NCC End Poverty

News & Updates

May 25th -

Joining other faith communities, the NCC sent a letter to members of both houses of Congress on May 25th calling for a domestic discretionary spending level no lower than the President’s FY 2011 budget, free of multi-year freezes and cuts, and for a holistic approach in combating deficits. Click here to read the letter.
In a letter sent to both the House of Representatives and the Senate this week, the NCC has joined with other faith groups in calling for the extension of unemployment insurance, COBRA benefits, and TANF Emergency Funds – programs that are vital for people as they struggle to find jobs in our current economy. Click here to read the letter to the House, and here to read the letter to the Senate.

May 24th -

Women’s Ministries of the NCC is offering an expanded curriculum called “Fistula Stories”. Fistula Stories is a 4-session curriculum for use in church bible studies, campus ministries, and other community groups. Through education, Bible study, and advocacy planning, Fistula Stories invites you to take a stand on Global Maternal Health. Studying the specific issue of fistula provides a tangible framework in which to explore the connections between faith and action in our own lives. Click here for more information.

May 18th -

In a pastoral letter on public education to President Obama and Members of Congress, the NCC affirmed every child’s right to a public education, while calling for the expansion of educational opportunity, rejecting the language of business in education, and affirming the work of public educators. Click here to read the letter.
In a post on the website Huffington Post, NCC President Peg Chemberlin issued a call for financial reform, stating, “It is good for Christians and others of goodwill seeking to be responsible consumers by reducing the chance that the money we spend on gas will finance governments that impoverish their own people, harbor terrorists, or promote genocide.” Click here to read the post.

May 1st -

The NCC joined a coalition of Christian, Jewish and Muslim groups, and major faith-based organizations has developed principles to guide the development of tax legislation that will enable families and individuals to provide for their immediate needs. Sound tax policies can help create incentives for saving, so that families can build assets to weather future economic shifts and ultimately move out of poverty. Click here to read more, and here to read the document.

April 29th -

The Episcopal Church held a domestic poverty summit, "Called to Serve", from April 27th-30th, addressing urban, rural poverty connections, and calling on the church to be live as the community anchor. Click here to read more.
The United Church of Christ is calling on people of faith to advocate for financial reform. Click here to take action.

April 20th -

The Presbyterian Church in America is calling on people of faith to support robust reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act. Click here to take action.

March 24th -

The Penny Project of the National Ministres of the American Baptist Church, USA, has raised more than 2 million pennies. The Penny Project seeks to raise awareness of the extent of child poverty throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, and support for programs and ministries responding to the needs of children in poverty.

March 22nd -

NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon applauded the passage of health care reform, calling it "necessary to protect the most vulnerable members of society, the uninsured, millions of whom are children". Click here to read more.

March 21st -

More than 700 Christians, in Washington, DC for Ecumenical Advocacy Days, joined a national rally for immigration reform. Click here to read more about Ecumenical Advocacy Days, and here for more on immigration reform.

March 10th -

President Obama's Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, which includes National Council of Churches President Peg Chemberlin and leaders of several NCC member communions, released more than 60 policy recommendations this week on topics ranging from global and domestic poverty to interfaith relations.
Click here to read a post from NCC President Peg Chemberlin on the poverty measure .

February 19th -

Faith leaders have called for a focus on issues of immigration durning Lent, which is also the focus of Ecumenical Advocacy Days, March 19th-22nd.

February 5th -

The National Council of Churches today joined with other faith groups in calling for the federal budget to address the deep of issues of poverty, and care for those hit hardest by the economic recession.

January 29th -

NCC President Peg Chemberlin has joined with other faith leaders to call for President Obama to actively encourage Congress to pass health care reform.

January 28th -

The National Council of Churches has joined with other faith communities to urge members of Congress to take special note of those who are "disproportionately" struggling in a recession in which millions have lost their jobs and have little prospect of employment.

January 25th -

NCC General Secretary Michael Kinnamon's commentary on poverty and region appears in the current Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity, a foundation-led, non-partisan initiative aimed at ensuring that our political leaders take significant actions to reduce poverty and increase opportunity in the United States. Kinnamon's copyrighted essay on God and the poor can be read here.

December 7th -

The Food Research and Action Center has released their 2009 School Breakfast Report Card for both states and Urban areas. Click here to read the reports.
The moral dimension, and greed, are cited as both part of the problem and solution to the financial meltdown and mortgage crisis in a column in Sojourners. Click here to read more.

November 24th -

White House, The Corporation for National and Community Service, and the US Department of Agriculture launches the "United We Serve" initiative to "to raise public awareness of hunger issues and ask Americans to help ensure that their neighbors have access to nutritional food this winter and throughout the year". Click here to download a toolkit, and for more information on how to get involved.

November 23rd -

Bread for the World launches 2010 Hunger Report - "A Just and Sustainable Recovery. Click here for more information.

November 19th -

Faith groups respond to the increase in hunger. Click here to read an article from the Presbyterian News Service.

November 17th -

Hunger increases in the United States in 2008. Click here to read the Washington Post article, and here to read the report from the USDA..

November 16th -

November 9th -

Rev. Peg Chemberlin, member of the President's Advisory Council on Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships and task force focused on economic recovery and fighting poverty, was installed as the 25th President of the National Council of Churches at the General Assembly in Minneapolis on November 12th. Click here to read more.