Laguna Health’s Post

Being a Missional Food Pantry All of us want to give good food and things to others but not many of us are willing to do the work. Anyone can give as long as they receive from others; that’s easy. Being "missional" is to engage the community around our pantries, not just to receive but to establish relationships and to offer opto be partners of the solution. In Luke 11:9-10, Jesus is imparting a lesson on the nature of prayer and seeking a relationship with God. The three verbs—ask, seek, and knock—implies the importance of persistence and active engagement with God and others. 1. Ask: implies a direct and specific request. 2. Seek: Going beyond asking involves a more active pursuit. At FHL we offer opportunities to others to be part of the solution. 3. Knock: Jesus uses this metaphor to convey the idea of actively seeking a relationship with God and others. The promise attached to these actions—receiving, finding, and doors being opened—. It’s an invitation to an ongoing and dynamic relationships with others (evangelize) emphasizing faith, and persistence. Be reminded that food pantries are gateways to bring the practical love of God to others in many ways and to mobilize the congregation and volunteers in practical ways. In the end, "It's not about food; it's about people."

Food pantries and prepared meals are just two important ways The Salvation Army is helping your community. If you find yourself in need of a healthy meal or help with groceries, contact your local Salvation Army to find out all the ways they can help. #TheSalvationArmy #NationalSalvationArmyWeek

Food pantries and prepared meals are just two important ways The Salvation Army is helping your community. If you find yourself in need of a healthy meal or help with groceries, contact your local Salvation Army to find out all the ways they can help. #TheSalvationArmy #NationalSalvationArmyWeek

Spicy 'Ahi Royale: Poseidon's Preferred Poke on deck! ☺️  Loving when our guests share delicious pictures of our dishes.  📷 Google: Moist Misadventures  🕊️Learn how you can continue to support those affected in the Maui fires:

Ending hunger requires a TRUE UNDERSTANDING of its root causes.🍽️ The Unsettling Truth: Food insecurity is a silent struggle amidst plenty. In a nation known for abundance, millions STILL face hunger. Check out our blog post diving into the rising crisis, impacting our local community. https://lnkd.in/eW2-2hAv #FoodInsecurity #OleanFoodPantry #CommunityInNeed #OleanStrong #EconomicDisparities #FoodForAll #FoodHeroes #HungerHeroes #NutritionMatters #BreakTheCycle #FightHunger #CommunityResponse

This new article in The Christian Post by Edgar A Sandoval Sr., president and CEO of World Vision US, describes so well the importance and impact of the #farmbill 🌍🌾which we will be advocating on at the World Vision Advocacy Summit 🧡🏛️ next month!

Tu BiShvat (Ti BiShavat, Tu B'shevat, Tu B'Shevat, Tu Bishvat) is the Jewish new year for trees. It occurs on the 15th day of the Shvat month in the Jewish calendar. In Judaism, the age of a tree is important in determining whether you can eat the fruit from it. The fruit from a tree cannot be eaten for the first three years, and the fourth year’s fruit is only for G-d. After the four years, you can eat the fruit from a tree. Tu BiShvat is the day that each tree ages a year for the purposes of determining if one can eat from it. This holiday is a minor Jewish holiday. Scholars believe that this holiday started originally as an agricultural festival celebrating spring in Israel. However, after the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 C.E. (stands for Common Era, and refers to the same time period as A.D.), many Jews were exiled and the agricultural celebration stopped. Over time, some Jews felt a need to symbolically bind themselves to their homeland, and Tu BiShvat was a way to fill that need. They introduced a new ritual, the Tu BiShvat Seder. This Seder is similar to the Seder at Passover. The Seder involves eating biblical foods native to the holy land. The fruit is typically grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives, or dates. Some families would have a 15-course meal, and each course would be one of the foods associated with the land. Nowadays, Tu BiShvat is an environmental holiday. Jews consider this day as a way to remind themselves of their duty to care for the natural world. Many Jews take part in a tree-planting ceremony, or collect and send money to Israel for them to plant a tree there. In places where the climate is not appropriate for tree planting, some Jews will donate money to the Jewish National Fund Tree Planting Center to plant a tree in Israel. Some families also hold a Seder, similar to the one they will hold for Passover, and consume traditional foods for this meal. - From the Boston Public Library’s website.

📣 This week’s Saturday spotlight shines a light on Ian Marcuse, Coordinator of the Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Networks (VNFNs)   Ian has been an active part of Vancouver’s community food sector for over 16 years and is working towards progressive changes for income and food security policies and programs.   Here’s a sneak peek:   VFR: At VFR, we are proud to partner with the VNFNs and support the networks involved – so far this year, VFR volunteers have made 360 deliveries totalling 48,000 pounds of food to VNFN organizations. Building on this idea of partnerships, share more about the importance of a highly collaborative and decentralized approach to advancing food justice in Vancouver – one that goes beyond food charity!   Ian Marcuse: Yes, we are grateful to receive food from VFR that supports a range of VNFN food programs. In fact, as grassroots, largely underfunded networks, we very much rely on partnerships to leverage our impact. Vancouver is great for this, with so many food groups working collaboratively.   I especially like that this recovered food is going to support so many organizations that distribute and serve food in a way that builds social connection, health, and upholds dignity.   For example, programs such as community lunches and feasts, community markets, community kitchens, and skill building workshops, versus the traditional food bank/soup kitchen form of food distribution.   Yes, it would be great to see food recovery and charity efforts radically reimagined! ✨