World Food Day Photo Contest

Hope you all had a wonderful summer! As we gear up for the fall, we are excited to announce our first ever World Food Day photo contest. Every year, people around the world come together to declare their commitment to creating a world free from hunger and malnutrition on October 16th. World Food Day celebrates the creation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) on 16 October 1945 which was built upon "it's belief that the goal of freedom from want of food, suitable and adequate for the health and strength of all people can be achieved." 

Join us in our commemoration this year by submitting original photos depicting what global hunger and food security means to you. Please include a brief description of the photo submission including details of when and where it was taken. In addition to other festivities we are planning for October 16th (mark your calendars), we hope that this photo contest will bring to our attention the global struggle against hunger and malnutrition as well as highlight the achievements in food security and agricultural development. We also hope that this will ignite great discussions on how we can work together to create lasting solutions to these injustices.

RULES

1. Eligibility

The photo contest is open to anyone living in the Chicago area.

2. Number and Format of Submissions

If you meet the eligibility requirements you may submit up to three photographs. Each photo must be submitted in electronic format. Your photographs may be black-and-white or color. If you submit more than one photo, please make sure to number the photos accordingly.

3. Subject Matter

The only subject matter restriction is that your photo or photos capture an experience or record an observation depicting global hunger.

4. Application Process and Deadline

The photo submissions should be submitted online by Thursday October 11th 2014 to chicago.oxfamactioncorps@gmail.com. You can also submit your photos via Facebook or twitter by tagging us.

5. Prizes

3 top submissions will be chosen by a panel of judges after a round of online voting. Prizes will be announced very soon.

6. Important Advisory

All submissions may be used by the Chicago Oxfam Action Corps for display and circulation (with attribution to the photographer). If you submit a photograph it is understood that you have granted this right.

7. Further Information.

If you have any additional questions please contact us at chicago.oxfamactioncorps@gmail.com

November 13th, 2013 Meeting Minutes

Minutes

Meeting November 13^th, 2013

Hannah’s Bretzel 555 W. Monroe St.

Began at 6:20pm

Note: Jan Donatelli, Ambassador for Sisters on the Planet, attended

Old Business

·         Event Recap for World Food Day potluck and Frontiers of Food Justice

·         Hot Chocolate 5K team raised $240 for Syrian Refugee Crisis Fund

·         Syria Fundraiser will be hosted in conjunction with RefugeeOne. Event details TBD

Behind the Brands Campaign Update

·         Coca-Cola agreed to ensure their upstream supply chain practices do not produce or encourage land grabs. The company confirmed their commitment by creating a timeline with Oxfam.

·         The focus shifts to increasing pressure towards PepsiCo to follow the lead of Coca-Cola. In a race to the top, PepsiCo can continue making strides to come closer to the Coca-Cola in ranking. If you are interested in taking action beyond signing the petition, please contact us for an opportunity from November 18^th-22^nd.

Upcoming Events

·         February- Oxjam Music Festival and Fundraiser

Chicago has been chosen as a pilot city for this unique event. Currently looking for planning committee members for Production, Promotion and Fundraising subcommittees. Large discussion about venues including Bottom Lounge, Old Town School of Music as well as potential media through music reviewers for Sun-Times and WBEZ. This music festival may be a fundraiser strictly for Typhoon Haiyan Relief for the Philippines. Ways to increase fundraising avenues include ticket sales, concessions, and raffle.

If you would like to join please contact us at chicago.oxfamactioncorps@gmail.com

·         March-International Women’s Day Event March 8^th

Currently looking for planning committee members

All volunteers are invited to the initial planning meeting on November 19^th, 6pm, Corner Bakery on 56 W Randolph St.

If you would like to join us, please contact chicago.oxfamactioncorps@gmail.com

·         April- Potential Food and Hunger Film Festival

Do you love films? Join us in planning a first film festival! Whether it is choosing a film, setting up concessions, or doing promotion, we would love to have you involved with our team! 

If you would like to join us, please contact chicago.oxfamactioncorps@gmail.com

Make sure to Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @chiOXFAMaction. If you are not currently subscribed to our newsletter, email us to be on the list!

Behind the Brands: Next Chapter

We won our first Behind the Brands Cycle for women cocoa farmers. Mars, Mondalez, and Nestle have all raised wages from $4 to $7. Chicago alone managed more than one third of the signature goal for General Mills campaign for transparency.

We are about to embark on the next chapter...

