And we're back...

Hello Des Moines!

This is Aaron Schlumbohm, one of your two new Action Corps Organizers for this next year, the other being my esteemed colleague Kelly Buffalo. We are both recently returned from a 4 day training with Oxfam America staff in Washington D.C. Present were volunteers from 15 cities that Oxfam America has identified as important in the global fight against poverty, hunger, & injustice... and we're proud that Des Moines, IA is one of them. While there we had the opportunity to learn more about Oxfam's mission & ongoing campaigns, and to talk with staff from the offices of Congressman Latham and Senators Grassley and Harkin about the President's proposals to Reform US Food Aid. It was a great experience and I hope that if you're reading this you'll consider seizing this opportunity to take a leadership role in Oxfam Action Corps next year!

Since we've been back we had the opportunity to table at Earth Day in the Junction talking about Oxfam with the community and collecting petitions supporting food aid reform. We're also transitioning with last year's organizers Amy & Lance. We're hoping to continue the outstanding work they've done organizing events & volunteer opportunities, and to build on the volunteer base they've developed here in the Des Moines area. We're also planning to develop a more active online presence with regular updates on Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare so look for us there! Additionally, Kelly and I have committed to regular blog posts on the 7th and 21st of each month (as I type this on April 24th) under the direction of former organizer Lance Massey as Blogger-in-Chief. :)

We've got a volunteer opportunity Thursday April 25th from 6:30-8:30 at St. Timothy's and a meeting coming up on Friday May 3rd. We'll keep you up to date and we hope to see you soon!

We're excited to announce...

Earlier this year, we announced the opportunity for supporters of the Iowa Oxfam Action Corps (and for Oxfam in general) to apply to be one of two regional volunteer organizers for April 2013 through April 2014. After an interview with Oxfam America, the newest organizers for the Des Moines area have been selected! Both will attend an organizer training in Washington D.C. in mid-April where they will meet with Oxfam staff, receive training on Oxfam’s campaigns, and lobby Congressional officials. We’re incredibly excited by their enthusiasm and wanted to take an opportunity to introduce them to you...

Aaron

How long have you been volunteering with the Iowa Oxfam Action Corps?

I am a University of Iowa graduate and USMC veteran currently working in the insurance industry, which is how I connected to Oxfam through my company's volunteer match website. That was last September [2012] and I've enjoyed being a part of the Action Corps ever since. 

What are you most looking forward to over the next year?

I'm looking forward to working with the volunteers here in Des Moines on Oxfam's campaigns this year. 

What’s your favorite GROW Method principle?

My favorite part of the GROW Method is Support small-scale food producers, especially local producers & small businesses here in Iowa- you can often see me running around the Farmer's Market here in Des Moines buying one of everything.

Kelly

How long have you been volunteering with the Iowa Oxfam Action Corps?

I contacted the Action Corps here in Des Moines in January, because I wanted to give my time to a cause or to a people needing the extra help. Oxfam fit everything I feel strongly about so it was a no-brainer for me!

What events (farmers markets, concerts, service projects, etc.) are you most looking forward to over the next year?

I am particularly excited for farmers markets. I believe in promoting sustainability, and buying produce from local growers.

What’s one skill you’d like to develop or work on over your year as an organizer?

Public speaking! I want to become more comfortable speaking to crowds.

What’s your favorite GROW Method principle? Tell us about a meal you had (or cooked) recently that met that principle…

I am a HUGE proponent of buying only what you need or will eat. Food is wasted at an alarming rate, and there are people who do not have enough. This is something that was instilled in me from a very young age.

If someone was “on the fence” about volunteering with the Action Corps, what would you tell them? 
We're a friendly group of people who are all here for the same reason, to fight poverty and injustice. I know a lot of folks are worried about the time it may take up, but really all we ask for is a few hours a month, and helping your community is priceless. Change starts at home!

 

World Water Day 2013

Happy World Water Day!

The United Nations marks March 22nd as World Water Day, a day to celebrate this enormously precious resource and recognize the continuing barriers many communities face in achieving water security. Recent U.N. statistics show that nearly 780 million people don’t have access to safe drinking water and nearly 2.5 billion lack access to proper sanitation. That’s a little “difficult to swallow” considering our home, planet Earth, has a surface that is more than 2/3rds water (albeit, not freshwater – but modern technologies make desalination relatively inexpensive).


