State Sen. Craig Pridemore will join local social service and religious leaders in a town hall panel on child hunger this Sunday at the First Congregational United Church of Christ. In recognition of Super Bowl Sunday, those attending the 11:30 a.m. event are encouraged to bring cans of soup for people in need.
Pridemore, D-Vancouver, received the 2006 Outstanding Legislator Award from the Children’s Alliance, a statewide group that lobbies on behalf of children, for his work to eliminate the co-pay for reduced-price school breakfasts.
Others taking part in the panel will be Tarinn Smith, hunger-response director for Share, a local organization dedicated to serving the hungry and homeless; Rabbi Elizabeth Dunsker of Congregation Kol Ami, which has been active in supporting the Oregon Food Bank and the Winter Hospitality Overflow shelter; Linda Stone, food policy director for the Children’s Alliance; and the Rev. Brooks Berndt, pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ, who will facilitate the discussion. Last year the church’s congregation voted to dedicate itself to advocacy and action on behalf of children by forming a yearlong partnership with the Children’s Alliance.
“One of the sad ironies of our society is that we regularly hear expressions of how much we value our children and their future while child hunger remains painfully invisible as a widespread problem,” Berndt said in a statement. “On a day when many of us plan to gorge ourselves on football and food, we want to intentionally take the time to live according to our values and discuss this vitally important issue.”
The church is at 1220 N.E. 68th St. in Vancouver.