World Fair Trade Day Chicago

By Delia Daly, Volunteer Chicago Oxfam Action Corps

Daley Plaza was filled with fair trade vendors and curious customers May 7th and 8th. Beautiful weather made it possible for Oxfam Action Corps Chicago and 20 fair trade groups to share their stories and products with Chicagoans. It was great to see people who were both familiar with Chicago Fair Trade's message, and those just passing through on their way to and from work. The market's purpose was to recognize the movement for ethical consumption in American cities. As consumers, each purchase counts. The message being shared was that supporting products that protect the environment and the people working to produce them is possible in Chicago. Our neighboring booths were The Dill Pickle - a food co-op located in the Logan Square Neighborhood, and Mata Traders - Fair Trade fashion (clothing and jewelry) supporting producers in India. 

 

 

The Oxfam team was promoting the recent "Behind The Brands" campaign. Visitors to our booth were encouraged to play a game - matching the top 10 American Brands with their "Behind the Brands" scores. Some used strategy, others just guessed, but all were shocked at how low every brand scored in the areas assessed by Oxfam researchers. (land, women, farmers, workers, climate, transparency, and water). Over a hundred of the visitors showed their support by signing our petition urging these companies to re-evaluate the impact their business practices have. It was encouraging to share the progress that Nestle and Mondelez have made. They agreed within two months of the campaign coming out to make changes in how they treat their women cocoa farmers. Divine Chocolate and their visiting Kuapa Kokoo cocoa farmers from Ghana demonstrated the success that Fair Trade practices have. Not only does Divine Chocolate provide a delicious product, but supports and respects the cocoa farmers that are in charge of production. The lives of the farmers have truly been enriched by the independence and responsibility Fair Trade practices give them.

Food Aid Reform NOW!

When the weaponization and catastrophe of resources stricken people without food and water, we ask ourselves how much can we do to help? The United States currently sends food aid oversees in humanitarian crisis. Whether caused by drought, political disparity or natural disasters, USAID sends delivers food via Food for Peace. This program began in 1954 dedicating most of the food it buys to American farmers who then ship the food to the respective country in need. However, when we buy food from the Midwest, put it on the train to South Carolina, and then transport the food wearily on a ship, we can triple the amount of time people suffer.  It also undermines the local markets in developing countries. When we look at Somali crisis in 2011, we can see how food is not going to the right places and arriving too late. Approximately 260,000 people died because of lack of access to food. The simple conclusion is we need to do better.

We can do better. Oxfam America began its food aid reform campaign last May. Food Aid reform has a few major goals which include supporting local farmers by buying directly from farmers of the catastrophe area, faster delivery of food to people in dire need, stretching the tax payer dollar to make food aid more efficient, and reduce carbon footprint. With continued efforts and the help of citizens signing petitions, the food aid reform plan Oxfam set forth was passed in the Senate Agricultural bill. Unfortunately, the political game clouts the importance of food aid reform. The Agricultural Appropriations bill, or "the farm bill", continues volleying in the tennis match between the House and Senate.

On April 10 of this year, President Obama set the presidential 2014 Fiscal Year budget. It highlighted effective food aid and shifted the majority of food assistance from the Agriculture Appropriations bill to the State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill. Changes include several major goals:

1. Taking 45% of appropriations for food aid to buy food local to disaster or catastrophe
2. Proposes major reforms to make food aid more cost-effective and have greater impact, while maintaining robust levels of emergency food assistance and related development assistance and creating a new $75 million Emergency Food Assistance Contingency Fund.
3. Provides a total of $47.8 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development, a decrease of six percent from the 2012 enacted level, due to lower Overseas Contingency Operations activity. 
4.  It also offers the shipping industry a $25 million subsidy to offset loss from decreased use for food aid shipment.

We have proposed a better food aid program and the President clearly took notice. His extensive plan takes money and invests it into successful food programs. Administrator for USAID, Dr. Rajiv Shah, also supports this program. Secretary of State John Kerry joins in bi-partisan support of the change.

Oxfam estimates that this reform will reach upwards of 17 million more people. Programs like this place cash directly into hands of people in need. We know that it works. Take the case study of Emiliana Aligaesha that provides evidence for success of these programs. Ms. Aligaesha found herself a widow and mother of eight children. Her salary as a teacher could not support all of her children for the basics of food, water, and education. Teaching herself how to farm, she joined several farmers in her community to create the Kaderes Peasants development. The coffee they produce and beans, maize and bananas they grew and harvested serve as a means for USAID and the World Food Programme to buy and distribute. This process supports her agricultural business to take care of her family. She has power to control her destiny and welfare supported by effective food aid assistance.  

Bold effective poverty-focused food aid reform is what we need. It opens further discussion for addressing issues with hunger, poverty and injustice. The program of food aid is absolutely American in principle. It only utilizes approximately 0.55% of the U.S. GDP. By saving more lives, this program strengthens the value of every cent of taxpayer money. After the twenty nine action corps leaders took to lobby in Washington D.C., progress to pass effective food aid reform remains uncertain. We need your help to lobby, write, and show support for effective food aid reform. 

