It's a miracle I was able to finish my oversized Po' Boy sandwich this afternoon at the Parkway Diner in New Orleans. It's even more of a miracle they were able to serve it. Like the entire neighborhood, the restaurant was flooded when the levees broke during Hurricane Katrina. But after being evacuated, owner Jay Nix and his sisters and nephew eventually fought their way back as have 288,000 others, about 63% of New Orleans pre-storm population.

As if public education isn't facing enough challenges these days, we're seeing more poor students today than we have in 40 years. More than half of all students in southern public schools live in poverty, according to a report by the Southern Education Foundation. 14 states in the US have such a distinction, and 11 of them are in the south.

New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg may not like fancy food but that doesn't mean he doesn't like the role it can play in ending hunger for New York's children.

I've just returned from New Orleans where I visited Share Our Strength's partners and friends to see firsthand the progress and challenges that the city faces two years after Hurricane Katrina.

Like the many that have tried it before me, I found the Food Stamp Challenge to be quite a difficult undertaking. When I first read about some Congressmen trying it, I thought it was an interesting idea and a fine example of experiential learning.

Last month, a coalition of advocates celebrated the bittersweet 20th anniversary of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. At the time, it was viewed as the first step in a larger effort to eradicate homelessness, but subsequent efforts never materialized.

As an employee of The Timberland Company, I am one of thousands of dedicated, civic-minded individuals who use our service hours to give back to our global community.

It was hard to imagine how to have an effective "conversation" with 650 people, but my trip to the Democratic Leadership Council's (DLC) 11th Annual National Conversation in Nashville this past weekend managed to increase my faith in our governing process.

Last week I wrote about a conference I attended hosted by the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders entitled, "Our Evolving Food System: Perspectives from the Heartland."

July 23 of this year marks the 40th anniversary of arguably the worst riot in U.S. history. Early in the morning on Sunday, July 23, 1967 I saw billowing black smoke in the sky over much of the Detroit landscape from my apartment window.

What single bill -- albeit with a great many tentacles -- currently sits before Congress and will define the future of so much of the commons -- our land use, soil and water quality, the future of our rural communities? Look no further than the tip of your fork: the Farm Bill.

June 26th marked the 4th Annual Share Our Strength's Chefs on Bikes presented by Fortessa event. Chefs on Bikes is a day-long motorcycle rally filled with lovely meals and several 100 mile rides through the beautiful Virginia countryside.

I read an article on Saturday that is, without question, one of the most disturbing I've read in many years. New York Times op-ed columnist Bob Herbert wrote that the number of Chicago public school children killed since the start of the most recent school year as a result of gang or random violence has reached 34.

This morning the leaders of many of the national anti-hunger organizations met at the Capitol with key Democratic Senators from the Senate Democratic Steering Committee that is trying to schedule action on the Farm Bill Reauthorization that includes so many federal food and nutrition programs.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Doris Votier demonstrated the great courage and leadership of which ordinary people placed in extraordinary circumstances are capable.

It is day 7 of my Food Stamp Challenge, and I am only slightly embarrassed to admit how happy I am that the final day has arrived. First, a brief recap of my diet for the past few days:

Last week the Sodexho Foundation released a report it had commissioned on the economic costs of hunger in the United States.

It is day four and in truth my "diet" hasn't been so difficult so far. Most of my trouble has been my questionable shopping choices (the variety in my diet is minimal) and my hectic schedule.

Yesterday's start was a little uneven, as I relied on bananas for my breakfast and lunch. I did, however, end the evening with a dinner that was more enjoyable than it might sound. I had a tuna sandwich on two slices of wheat toast, a serving of baked beans, a serving of mixed peas and carrots, and three glasses of tap water.

Today I officially began my week-long food stamp diet -- appropriately enough, it is National Hunger Awareness Day. The 'Food Stamp Challenge' has drawn national attention since Congressional Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) undertook the challenge to bolster awareness of and support for the Feeding America's Families Act, which aims to increase funding and eligibility for the Food Stamp Program.

Recently, several members of Congress participated in a 'Food Stamp Challenge,' where public officials subsisted for one week on the national average food stamp allotment, or $21. Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO), who are co-sponsoring a bill that would increase funding and eligibility for the Food Stamp Program, asked Congress to take part in the challenge.

A Discussion Between Paul Shoemaker and Mario Morino... Paul Shoemaker ended his recent post with a great point to which I first pose a consideration and then ask a question.

Last week I cut a map out of the New York Times and asked my assistant Alice to laminate it for me so I could carry it in my pocket as a constant reminder. It was headlined "Ominous Trends in Infant Mortality in the South."

