This past week has been a great one, probably one that I will probably remember for the rest of my life. It was a week that consisted of fun games, raw emotions, and intimate conversations. Visiting Baltimore with a totally new group of people added an unexpected layer to the trip that helped me reground my ideals and beliefs. I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to come back and be one of the TAs for the Food, Faith, and Justice in Baltimore class. I received the opportunity to connect with people from both new and familiar community organizations that are doing wonderful work to combat food insecurity in the city of Baltimore. I also received the opportunity to connect with friends and family, while developing new friendships with my peers.
Continue reading “The Power of Interdependence – Mikey Neal ’23”Category: Uncategorized
A Cultural Reflection – Lamine Camara ’26
I had the opportunity to meet the Bread for the World Organization in Washington DC. Their goal is to tackle food insecurity and build healthy sustainable food systems national-wide. Hunger cannot be saved in one day. So advocating on a national level can create awareness for the Capital. Since the farm bill controls our food and farm programs, informing members of the Congress is ideal to establish change. This year, this organization is targeting the Farm Bill in order to increase access to healthy food options, and give SNAP benefits for marginalized communities. There was also a nice view on the top of the building, so that was a plus.
Bread for the World – Rain DeLucia ’23
Today we traveled to Washington D.C. to speak with Rev. David Street from Bread for The World. The mission of Bread for The World is to end hunger at a national and international level through changing policies. Within the organization they adjust their focus on a yearly basis, alternating between the ending of hunger nationally and internationally. During this year the organization is focusing on one important piece of legislation at the national level known as the farm bill.
A Small Impact – Rai Carter ’26
Baltimore City presented a variety of possibilities on how nutritional foods can have a positive impact on the community, we are showered with wisdom and hospitality within the community of Baltimore. Individuals from outside Baltimore are given an opportunity to see a softer side of the city and not, as the story is often told in public, “Dangerous.” We were given the opportunity to feed the unfortunate and be able to make a small impact on the homeless community, expressing their drive to help even though they have so little they still try to help and be somewhat of a hand for others.
During our time serving food, I was given a chance to absorb some knowledge from a wise man who told us that “We are all the same, just because we have different skin color, religion and culture. We still bleed the same, sharing the same color of blood.” He spit out complete facts and once we can see that and learn from that, our world maybe will be a bit better.
Reflection on 3-14-23 by Risa Kanefsky ’25
I never knew where my life would take me. To Bucknell university or to be taking this class on how religion can connect people to issues like food insecurity. To Strength to Love farm II or to the Islamic Society of Baltimore. I am passionate about the Earth so maybe it isn’t a huge surprise that I would end learning how people tend to it. That’s how I ended up working as a student farmer, but it was a surprise how much I love farm work. Today, of course, I was not as surprised to find out how much I enjoyed helping out at Strength to Love II farm, where me and my colleagues chipped away at a project shoveling piles of stones and mats of thickly intertwined grasses. Our goal was to move this dirt off of a deeply buried sidewalk to return it to the sun and to the surface so that the farm could be accessible to those who use wheelchairs. So in exposing the old and forgotten sidewalk we were hoping to expose new people to farming and the work it takes to grow food. This work was exhausting yet rewarding. For every foot we advanced was easily half an hour of digging and scraping and hauling with all our collective might. We spent jut over 2 hours in work and then sat down to a lovely lunch and conversation with the those who working there (Shout out to Jade, Shay, Dorris and John – Sorry if I spelled any of your names wrong) we talking about the work that the farm did in the growing season sowing and harvesting and the work they wanted to be doing, foreign more connections between the community and urban farm that it surrounded.
GIVE PEOPLE POWER – Dependence vs Interdependence
By Cindy Cortez ’24
“If you give a hungry man food, he will eat it. If you give him land, he will grow his own food.” ~Fannie Lou Hamer
I have always been very active in my communities but always questioned whether what I’m doing is what my community actually needs and whether I am doing it for the right reasons. From Rev. Dr. Heber Brown III, the founder of the Black Church Food Security Network, I answered part of my question: GIVE PEOPLE POWER. It’s not only about one-time charity, but rather a sustainable and empowering solution. A message which is better conveyed in the words of Fannie Lou Hamer, a Black American activist: “[On her Freedom Farm Cooperative:] If you give a hungry man food, he will eat it. [But] if you give him land, he will grow his own food.”
Continue reading “GIVE PEOPLE POWER – Dependence vs Interdependence“Undying Hope – Mikey Neal ’24
Mikey Neal
Getting the chance to visit Baltimore for this trip has been an eye opening experience for me so far. Being a Baltimore native, it is nice to be able to come back to my hometown and participate in various volunteer opportunities. It gave me the feeling that I was helping to restore my own community. Even though this was the case, I also realized that I was not aware of organizations such as the Black Church Food Security Network and the Strength II Love Farm. These organizations work diligently to positively impact the Baltimore community, and having the opportunity to connect and work with them directly was a very empowering experience. It was very rewarding to see that people in Baltimore have and share a deep passion for addressing food insecurity in Baltimore, making a huge difference.
Exploring – Vivian Kuang ’25
Today we drove all the way to Washington D.C. and had a discussion with staff members from Bread for the World. We spoke with them about this organization and how us, college students, have the ability to make a positive impact. One thing that stuck out to me was Stephanie’s conversation. She graduated with a communications degree from college and discussed the importance of social media. This was particularly interesting because individuals generally complain about the negative effects of social media, however, Stephanie highlighted the many benefits social media can bring to organizations. She educated us about the different strategies we can use to promote social media accounts and the significance behind each.
I experienced riding a D.C. metro for the first time. As a Floridian, I rarely have the opportunity to go underground. The moment we entered the underground tunnel, I felt like I was in a completely different country. I was a foreigner- I did not know which card to purchase or how to read the colorful maps. Luckily, a stranger randomly appeared and offered us his swipes. This simple act of kindness definitely made my day! Riding the metro felt like a roller coaster ride at an amusement park. We took two metros and arrived at the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. This mall was massive: it consists of 4 floors and contains 144 stores. It was nice to see a crowd of people again since there are no major shopping malls in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. We ate at a Chinese restaurant called Yong Kang Street. I ordered a Chinese dish, shrimp and beef wonton noodles, that I have not eaten in a while since coming to Bucknell. Our meals were delicious and we bought boba tea afterwards.
A New Family – Taiba Khan ’22
Currently, I’m sitting in the living room of our airbnb in Baltimore. From this spot I can smell the food a few friends are cooking in the kitchen, hear laughter coming from upstairs, and see the connections being made through conversation right beside me. Throughout our time here so far, our group of 14 has truly experienced what community is. Not only have we traveled to various locations to learn and connect with others, but we have been learning and connecting with each other as well. This group has become a new family to me.
Religious interconnection and food – Salina Musyaju ’24
Today six of us went to the Maryland Food Bank, where Paul, the volunteer coordinator, warmly welcomed us. After a brief tour of the food bank, he directed us to the kitchen, where we worked to help the head chef, Terrance, pack lunch for the school students. We were assigned in groups to pack ham salad in small containers and buns in a zip-lock bag. Some of us connected with the staff, who seemed to enjoy working with other staff members with good music in the kitchen. Working in the food bank and at the Daily Bread soup kitchen yesterday showed different modes of tackling food insecurity. Working in the soup kitchen provided a hands-on experience of serving and making hot lunch for walk-in people. The lunch includes a nutritious meal with dessert accompanied by sweet black tea, which all community members were very fond of. Working on packing lunch for school students left us with a sense of wonder about how these foods will be supplied, while appreciating the work and energy of other volunteers and staff put into serving the community.