As water pertains to food, nearly 70% of all freshwater is used for irrigation and agricultural purposes, 20% for industry and manufacturing, leaving the remaining 10% for drinking, sanitation, and other purposes. In more simple terms, to produce the daily caloric requirements for each human– it takes almost 1,300 gallons whereas our daily drinking requirement is something more like 1 gallon. So, what we eat has an enormous impact on the amount of freshwater that is consumed compared to actually drinking the water. For example, 1 pound of grain-fed beef takes 2,000 gallons of water; where a similar nutritional profile (proteins, fats, etc.) grown out of plant matter takes about 800 gallons of water. That’s a crazy savings! I often hear that people say that “I’m just one person, what difference can I make?” When it comes to water, your difference is a big one! Now, we’re not asking you to give up your favorite burger joint – but what if you had lentils one night instead of ground beef?

That’s why when Oxfam created The GROW Method, they saw that choosing to eat a little less meat made a huge impact on agriculture, climate change, and the consumption of freshwater! This World Water Day, be a part of a growing movement. Maybe you were really looking forward to that chicken alfredo for dinner but don't worry - there are many other ways that you can reduce your water “footprint”. You can install a low-flow shower head, turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, wear that shirt twice (assuming it doesn’t have an odor – or if it does and you’re looking to avoid people), or have a plant-based meal. You might already do some of these things and for that, we give our thanks.

Today, raise a glass (of water, of course) to water: a beautiful molecule of 1 hydrogen atom and 2 oxygen atoms which without, life, as we know it, would not be possible.

And with a quenched palete, raise your voice for justice: clean, safe water for all.

An IWD Thank You!

It wouldn’t have been possible without you.

On March 7^th, nearly 150 people attended Women and a Well-Fed World at the Hall of Laureates to hear three women panelists (Dr. Dorothy Masinde, Denise O’Brien, and Muthoni Muriu) share their thoughts on the role women play in feeding the world and the significant equality barriers those same women face every day. It was a truly beautiful event – the space was gorgeous and there was even time for networking before the panelists spoke, thanks to our 10 co-sponsoring organizations who hosted an information table. Let us take this space to say THANK YOU to all whether you volunteered, were responsible for any part of planning, attended the event, or helped us promote through your networks. The event’s success would not have been possible without your support! Pictures are forthcoming on our Facebook page, but here's a lovely picture of our Action Corps volunteers.

Then…on March 8^th, the Iowa Oxfam Action Corps took to the streets of downtown Des Moines to participate in a 15-city campaign awareness action. After months of planning (and secrecy), we were finally able to share the specially wrapped candy bars and our message. The ask: Let’s tell Mondelez, Mars, and Nestle to support women cocoa farmers in their supply chains. 12 volunteers with posters, candy bars, and petition clipboards shared the message with an estimated 1,000 people, handing out 388 candy bars, and collecting (over two days) 169 petitions signatures. Click here to view our pictures! To the nightlife of Des Moines who listened to our message and to the many volunteers who braved the cold and rain to share that message: THANK YOU!

Celebrating International Women’s Day is more than taking the time to honor the sacrifices and contributions of women. Celebrating this day reaffirms our commitment to ourselves and to each other, no matter our gender – because we are all humans and we all deserve to live lives of dignity and promise. And when we see the broken promises – lives of women and children torn by hunger, despair, and injustice: we take a stand. International Women’s Day may be over, but the fight for gender equality and equality for all will press on. Stand with us, it’s never too late.

It’s not possible without you.

The State of the State of the Union address

As declared in the U.S. Constitution (Article II, Section 3): “He [POTUS] shall from time to time give to Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their Consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.”

On the evening of February 12th, President Barack Obama gave his 4th State of the Union (SOTU) address. Typically, the State of the Union takes the shape of a to-do list and in this case, it was a glimpse of Mr. Obama’s plan for his second term. As expected by people closely following the speech was the time and energy given to talking about the American economy. Nearly 65% of the speech was focused solely on “reigniting the true engine of America’s economic growth”. It’s not the first time the President has spoken about the economy during the SOTU. It wasn't surprising. However, there was something said that may have surprised many who are working to end global hunger and poverty…it came about 46 minutes into the speech:

“We also know that progress in the most impoverished parts of our world enriches us all. In many places, people live on little more than a dollar a day. So the United States will join with our allies to eradicate such extreme poverty in the next two decades: by connecting more people to the global economy and empowering women; by giving our young and brightest minds new opportunities to serve and helping communities to feed, power, and educate themselves; by saving the world's children from preventable deaths; and by realizing the promise of an AIDS-free generation.”

