JAM WITH OXFAM!

ARE YOU READY TO ‘JAM WITH OXFAM’?!?

ARE YOU READY TO MAKE SOME NOISE FOR FOOD JUSTICE?!?



That was the message we were sharing this last Saturday at the 80/35 Music Festival in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Oxfam Action Corps Iowa co-organizers/volunteers Cathy, Amy, and Lance spent the day talking about Oxfam America’s GROW campaign. We had great conversation with so many festival-goers, asking: What does a world without hunger look like?; How does investment in small-scale farmers contribute to a more stable global economy?; How can we make taxpayer $’s reach more people without spending any additional funds on food aid?

Between the free music download cards, t-shirt raffle, eggplant clapper (yes, that’s right!), and pledge signing – the hours melted away. Time flies when you’re having fun and that’s really why we’re out there in the first place. Because creating a more just world is difficult and takes time and can seem futile (watching political theater all while the impoverished struggle)…but our hope is renewed in those people who stop by our tent/table and figuratively “blow our minds” with their knowledge about food policy (these are the people who ask US if they can sign our pledge). Our hope is renewed by a young person who gasps when learning that 1/7th of our world goes to bed hungry and asks how they can help. Our hope is renewed when Iowans standing in the 100+ degree heat index give us 60 seconds of their time to talk about empowerment and community building in places all over the globe.

How incredible is that?!

The “noise” for food justice is getting louder everyday. Let’s make a better world. Let’s ‘JAM WITH OXFAM’!



The JAM WITH OXFAM tent

just outside of Ritual Cafe!





Oxfam America supporters from S. Korea "jam"

with Cathy (left-sitting) and Amy (middle-front)!





Mike, from Des Moines, uses the eggplant clapper

to make some noise for food justice.