World Hunger Team Mission Statement

Keeping with Christ’s commandment to love one another, the Virginia Synod World Hunger Team’s mission is to educate, facilitate, and encourage congregations to engage in aspects of hunger and poverty elimination both domestic and international.

(Author – Ann Davison)

As of 2023, approximately 11.1% of Virginians or one in nine individuals experience food insecurity, meaning they lack consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life. Among children, the rate is even higher at 13.6%, equating to over 252,000 children facing hunger across the Commonwealth.

The average cost of a meal in Virginia has risen to $4.06, a 34% increase since 2017, and higher than the national average of $3.99. This escalation contributes to an annual food budget shortfall of over $736 million for food-insecure households in the state.

While Virginia’s overall poverty rate stands at 10.2%, disparities persist. For instance, the city of Richmond reports a poverty rate of 17.1%, significantly higher than the state average.

These statistics underscore the ongoing challenges many Virginians face in securing adequate nutrition, highlighting the critical role of food banks and community support systems in addressing hunger.

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Honoring our call to be servants of God, especially to those in need, the Virginia Synod is celebrating the 50th Anniversary of ELCA World Hunger, our denomination’s collective effort to address the root causes of hunger and poverty at home and abroad.

More than 820 million people or about 11% of the world’s population are hungry and while Virginia has one of the highest median household incomes in the U.S., more than 658,000 people in Virginia lack reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food.

This fall, churches across the VA Synod are engaging in Bible Study and a variety of creative activities to give thanks for the work of ELCA World Hunger and help hunger-related organizations advance their missions. Below are resources to help you plan your congregation’s participation.

• Download Ideas for Hunger Service Projects
• Download Ideas for Feeding the 5000 Community Picnic
• Download the Hunger in Virginia 2024 Fact Sheet
• Download Sample Church Newsletter Article
• Join Pastor Kelly Bayer Derick’s “Feeding the Multitude Bible Study
  • September 16 & 23, 2024
  • 7:00pm – 8:15pm ET
• Download Prayers for an End to Hunger
• Explore and Order ELCA World Hunger Resources
• Feeding the Multitudes Bible Study
  • Session 1
  • Session 2

We aspire to have 100% congregational participation, no matter how large or small the offering! Please send designated hunger offerings through the Synod office so that we can track our progress, click the button below to donate. Be sure to share your photos and stories with us via email!

Be an advocate for hunger prevention initiatives by joining the Virginia Synod World Hunger Team. We meet virtually each month to share resources and ideas on how our congregations can respond to God’s call to serve those in need. Contact Betsy Liljeberg at b4liljeberg@gmail.com.

The Virginia Synod Hunger Committee wants to emphasize months or days during the year that have connections to hunger issues. Each month we will provide you with some important facts, prayer petitions, and an activity that your congregation can do to observe the event. The information will be posted monthly on this page. Click on the “+” next to the month you are interested in and the section will expand to display the information on that month. Please feel free to share this information in your newsletters and or bulletins.

You can download the calendar showing Hunger Observance Days using the buttons below.