four steps against hunger:

1. Use this prayer before mealtime.
2. Watch this video by Pope Francis on hunger.
3. Take to Social Media to bring more attention to this issue! Feel free to retweet and repost these messages from CRS:
   • Twitter: A meal makes a big difference. It encourages school enrollment, improves attentiveness & nourishes a child. #WFD2014
   • Twitter: The @USDA funded CRS #FoodForEducation programs are meeting simple needs, but are making a huge difference: http://bit.ly/1sg9I0E. #WFD2014
   • Facebook: A meal makes a big difference. It encourages school enrollment, improves attentiveness and nourishes a child. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funded CRS Food for Education programs are meeting this simple need in 6 countries and are making a big impact: http://bit.ly/1pjOXuB.
4. Raise Your Voice! Following Pope Francis’ call, we invite you to get ready to raise your voice on behalf of our brothers and sisters who struggle with hunger once Congress returns to DC following the mid-term elections. It’s likely that two pieces of legislation related to addressing hunger, Agriculture Appropriations and Feed the Future, will be taken up by Congress the week of November 10. Learn about these pieces legislation, and consider advocating for them.