CREDIT UNIONS ENDING HUNGER CAMPAIGN UPDATES 

The 2007 Maine Credit Unions' Ending Hunger Walking Tour Kicks off October 30th!

To build awareness about the problem of hunger in Maine, Brenda Davis, Executive Director of Cross Roads Ministries and food pantry, an organization that helps thousands of people in eastern and central Maine, will again be walking approximately 20-30 miles a day during the month of November, which is also Ending Hunger Month.

The 6th Annual Maine Credit Unions' Ending Hunger Walking Tour begins on Tuesday, October 30th, 2007 at Maine State Credit Union in Augusta and concludes Wednesday, November 28th in Bangor.  This year, Brenda will visit 68 credit unions in 52 different communities.  by the time she finishes, she is expected to cover more than 1,600 miles, approximately 600 or that on foot.

• In 2002, the Walking Tour was conceived by Brenda Davis (SEE BELOW FOR MORE ABOUT BRENDA), Executive Director of Cross Roads Ministries in Old Town, a hunger organization serving eastern Maine and Jon Paradise, Coordinator of the Maine Credit Unions' Campaign for Ending Hunger, in partnership with Partners in Ending Hunger.
• The mission of the Walking Tour is to raise awareness about the severity of hunger in Maine during Ending Hunger Month, which is each November.  Because many parts of Maine are rural in nation, many people have to travel great distances to receive food assistance.  In a number of instances, these people lack the transportation necessary to receive that assistance and are forced to walk miles to the nearest food bank or pantry.  The Walk, in part, symbolizes the struggle that many Mainers go through just to get food for their families.
• Since the Walking Tour began, it has raised thousands of dollars for ending hunger and cover many miles in 46 communities and visited 74 credit unions across the State.  The walk encompasses 600 - 700 miles.
• Representatives from credit unions, food pantries, and the general public are expected to walk with Davis in each community.
• This is the only Ending Hunger Walk of its kind in the nation and received the top community-service award in the Credit Union Movement in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
• Since 1990, the Maine Credit Unions' Campaign for Ending Hunger has raised more than $2.3 Million to held end hunger in Maine.  100% of all money raised stays in Maine and is distributed to hunger organizations.

ABOUT BRENDA DAVIS 

Brenda may be contacted by cell phone while she is on the road at 207-356-7032

Brenda Davis, a diminutive woman with a lot of vision and energy will kick off the Sixth Annual Maine Credit Unions' Ending Hunger Walking Tour of Maine on October 29th.

Brenda came to this idea of walking indirectly.  Just over five years ago she offered a ride to a person carrying groceries along a country road: their family was without a car and lived 8 miles from a small "bread and milk" store and 20 miles from a supermarket.  Brenda realized how a family's ability to have the food they need was related to transportation, and understood the stress on time and emotions experienced by families to meet the most basic of needs.  Hunger is interrelated with a family's needs for transportation, childcare, adequate healthcare, education and work providing sufficient income.

She mentioned this experience to Bill Irwin, a blind man who walked the Appalachian Trail, with his guide dog.  She was inspired by Bill's comment, "Everybody has an Appalachian Trail".  She decided to "walk" in the five poorest counties in Maine, spurred on by a challenge from Jon Paradise of the Maine Credit Union League.  For each "walk" in a community with a credit union main office they would make a contribution to the purpose of Ending Hunger in Maine.  Brenda took the challenge, saying, "it because like a scavenger hunt," to arrive at 70 credit unions in 47 communities between Madawaska and Sanford.  Within six weeks, she was organized to begin her first walk during the Ending Hunger Month, November 2002.

Brenda had a "silent partner" supporting her efforts.  Herbie, her husband of 40 years.  Herbie passed away in February, 2003 and Brenda wondered if she would do a walk again.  In September, 2003, she realized that Herbie's pride in her initiative would be the motivation for the Second Annual Ending Hunger Walking Tour.  Brenda's walk is a partnership between Crossroads Ministries and Maine's Credit Unions.

Not one to rest on her laurels, Brenda, also initiated a partnership of Crossroads Ministries and Partners in Ending Hunger to launch a community based program, A Pathway for Ending Hunger.  Old Town, with the support of the town manager, and is the first community in Maine planning and taking action to end hunger at the root causes.  These community actions will go beyond current efforts to alleviate hunger by providing food.

Crossroads Ministries in Old Town, Maine, is a resource center for persons and families to have access to adequate good, clothing, shelter and opportunities to become productive members of their community.  Partners in Ending Hunger of Camden, Maine has developed A Pathway for Ending Hunger to provide communities with the tools, knowledge, skills and organizational support to achieve the end of hunger.  Organizations interested in this community undertaking may contact Brenda at Crossroads Ministries at 827-1298

Brenda is a visionary and a woman of action, a powerful combination.  She welcomes any persons wishing to walk with her and work in community partnerships to end hunger.

 

Starting November 1st, the new "Christmas In Maine" CD will be sold at Brewer Federal Credit Union (and other participating Maine credit unions around the State).  Part of the proceeds from the sale of this new holiday CD will go towards the Credit Unions Ending Hunger Campaign.  Pick up a copy to brighten up your holidays.....pick up copies for your family and friends and pass on the holiday spirit.  Great music which benefits a great cause.