Wednesday, October 21, 2009

UCC Moderator to speak at Queen's Park Rally for Climate Change




The International Day of Climate Action is this Saturday, October 24. It
is being marked in Toronto with a large exciting rally at Queen's Park
from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., organized by the Toronto Climate Campaign and Mardi Tindal, the United Church's new Moderator, is one of the speakers.

Toronto Climate Campaign is organizing a rally as part of a climate day of action. People across Canada and the world will be coming together as part of 350.org, building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis – the solutions that science and justice demand.

More information can be found at www.torontoclimatecampaign.org (although Mardi hasn't been added to the speakers list on that Web page).

Please pass this on to your friends and social networks and encourage those who are available to attend!


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Maldives Holds Underwater Cabinet Meeting To Bring Attention to Climate Change



The president of the Maldives, Mohamed Nasheed, and his ministers yesterday held an official cabinet meeting underwater as part of an international movement organized by 350.org to bring increased global attention to climate change.

350.org is organizing a global day of action on Oct. 24 and Maldives, a country of just 350,000, has organized an amazing 14 events.... Read the full story on TreeHugger


Friday, October 16, 2009

Interfaith Study Series





A series of three study sessions is offered this fall to everyone in the community who would like to join us. Each session will be an introduction to one of the United Church's interfaith dialogue documents. Please plan to join us for any or all of the sessions.

The evening dates (7-8:30 p.m.) are listed here. If you are interested in attending a daytime group, please let our church office know, and we will select a time to repeat the sessions.

October 20 Bearing Faithful Witness (United Church - Jewish relations)
October 27 That We May Know Each Other (United Church Muslim relations)
November 3 Circle and Cross (United Church - Native Spirituality)

All sessions will be held at Norfolk Street United Church, 75 Norfolk Street, Guelph Ontario (519) 822-6165


Thursday, October 15, 2009

Feeding Change, Feeding Hope on World Food Day



Food Banks Canada releases Sharing our Stories: Food Banks Helping
Canadians on World Food Day to tell the personal stories of Canadians in
need


TORONTO, Oct. 15 /Canada NewsWire/ - It is often difficult for individuals to understand the depth and breadth of the issue of hunger through hard facts alone. On October 16, World Food Day, Food Banks Canada is releasing Sharing our Stories: Food Banks Helping Canadians, providing a snapshot of the real life situations of Canadians who struggle with hunger and turn to food banks for assistance across the country.

One of the profiles is that of Monique* - a mother of four who unexpectedly lost her job during the economic recession and turned to the Mississauga Food Bank for assistance. The circumstances that brought Monique to the food bank also offered her a chance to develop a new career through an opportunity to join a subsidized job training program.

Monique's story is a frank and inspiring example of the challenges many Canadians face. It highlights the valuable services provided by food banks across the country. Food banks, work to distribute food and consumer products, and also offer employment training, language assistance and, for many, emotional support to help individuals get back on their feet.

"This past year has been an increasingly challenging time for individuals across the country and for food banks assisting them, given the current economic climate" says Katharine Schmidt, Executive Director, Food Banks Canada. "It is our hope that these stories will reveal the real people behind the statistics and will inspire individuals to give generously to support food banks in their communities."

March 2009 data on food bank usage, in comparison with March 2008, revealed that there has been a 15 to 20 per cent increase in the number of Canadians accessing food banks each month. "While food bank usage is on the rise, we are also seeing a decrease in food and fund donations to food banks in some parts of the country", notes Katharine. "If Canadians are in a position to support others, we ask that they make that commitment today".

A more comprehensive report on food bank usage will be unveiled in November with the release of HungerCount, Food Banks Canada's annual report of food bank use in Canada.

With the Thanksgiving season just behind us, Food Banks Canada would like to thank individuals and corporations who donated to food banks during this time. Every donation makes a difference in the lives of individuals and families in need.

Read more about Monique and other individuals across Canada in Sharing our Stories: Food Banks Helping Canadians, by visiting:

www.foodbankscanada.ca.

* Name has been changed for privacy purposes.

About Food Banks Canada


Food Banks Canada is the national charitable organization representing the food bank community across Canada. Our members and their respective agencies serve approximately 85 per cent of people accessing emergency food programs nationwide. Our mission is to meet the short term need for food and find long-term solutions to reduce hunger. Visit www.foodbankscanada.ca for more information.


About World Food Day


Launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the goal of World Food Day is to raise awareness of those living with food insecurity around the world.


Friday, October 2, 2009

World Habitat Day is a Reminder that Everyone Deserves Decent Housing



The United Nations has designated the first Monday in October as annual World Habitat Day. This is the day to reaffirm that decent shelter is a basic human right and a time to join together to remind governments that the lack of decent, affordable housing is unacceptable. Monday, October 5 is World Habitat Day this year and the theme is "it all starts at home." Habitat for Humanity International is campaigning for security of tenure in the world and neighbourhood revitalization in the U.S.A. Read the full story on TreeHugger