It takes a lot to get a chef up before dawn. With the lure of breakfast burritos upon arrival at the Crescent City Farmers Market, all eighteen CulinaryCorps cooks managed to drag themselves out of their post-po'boy slumber and load with zombie-like obedience into the waiting vans.

For years, the field of micro-finance has struggled with the challenge of blending a social mission with a need to operate economically viable institutions. Some in the field have argued that, as long as microfinance organizations provide the poor with reliable access to credit, they should seek to maximize returns in order to attract investment capital.

Reports about poverty in America are not uncommon but it was jarring to see one published during the same week in which the Dow Jones Industrial Average passed 13,000 for the first time, symbolizing the continued creation of massive wealth for some of America's richest corporate shareholders. The report, published by a Washington think tank called the Center For American Progress, released recommendations on April 25 for cutting poverty in half in ten years.

March 23, 2007 -- It had been less than five months since I first visited New Orleans as a Share Our Strength-Henckels Cutting Edge Student.

Every year since 1948, BBC has organized a series of lectures in which a leading public figure addresses a worldwide radio audience about important contemporary issues. This year the Reith lectures, named in honor of the BBC's first director general will be delivered by Jeffrey Sachs.

Thursday, April 5th was a happy day in New Orleans. Church calendars indicated that it was Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday which commemorates the Last Supper. But the smiling people lined up at the corner of Orleans Ave and Miro Street indicated a new beginning.

On Friday Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu gave a keynote speech at NYU's annual conference on social entrepreneurship. Speaking easily and without notes, lacing his comments with self-deprecating jokes, he was powerfully eloquent on the issues of race and poverty in America:

This past week, the political establishment has been obsessing over who "won" and who "lost" stage one of the so-called "money primary." But the first incumbent-free presidential election in 55 years should first and foremost be about ideas and leadership.

We're all familiar with the loud beeping sound made by a truck or construction when it shifts into reverse. It warns of imminent danger. We stop and pay attention, and reach out to grab the hand of our child. Shouldn't there be a similar warning when our children are threatened by social progress sliding into reverse?

At Mary's Center for Maternal and Child Care we spend much of our time these days "pushing a rock." The moment we get some leverage and propel it forward, some calamity gets in the way and pushes it right back. Nonetheless, we know that our holistic approach is the only way to combat many of the health, social, environmental and educational challenges faced by every family that walks through our doors.

As the CEO of Chrysalis, a homeless agency with three offices throughout Los Angeles, I always heard the same plaintive cry from my peers - "Why isn't anybody paying attention to this tragedy?" If people only knew what was going on, we thought, they would surely respond with the funds and attention needed to address a population of homeless in our County of over 88,000 - significantly larger than any State.

I recently returned from my second trip to Haiti in the past 9 months and I can't wait to return! While it is nearly impossible to find an encouraging word about Haiti in the U.S. press, I found plenty to celebrate at Wings of Hope, a school and community for children with severe special needs in Fermathe, Haiti.

I started YouthBuild years ago because I had heard clearly from young people in East Harlem that they wanted to make a difference, rebuild their own communities, and help their neighbors. They told me that one day we would spread love around the world. In Gulfport, Miss., I am watching their vision come to life.

On Friday while driving to Maine for the long weekend, I got the same little twinge I always get when passing through New Hampshire. I can't help wondering if any presidential candidates are out and about in the first primary state, and if I know the folks they might be out and about with.

From December 10 through 19, my colleague Bob Forney and I visited the Mexican Association of Food Banks (AMBA) in Guadalajara for The Global FoodBanking Network. Our purpose was to discuss with AMBA their plans for food banking development, specifically food sourcing capacity building, and to identify fundable projects.

"No one person is your hero. You take a little something from all of them," said New Orleans chef Leah Chase last night to a crowded ballroom of Timberland employees about the civil rights icons she knew and fed. Timberland was holding their annual sales conference a few blocks from the French Quarter. As a member of the Timberland board of directors, it was gratifying to see Timberland's commitment to bear witness, engage in service, and rebuild the community.

Each winter many low-income families face the difficult choice between heating their homes or buying food. A national study released in the November issue of Pediatrics shows that the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also known as fuel assistance, can help protect young children's growth and health from seasonal pressures put on their family to "heat or eat."

Following the midterm elections, the polls and the press told us that the war in Iraq and government corruption were the two most important factors in creating a new Congress. But a little-known exit poll conducted of 1,000 midterm election voters on November 7 for the Alliance to End Hunger found that a candidate's stand on hunger and poverty issues has a big effect on how voters cast their ballots.

