Statement
Hope in a Time of Poverty: Nutrition and Food Security PDF
Hope in a Time of Poverty: Nutrition and Food Security
This USCCB reflection, “Hope in a Time of Poverty: Nutrition and Food Security,” frames hunger and food insecurity as moral and social justice issues rooted in Catholic teaching. It links charity and systemic change, urges solidarity with people experiencing poverty, and highlights community-based, culturally rooted solutions supported by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD).
Key points
- Moral framing: Hunger is a scandal and a violation of human dignity; faith calls Christians to respond with justice and solidarity.
- Scope of need: Tens of millions of Americans live in poverty; churches alone cannot meet demand—federal nutrition programs provide the majority of food assistance.
- Shared responsibility: Families, communities, markets, and government must work together to secure decent jobs, fair policies, and access to food.
- Evaluation criteria: Public decisions should be judged by how they protect life and dignity, affect “the least of these,” and promote the common good.
- Virtue and pastoral response: Cultivate generosity, patience, and mercy; combine prayer and concrete acts of service.
Practical actions suggested
- Immediate charity: Participate in parish food ministries, food banks, and neighborhood projects.
- Advocacy: Support federal nutrition programs and join diocesan/bishop advocacy to protect hunger-eradicating programs.
- Organizing: Engage with or fund CCHD-backed local projects that link food security with economic opportunity.
- Education: Teach parishioners about Catholic social teaching on hunger and the relative scale of church vs. public assistance.
- Cultivate virtues: Foster community habits of sharing, patience, and compassionate service.
Suggested uses for this document
- Short parish bulletin insert or homily connecting Scripture, hunger, and public policy.
- 60–90 minute parish forum on food security combining local testimonies and advocacy steps.
- Volunteer recruitment sheet for parish food ministries and advocacy campaigns.
- Model inspiration for parish-supported local agriculture, community gardens, or acequia-style water-sharing projects.