Monthly Hunger Offering - 2 cents-a-meal

On the last Sunday of each month a 2 cents-a-meal hunger offering is received to help children and families in need of food in Orange and around the world.  

The 2 Cents-a-Meal concept, one of the nine "Presbyterian Hunger Programs," was originated by Presbyterian Women to provide an opportunity for individuals and families to participate in a corporate response to world hunger. By contributing 2 cents per person at each meal, individuals, families and groups are remided of the needs of others each time they eat. Daily participation is a reminder that hunger is a constant reality for millions of our sisters and brothers around the world. As the money accumulates, those participating become aware that small acts done regularly can result in significant responses to hunger and that there is great strength in working together with other Christians.  

Since its first distribution of $9,000.00 in 1983 the 2¢ a Meal project has distributed more that $1,100,000.00 to nurture hungry people around the world.

The 2 Cents-a-Meal program is a special project of the Orange Presbyterian Church and the Presbytery of the James. It is not controlled by the Presbyterian Hunger Program and is supplemental to participation in the One Great hour of Sharing and other PC(USA) benevolences.

Twenty-five percent of the offering goes to help support the Orange Love Outreach Food Pantry providing emergency food supplies for those in Orange that are temporally in need. The other 75% goes to the Presbytery of the James to hale provide hunger grants directly to existing aid projects in Virginia and around the world. All the 2 cents-a-meal funds contributed by Orange Presbyterians and other congregations in the Presbytery are distributed yearly. In 2000 Presbytery distributed nearly $85,500 in grants to world wide and Virginia organizations.

About 40% of the funds went to International efforts including to:

• emergency feeding centers and other hunger projects in Haiti (about half the 40%),
• a project to buy flour for a North Korean noodle factory,
• Church World Services,
• Heifer Project,
• Pig Farm Project in Zaire,
• Mexican Faith Ministries, and
• the Presbyterian Hunger Program.

About 50% of the year 2000 funds distributed by Presbytery were granted to projects to help individuals in Virginia including:

• Food Banks in Charlottesville, Fredericksburg and Richmond,
• a homeless children program in Charlottesville,
• several meals and emergency shelter programs in Richmond area,
• Hunters for the Hungry,
• Albemarle regional Migrant Workers food program, and
• several "Advocacy/Education Grants" to programs.

The remaining 10% went to Advocacy and Educational organizations including the:

• Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy,
• Bread for the World,
• World Food Day,
• Society of St. Andrews, and
• Daughters of Zelophehad.