You probably noticed the many news stories the day after Thanksgiving about the official start of the Christmas shopping season, now known as Black Friday (because it is traditionally when retailers begin turning a profit, or operating in the black), and the almost unimaginably long lines waiting for the midnight openings of doors at Best Buy stores and other retail outlets. There were even some frightening stampedes caught on tape as malls racked up a record $9 billion in sales. Most of the news anchors closed out their broadcasts with a wisecrack or shook their heads good naturedly, but there was also something a bit unnerving about the sight.

Each year, over 3.5 million people experience homelessness, including 1.35 million children. Beginning in the early 1980s, the number of homeless Americans grew dramatically, and the face of homelessness changed from the middle-aged white males of Skid Row to include working men and women, families, children, ethnic and racial minorities and an overall younger population. Click here for demographic information on homelessness.

On November 15th, the USDA released a report that confirms a lot of what people living in and working with low-income communities have known for some time: that hunger is a serious problem in our country. According to the report, 12 percent of Americans - 35 million people - were unable to put food on their table for at least part of last year. And yet, these 35 million Americans are no longer being classified as "hungry," they are being designated as having "low food security."

Driven by mounting globalization and the dissemination and more efficient use of information technology, knowledge-based industries have replaced manufacturing as the United States' primary economic engine. The emergence of the "New Economy" during the 1990s led to a period of increased productivity, extended growth, and low unemployment. Although such growth typically provides a foundation for increased wages and broadly improved living standards, the recent economic expansion has failed to do so.

On Tuesday November 7, 2006 America exhaled. A long held breath was slowly released and with it we let go of fear and embraced change. The congressional elections had more to do with justice than politics. It was not about embracing a political party; it was about embracing the foundations of the democracy we claim. America became America again and we showed the power of our collective. Without conversation or coordination the nation acted in unison to send a message to the world.

New beginnings are sacred opportunities. These are the moments when the slate is wiped clean and once again, anything is possible. In our national life, the start of a new Congress is just such an opportunity. It is a chance to put small grudges and small thinking aside, to rededicate ourselves to working together to address the issues that people in this country really care about.

I am a doctor for invisible children. They are not really invisible, but for all the attention they get from our current and future political leaders, you would think they are less substantial than the average cartoon character. I work in the Grow Clinic for Children at Boston Medical Center, a multi-disciplinary program that serves malnourished infants and toddlers.

Next week will mark an important day for children living in poverty in the U.S. and around the world. That day, of course, is November 8. While the country's attention will be trained on November 7, it's the Wednesday after when the excitement of Election Day gives way to the sobering challenge of making the world a better place for kids to live. With the well-being of children invoked by politicians of all stripes throughout the campaign season, will they be remembered when the polls close?

I am honored to have been asked to contribute to Sharing Witness. It provides a wonderful opportunity to share our life and work feeding kids in Appalachia. I will always do my best to convey the effects of poverty on our region while respecting our citizens. We are a proud and strong people, but we have lost our jobs. Therefore, we are poor and getting poorer.

It’s been nearly two months since the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina brought the spotlight back to New Orleans. But as it always and inevitably does, the spotlight moved on and most of the country today hears little about New Orleans in the news. Yesterday as more than 300 attendees to Share Our Strength’s Conference of Leaders began to arrive, we had the opportunity to bear witness to the region’s ongoing challenges and opportunities.

Do children who lack adequate food, clothing, and shelter need art supplies, cameras, or musical instruments? Where does inspiring kids to write poetry, to dance, or to paint rank on the hierarchy of human need? These are common questions asked by good people – philanthropists and activists both – concerned with helping to ameliorate the many and complex challenges facing families living in poverty.

“If you’re a political junkie (especially one from Hollywood) this was almost as good as Oscar night,” a reporter stated in the Calendar section, normally reserved for entertainment and arts, of the Los Angeles Times in a story about the party in New York where the attendees doled out $15,000 a piece to attend Bill Clinton’s Global Initiative and mix with some of the world’s most rich and powerful.

The Nobel Prize Committee's decision to award its 2006 Peace Prize to Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank should give encouragement to millions of people around the world working to eradicate hard core poverty. For Yunus, it is a step forward toward creating a world in which, as he says, “our great grandchildren will have to go to museums to see what poverty was.”

The Good Deeds Community Center had standing room only when we arrived for the Oxfam America-NAACP town hall meeting with residents of Gulfport and Biloxi, Miss., to mark the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. There was energy in the air. Folks had come to listen and be heard. And heard they would be.

The Apocalypse, in the words of Joachim of Fior, is “the key of things past, the knowledge of things to come; the opening of what is sealed, the uncovering of what is hidden.” The Apocalypse, then, succeeds in hiding its own meaning, and bears a transcendental, secularized version, so its eschatology should be studied not only as the end of history, but also as the proposition of events and signs accompanying the final denouement.