Wow! That’s a big promise – but we know we can accomplish it. We're a nation of big ideas. This isn't a Democrat or Republican issue. It's an issue of basic human integrity and it's not right that so many around the world should suffer. We know that aid works – projects like LRP can’t be allowed to expire. Programs like Feed the Future can’t be allowed to suffer as a result of the impending sequester. Oxfam has long advocated for policies and the development of institutions like LRP and Feed the Future that empower the impoverished to lift themselves to a better state. Let's get to that better state!

To watch the full State of the Union address, click here.

You're Invited!

With International Women's Day just a month away, we're beginning to build awareness around this day of celebration for the economic, political, and social gains being made by truly amazing women all over the world. But, it may have some people wondering...well, why such a large focus on women? Now, as in the past, there are wide gender inequities all over the globe that ultimately leave women (and children) without the ability to realize their full human potential. Here are a few facts taken from Oxfam America's website that detail some of the inequities:

• Sixty-six percent of the world’s work falls on women’s shoulders, yet they earn only 10 percent of the world’s income.
• In the majority of countries, women’s wages are 10 to 30 percent lower than men’s.
• Worldwide in 2008, nearly 800 million people over the age of 15 could neither read nor write—and two-thirds of them were women.
• In war and conflict, women typically experience the worst atrocities, including rape, forced prostitution, and mutilation.  
• Gender-based violence kills one in three women across the world and is the biggest cause of injury and death to women worldwide, causing more deaths and disability among women than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents, and war.
• Health crises, like the HIV/AIDS outbreaks in southern Africa, can also have a disproportionate impact on women because of harmful cultural practices and unequal laws and government policies.

For those above statistics (and the many others that are not listed here), it's not a stretch of the imagination to learn that women represent 60% of the world's impoverished. Organizations like Oxfam work to empower women - providing education, resources, food, and security so that women can lift themselves (and their families and communities) out of poverty and build a better future for the coming generations.

Join us in Des Moines for our 2013 International Women's Day event being held at the Hall of Laureates on Thursday, March 7th starting at 6:30p. Speakers from Women, Food, and Agriculture Network (WFAN) and Oxfam America will present a panel discussion called "Women and a Well-Fed World: Facing the Challenge - Gaining Ground" which highlights the remarkable achievements women have made in feeding the world.

RSVP today and share the Facebook invite with your friends!

Join the Action Corps

Join the Oxfam Action Corps in Des Moines!

www.oxfamactioncorps.org

 

Free spaces are available at training April 13-16, 2013  – Apply now!

• Are you concerned that the people who grow the world’s food—many of whom are women—cannot afford to feed their own families? And that one in eight people goes to bed hungry every night even though the world produces enough food for everybody?

• Do you want to take action in your city to achieve policies to sustainably feed a growing population and empower poor people to earn a living, feed their families, and thrive?

• Are you willing to reach out to others in your community to hold governments and businesses accountable for the impact of their policies and practices on the environment and global food security?

Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, invites you to join the Oxfam Action Corps, an exciting effort to cultivate grassroots leaders and political change.

Oxfam Action Corps volunteers work closely with Oxfam staff to engage their community and elected officials. We will provide training and support throughout a one-year time commitment. You'll meet amazing activists, build community, and drive political solutions.

Here is what previous Oxfam Action Corps volunteers said:

“Oxfam Action Corps has given me a ton of confidence… gaining knowledge and being able to speak to people about the issues.” Amy, Business Operations Analyst, Des Moines

“I liked it, loved it, actually. I now have a better appreciation for activism and I do believe that it can really make a difference!” Debby, Graduate Student, VT

"This has become one of the best parts of my life… I can't express enough how satisfying it is to be organizing with people who are just as committed and dependable and passionate." – Isaac., Educator, New York City

Sign-up by February 14 at: 

www.oxfamactioncorps.org