ELCA In Hunger Documentary To Air Beginning Oct. 24 On ABC-TV

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- "Hunger No More: Faces Behind the Facts,"
is a new television documentary that examines hunger in the 21st
century from a faith perspective and offers possible solutions.
The one-hour program, which includes stories about hunger
ministries related to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), is scheduled to begin airing Oct. 24 on ABC-TV stations
throughout the United States.
"Hunger No More" is a production of the National Council of
Churches USA (NCC) for ABC-TV's "Vision and Values" series. The
program was produced by Mennonite Media for the NCC.
The program suggests that hunger is more than a social
issue. "It is a moral issue that needs immediate resolution,"
said Burton Buller, president of Mennonite Media. "The program
brings to life the moral dimension of this thorny issue, and
offers up a vision for a new day when hunger is eradicated from
the face of the earth."
The program features the Community Gardens of Chester
County, Embreeville, Pa., a project sponsored by the ELCA
Domestic Hunger Appeal, said Ava Odom Martin, broadcast media
production manager, ELCA Department for Communication. The
project has more than 50 gardens maintained by a variety of
culturally diverse groups, including people who are physically
challenged.
"Hunger No More" includes some scenes from "Stand With
Africa: Banish Hunger," a video produced by Lutheran World Relief
(LWR), Baltimore, the international relief and development agency
of the ELCA and Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. In particular,
Martin said the NCC production features the Katosi Women Fishing and Development Association in Uganda, a project supported by
the ELCA World Hunger Appeal through LWR.
Joe Young, director for community development services, ELCA
Division for Church in Society, is among those interviewed in the
program, along with the Rev. David M. Beckmann, president, Bread
for the World, Washington, D.C. Beckmann is an ELCA pastor.
Other featured interviewees are:
+ U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-N.C.)
+ The Rev. Robert Edgar, NCC general secretary
+ Joan Holmes, United Nations-related Hunger Project
+ Ken Horne, chief executive officer, Society of St. Andrew
+ June Kim, executive secretary, world hunger, United
Methodist Committee on Relief
+ George McGovern, former U.S. Senator and Democratic
presidential candidate, South Dakota
+ John McCullough, executive director, Church World Service
+ Jeffrey Sachs, ethicist, The Earth Institute at Columbia
University, New York
+ a variety of leaders from several other hunger programs
mobilized by NCC member communions.
The documentary was produced as part of the NCC commitment
"to address significant issues of faith and public policy and to
pursue concrete solutions to the persistent challenge of poverty
in a time of great wealth and capability in our society," Edgar
said.
"Every religion in the world instructs its adherents to feed
the hungry," McGovern said in the program. The documentary
highlights specific programs aimed at ending the hunger crisis.
In addition to Mennonite Media and the ELCA World Hunger
Program, the NCC's sponsoring partners for the production are the
United Methodist Committee on Relief, the Society of St. Andrew,
an ecumenical Christian ministry, and the ecumenical humanitarian
agency, Church World Service. Bread for the World and United
Methodist Communication were cooperating partners.
Many ABC-TV stations have committed to air "Hunger No More."
Air dates and times are available from ABC-TV affiliates or from
http://www.interfaithbroadcasting.com on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news