wfn.org | Lutherans Take Action on Social Justice Issues

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: Lutherans Take Action on Social Justice Issues
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>August 11, 2009  

Lutherans Take Action on Social Justice Issues
09-182-CD*

WASHINGTON (ELCA) - Lutheran youth and adults took action on a
number of social justice issues at the 2009 Youth Gathering of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), July 22-26 in New Orleans.
By writing to members of the U.S. Congress and President Obama, they
advocated against injustices concerning youth homelessness, child hunger,
civil unrest in Sudan, human trafficking, climate change and the criminal
justice system.

It was part of the "Interaction Center" of the Youth Gathering held
at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. Participants
wrote to their elected officials at the "Justice Town" exhibit sponsored
by ELCA Church in Society.

"Our elected officials need to hear from the next generation and
what injustices the youth want to see changed," said the Rev. Andrew
Genszler, director for advocacy, ELCA Washington Office. He said he was
pleased with the number of participants who took action.

The effort produced nearly 8,000 responses through advocacy
postcards and handwritten letters on paper plates to political leaders.
The postcards had pre-printed messages which allowed youth and adults to
specify the names of their members of Congress, include brief personal
messages and their names and addresses.

The paper plate campaign was focused on improving child nutrition
programs and asking Congress "to support a strong Child Nutrition
Reauthorization Act in 2009 that increases access, expands participation
and improves nutrition standards for child nutrition programs," according
to Robert Francis, director for domestic public policy, ELCA Washington
Office.

Other advocacy activities in the Interaction Center included a
letter-writing campaign to pharmaceutical companies asking them to
improve access to pediatric HIV testing and treatment, and a "Countdown
to Copenhagen" postcard addressing the global impact of climate change on
those living in poverty. "Countdown to Copenhagen" is an advocacy
campaign endorsed by the ELCA and culminates at the United Nations
Climate Conference to be held in December 2009.

The postcards, paper plates and letters are being processed by the
ELCA Washington Office staff and will be hand-delivered to elected
officials in the coming weeks.

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Information on the ELCA Youth Gathering is at

http://www.ELCA.org/gathering on the ELCA Web site.

Information on ELCA advocacy ministry is at

http://www.ELCA.org/advocacy on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog