more leahy legislation

[Gabriela Fitz]

Martha:

I share your concerns about simple charity and I agree that any approach to
resolving an issue as vast as hunger needs to be multi-faceted.

Self-empowerment is one essential tool towards alleviating hunger and the
often underlying cause, poverty. But I also think that forming strong
partnerships with farmers and small business owners to raise their awareness
of the issue and to put their surplus to good use is another important tool
that opens doors and minds to the kind of collaborative solutions you have
described. Perhaps its cynical, but I think tax incentives might get enough
people's attention that they begin to listen to why and how people are
strugglng to feed themselves and their families.

Thoughts?

Gabriela V. Fitz
Web Developer/Planner
America's Second Harvest
www.secondharvest.org
T: 312.263.2303 x112



----- Original Message -----
From: "Martha Munzgue" <mmunzgue at ACD.MHC.AB.CA>
To: "Public Health Nutrition Discussion and Information Group"
<phnutr-l at u.washington.edu>
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2001 7:54 PM
Subject: Re: more leahy legislation



>

> I'm uneasy about the kind of help that turns some into receivers of

charity

> while other feel they help by giving them what they need while operating

> systems that take away personal empowerment.  On the other hand, I don't

> advocate ignoring the disempowered and poor.  Rather, we need to enter

into

> dialogue at every level with  both the haves and have-nots, and together

> discover ways that people can become empowered to solve the problems that

are

> preventing them from being able to meet their basic needs.

>

> It seems to me there are at least three kinds of helping relationships:

>

> 1. The "expert"  model wherein experts go in to fix the short term

problems.

> Those requiring the fixing don't know enough to fix themselves.  Often

> problems are seen as individual and unconnected.  The big picture is

easily

> left out of specific fixes.

>

> 2. The "charity" model wherein those who have (food, money, clothes,

excess of

> anything) choose to give it to others who "are not as well off as they

are".

> The relationship remains unbalanced.

>

> 3.  The "empowerment" model wherein the wisdom arises among those who are

> struggling.  The relation between those who would help and those who need

help

> is seen as socially equal, allowing for a collaborative search for the

kind of

> help that is helpful in the long run.  It takes into account the big

picture

> as well as individual needs.  The relationships between multiple problems

are

> sought in order to get at the root causes of need.

>

> Gabriela Fitz wrote:

>

> > Greetings:

> >

> > I am new to this discussion group, so I hope this is of interest to

people.

> >

> > Speaking of Leahy and nutrition - he has also cosponsored a bill that

will

> > help increase food donations by providing a tax incentive to farmers and

> > small business owners who make charitable donations of food.  A rare

> > "win-win" tax bill.

> >

> > If you are interested you can learn more about it at

> > http://www.secondharvest.org/newsroom/newsroom.html#3

> >

> > Gabriela V. Fitz

> > Web Developer/Planner

> > America's Second Harvest

> > www.secondharvest.org

> > T: 312.263.2303 x112

> >

> > ----- Original Message -----

> > From: "Gleason, Carolyn" <CGleason at hrsa.gov>

> > To: "Public Health Nutrition Discussion and Information Group"

> > <phnutr-l at u.washington.edu>

> > Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 11:27 AM

> > Subject: Leahy calls for limits on soda, junk food in schools

> >

> > >

> > > ----------------------------------------------------

> > > Leahy calls for limits on soda, junk food in schools

> > >

> > > To read the entire news article, visit

> > > http://www.e-dental.com/read/sp20010418/419522

> > >

> > > This E-Dental.com (http://www.e-dental.com) story has

> > > been sent to you by LeeAnn HoaglinCooper.

> > > ----------------------------------------------------

> > >

> > > Carolyn Gleason, MS, RD

> > > Public Health Advisor

> > >

>