Accessing Hunger Solutions- Greater Dallas Movement Day

DALLAS - Jan. 9, 2014 - PRLog -- 1 in 4 children in Dallas County are food insecure as is 1 in 5 adults - - the most vulnerable being seniors and disabled individuals. Christ's command to his followers to feed the hungry is clear. “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. . . .” (Matthew 25:35). How can we respond to hunger in a way than maintains our neighbors’ dignity? How can we bring lasting change to those in need? These are questions that religious, government, business and social sector leaders in Greater Dallas are working together to answer.

On January 23, 2014 over 1500 leaders from the marketplace, church, and community will gather for Greater Dallas Movement Day (GDMD), a one-day event that will include leaders in the areas of business, education, healthcare, nonprofits, government, and the church from a diversity of cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

Movement Day is directed by Dr. Mac Pier, CEO and Founder of The New York City Leadership Center. Pier believes the Dallas faith community is poised to foster such a movement.

Join this breakout session to actively contribute to this city-wide, multi-sector effort designed to impact hunger. We will earnestly seek God's guidance during the next five years to cut child hunger in half and increase the capacity of food distribution to seniors and adults with disabilities by 25%. This track is for current and future leaders in education, after-school care, senior care, nutrition, food service, city government, entrepreneurship, venture capital, church, and other sectors who are interested in working collaboratively to improve access to healthy, affordable food in Dallas.

Poverty. Hunger. Crime. Child Neglect. A Broken Education System. The problems can seem insurmountable, but each grim statistic also offers an opportunity to transform individuals and communities with the love of Jesus Christ.

“The Greater Dallas area is at a crossroads. Given the growing racial, social, and spiritual diversity, it is urgent to bring a critical mass of the Dallas Christian community together to foster visible unity, hear the same research, and co-create and further best practices that will impact the city.” Pier says. “We believe that the Movement Day model that catalyzed such remarkable growth in Manhattan will bring similar results in Greater Dallas.”

Why does Dallas need a gospel movement? The facts and statistics speak for themselves:

*  90 % of Dallas ISD graduates are not college ready

*The number of North Texans seeking help from food pantries or soup kitchens each week has risen 80 % since 2006.

* 29.3% of children in Dallas County, more than 190,000 children total, live in families below the federal income poverty level.