CALL TO ACTION

Take a moment to write a post card or letter to Senator Durbin, Senator Kirk, House Representative Quigley and your district's representatives today! Below is a sample letter.

Dear (Insert respective Congressional Representative name),

My name is (insert name), a constituent from (insert city). I work as a (insert occupation and/or role in community). I am also a supporter of Oxfam America (option to insert number of years you have been involved with the Action Corps).

I am writing to urge the you to support the food aid reform proposed in the President’s budget request for Fiscal Year 2014. Specifically, I am asking to support shifting the Food for Peace program and 302b allocation from the Agriculture budget to the State and Foreign Operations budget. This is key to reform because it will ensure the US government has the flexibility it needs to provide life saving emergency food assistance where it is most in the fastest and most cost effective way.

Food Aid reform has bipartisan support – and it will mean that life-saving food aid reaches two to four million additional people every year at no additional cost to taxpayers.

My address is listed here. I appreciate the (Senator/Representative) informing me how s/he plans to stand on this issue. We look forward to hearing from the office.

Thank you for your time. For more information please feel free to contact our Oxfam Action Corps Representatives at chicago@oxfamactioncorps.com or Adam Olson, Regional Advocacy Director of Oxfam America at aolson@oxfamamerica.com

Best Regards,

Want to add a two-page informational brochure with your letter? Please email us and we can send you the document. It takes a matter of 15 minutes to write a letter and make your voice heard. Together, we can make effective poverty-focused developmental assistance a reality. 

Thank you in advance.

-Megan Nakra

Sweet Justice...The Event

A beautiful hallway filled with pictures of Nepalese workers lined the path towards the James Parlor room of the Chicago Temple. Of course there was a beautiful and delicious spread of fruit, veggies, breads and desserts. But upon entering the area you notice sampling of Divine chocolate in White Chocolate Strawberry, 85% Dark, Fruit and Nut, and Milk chocolates. Every piece is delicious. Guests including Divine Ambassadors, Fair Trade Vendors, community supporters and Oxfam volunteers chatted and delighted over the spread before the event.

 

Divine chocolate is a wonderful product, but the people who make this product make it that more delectable. The presentation began at 7pm. We learn that this company owned by cocoa farmers of a cooperative included the two visiting Ghanaian farmers of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative and farmer’s union. Ms. Christiana Adusei spoke of the constant training that the farmers receive in order to create an amazing product. Every part of the cocoa making process requires high quality and standard. But the driving force is the democratic principles of the cooperative. The inherent necessity to work hard and create a quality product follows the freedom to work comfortably within the decision making process. “I am glad to be a farmer of the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative because it empowers women,” she gallantly stated. It was clear she was a proud farmer who took control of her life through this democratic organization. She has been able to give all of her children enough food, education and security because of it.

Mr. Kwesi Boateng Afriyie discussed the exponential growth of villages included in the cooperative. The basic freedom gave them opportunity to do more with the money they received from cocoa sales. Basic necessities like clean water are hard to come by. In addition, he was able to convince the village leader to have water pipelines installed for people to have better access to clean water. That was the first step to modernizing and simplifying the lives of his fellow village citizens. After pipes were installed, he propositioned the village leader to build a toilet for the town. This power to indulge in quotidian devices of our lives came to fruition with the right opportunity. 

Divine Chocolate company has high standard for product, marketing and most importantly people. With the standards of fair trade, we can improve the overall global system by promoting better business and opportunity everywhere. Danielle Nierenberg, co-founder of Food Tank, describes how we can involve ourselves in fair trade and therefore promote necessary change. For example, the organization Chicago Fair Trade allows businesses to provide amazing fair trade products through strong networks. 

Organizations like Oxfam find the concept of fair trade certification important to apply in corporations like the top ten food and beverage companies. The Behind the Brands campaign encourages consumers to pressure companies to improve their upstream practices and employ standards like Divine and the Kuapa Kokoo cooperative. We can all see the difference it makes! Better business practices, better pay and a democratic system contributes directly to the success and well-being of people everywhere, whether Ghana or the United States. We are thankful to Ms. Adusei and Mr. Afriyie for touring in Chicago and giving us the opportunity to hear how and why fair trade works. 

Thank you to our volunteers and guests. Special thanks to Regional Advocacy Lead for Oxfam America, Adam Olson. 

Please contact us at chicago.oxfamactioncorps@gmail.com to volunteer and learn more!

-Megan Nakra