Florida-Bahamas Synod

Saturday, March 5 at 2pm
 Farmworker Justice Demonstration at Publix

1313 South Dale Mabry Highway, Tampa, FL.

The Florida-Bahamas Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America stands behind those who are vulnerable in society; those who have no voice. We join in partnership, walking with the farmworkers of Immokalee in their work toward justice and fair treatment for all. On March 5, 2011 we ask you to join farmworkers from Immokalee, their families and allies from across Florida and beyond for a vibrant and peaceful rally, pageant and celebration to cap off an unforgettable day of actions!

Holiday Harvest of Hope Campaign II

The Campaign continues! Throughout the holidays, consumers are encouraged to continue to participate in asking grocers to help establish fairness and justice in Florida's fields. In the past three months, tomato pickers and tomato growers have inaugurated watershed agreements of mutual cooperation to improve working conditions in the fields and prevent all forms of abuse. The agreements include 90% of Florida's tomato farms. It's now up to consumers and retailers to join growers and farmworkers in making corporate responsibility a reality.

Leading up to Thanksgiving, 2010, CBS news re-broadcast Harvest of Shame on its 50th anniversary. Read about the ground-shaking documentary at CBS. It's time to start something that's really good. We can all ask that the Florida produce we buy in Florida stores represents a sense of fairness that we all expect for ourselves. (That's a form of the Golden Rule!)

See the webpage for the Coalition of Immakolee Workers: http://www.ciw-online.org.

---

In cooperation with Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, houses of worship are invited to participate in a project to show gratitude to farmworkers at Thanksgiving and to encourage Publix to join the penny per pound campaign.

Farmworkers in the fields are family, too. involves filling penny folders with a month of pennies, bible studies and prayer guides. The concept is simple: educate consumers about farmworker conditions and the Campaign for Fair Food and include them in an effort to pursuade Publix Markets to pay farmworkers an additional penny per pound of tomatoes.

The heart of the campaign includes: 1) learning more about farmworker conditions and 2) collecting a month of pennies in a daily penny folder to present to the local Publix's manager as an advance for the day Publix signs an agreement with CIW. Publix is a consumer-sensitive, privately held company. Unlike previous shareholder campaigns with McDonalds, Yum Brands, Sodexo and other end-sellers of tomatoes, Publix does not allow public comment at its annual meeting. However, local Publix markets pride themselves on responding to consumer needs. Thus, Farmworkers in the fields are family, too is a campaign to urge consumers to convince Publix that they are more than willing to pay a fair-wage price for Florida tomatoes.

As you gather around the Thanksgiving table wouldn't it be glorious to know the meal before you is not a product of unjust or slave-like labor conditions? Let us be thankful that we have not been exploited, and the food before us is not brought to our table through exploited labor!

As the penny folders make clear, the pennies presented to Publix in this campaign are designated for the time when Publix enters an agreement with farmworkers to fair labor practices and paying the penny. As consumers, we are standing up for fair labor practices and paying the penny forward.

To order Penny Folders, send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the number desired, contact name, mailing address, phone number, and congregation name.

Download supporting documentation here.

• Penny folder flyer (A description of the penny folders)
• Bible Study (On economic justice in scripture)
• Prayer Guide (Table graces that include blessings for workers and farmers)
• Harvest of Shame flyer (25th Anniversary of Edward Morrow's documentary on farmer worker conditions)
• Letter for Publix's Manager (Sample of what to say/present when presenting penny folders to Publix)
• Mock-up of Penny Folders (What the penny folders actually look like and say)

Read more about the Campaign for Fair Food:

• Presbyterian Church (USA) website
• Alliance for Fair Food
• Coalition of Immokalee Workers

The Farmworker Support Group includes Pastors Dana Henderschot and Russell Meyer, Resource Center Director Irene Flynn, World Hunger Coordinator Mary Delasin, and Interfaith Action of Souwest Florida Coordinator Brigitte Gynther.

{chronocontact}Folders{/chronocontact}

 

Homelessness - Be the Solution!

VISTA contact list for your community.

[Editor's Note: With the Synod Council's blessing, Synod House Staff are helping to recruit parishes in participating in the annual homeless count on January 27, 2011. There are many ways your congregation scan help. Contact Steve Rosebrock for more information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .]

If it were in your power, would you?

If it were in your power to bring about significant change to the lives of thousands of children, women and men in the community where you live, would you give a day of your time to do it?

If it were in your power to help a homeless mother of three receive the training she needs to get a job that pays a living wage, would you give a day of your time to do it?

If it were in your power to inspire a war veteran to tackle the addiction that has paralyzed his life, would you give a day of your time to do it?

If it were in your power to help a mother and father and their two children who are living out of an automobile find affordable housing, would you give a day of your time to do it?