Hunger Coalition

A Taste of Hunger: Hunger Awareness Leadership Program

Under the auspices of Memphis Jewish Federation and in coalition with a host of community agencies, over 200 community leaders from across the Jewish and general Memphis community gathered this past Sunday evening for A Taste of Hunger, an unprecedented hunger awareness program held at Anshei Sphard-Beth El Emeth Congregation.

Rabbis, Pastors, Priests and Imams joined with non-profit executives, community lay leaders, youth group directors and journalists to explore the issue of hunger in Memphis and to come up with concrete ways to address the tragic reality that in 2010, Memphis was designated the hungriest city in our nation.  Master of Ceremonies WMC-TV anchor Joe Birch led a powerful and compelling program that included experiencing food insecurity in our city, hearing from expert speakers and engaging in meaningful table discussions led by trained facilitators.

Featured speakers for the evening were Estella Mayhue-Greer, President  & CEO of the Mid-South Food Bank, Sally Jones Heinz, Executive Director of MIFA, Chris Peterson, Executive Director of Grow Memphis, Ken Reardon, University of Memphis professor of City and Regional Planning and director of the Green Machine, and Travis Williams, Program Director for the TN Department of Human Services. In addition, Allison Fouche of Mayor AC Wharton’s office and Phyllis Fickling of Mayor Mark Luttrell’s office brought greetings and support from the mayors. Rabbi Joel Finkelstein gave the opening prayer and Reverend Kendra Hotz offered the closing prayer.
 

After being informed of the scope and depth of food insecurity in our city and what efforts are already underway to help alleviate hunger in Memphis, participants were asked to commit to stepping up their anti-hunger efforts and to bring anti-hunger awareness and advocacy to their respective communities.

Positive feedback from the program continues to pour in, including  “…it was an exciting evening with so much energy around. The people that came, went away with things that they can make happen in Memphis to help feed the hungry. It was very well planned and I thank you for taking on such a worthwhile project and introducing our Jewish community to the needs of our Memphis community” and “What a fantastic program.  Thanks for including us.  It was profound and educational…”

A Taste of Hunger began over a year ago when Memphis Jewish Federation’s CRC Anti-Poverty Task Force, under the leadership of Cindy Shainberg, applied for and received a grant from the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) for anti-hunger programming. Federation then invited MIFA and Balmoral Presbyterian Church to join our effort to educate Memphians about this issue plaguing our city.  Before long, the Mid-South Food Bank, Seedco, the Center for Transforming Communities and Rev. Kendra Hotz from Rhodes College joined the effort and a Taste of Hunger’s Executive Committee was born. 

Members of Federation’s Anti-Poverty Task Force then joined with members of Balmoral Presbyterian Church to form an Event Planning Committee. Working with the Balmoral representatives, Judy Holzer, Hanni Hudson, Cathie Jacobs, Judy Levin, Brooke Lubin and Sally Wender spent countless hours on the logistics of putting on a unique leadership program that would be engaging, meaningful and impactful. Over 40 volunteers from across the Memphis community were recruited by Bobbie Shainberg, volunteer coordinator.

Financial sponsors and donors of goods and services included:  Anshei Sphard-Beth El Emeth Congregation, Balmoral Presbyterian Church, Baron Hirsch Congregation, Beth Sholom Congregation, Chabad Lubavitch of Tennessee, Classic Party Rentals, Dinstuhl’s, Eddie Tucker Design, Interfaith Thanksgiving Service*, Janis Kiel, Jeri Davis International, Jewish Council for Public Affairs, L & Jay Productions, Marcy Milman Productions, Bruce Meisterman, Memphis Restaurant Association,  Rose Morrison, Or Chadash New Conservative Synagogue, Ricki’s Cookies , Robin Joyce – A Catered Affair, Temple Israel and Young Israel of Memphis.

*Balmoral Presbyterian Church, Church of the Holy Spirit, Emmanuel United Methodist Church, Germantown Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Holy Communion Episcopal Church, Kingsway Christian Church, Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Mullins United Methodist Church, Second Baptist Church, Temple Israel