Interfaith Efforts Help Feed the Hungry

Five years ago, three women in Farmington, Missouri, sat down together with an idea. They were of different faiths, but all wanted to find a way to help hungry people in their community. From that humble beginning came the Help the Hungry Bake Sale, which in 2009 raised over $20 thousand to feed hungry people. The funds are divided equally between Farmington's two food pantries, Catholic and Protestant.

The idea for the interfaith effort has now spread to Cape Girardeau, where members of Christian, Muslim, and Unitarian Universalist faiths have joined together to hold the first annual Feed the Hungry Interfaith Bake Sale. All proceeds will go to the Southeast Missouri Food Bank. Thanks to the generous support of the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri, Cape's delicious efforts for the hungry will be held inside the Show-Me Center during the Arts Council's "Arts and Crafts Christmas Extravaganza," November 20 and 21.

Participating Cape Girardeau groups include Abbey Road Christian, Christ Church Episcopal, the Islamic Center, Grace United Methodist, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist, and St. Vincent's Catholic Church, as well as individuals of other faiths. The bake sale is a mission to help those in need in our region. It is not intended to promote individual churches, businesses, or organizations. As an additional goal, the bake sale is an event where people of different faiths can work together to support a worthy cause.

This year, the need is greater than ever for the hungry. Approximately 64,000 people residing with the 16-county area served by the Southeast Missouri Food Bank live below the poverty level; 35% of these are children. These same counties have unemployment rates of between 7.5% and 10%, putting thousands of people in our region at risk for hunger. Food pantries in this region have assisted 40% more families over this time last year, with rural counties hit hardest. Families served include senior citizens, the disabled, the homeless, victims of domestic violence, and the working poor.

Isaiah 58 says: "If you give food to the hungry and satisfy those who are in need, then the darkness around you will turn to the brightness of noon." At the Feed the Hungry Interfaith Bake Sale, the community will be able to satisfy its sweet tooth, try exotic foods, and put a few things into freezers for the holidays--all while helping those who otherwise might go hungry.