Religious leaders prepare for interfaith anti-hunger convocation

Published: 2005-05-18

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- More than 40 religious leaders from the United States have signed on in support of a June 6 interfaith convocation to fight hunger. The convocation, to be held at the Episcopal Church's Washington National Cathedral, is part of a June 4-7 conference to educate participants on anti-hunger initiatives, followed by congressional lobbying on enacting measures to stop hunger domestically and throughout the world. "We are scandalized by the persistence of mass hunger," said the Rev. David Beckmann, a Lutheran minister who has been head of Bread for the World, a Christian citizens' anti-hunger lobby, since 1991. Bread for the World, one of the convocation sponsors, said in its annual hunger report that 852 million people worldwide are hungry. Of that number, 36 million in the United States are "food insecure," meaning they do not always know if they will have access to safe and nutritious food at their next meal.

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