Created by the state Legislature in 1989, the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force promotes awareness, compiles research and works on public policy change. One in six Oregonians – a record number – received SNAP (food stamp) benefits in June 2009. Oregon Faith Roundtable Against Hunger is a partner organization. Contact Simone Crowe, communications director.

Food Lifeline in Seattle is Washington state’s largest hunger relief agency. It has statistics on the people it serves. Mark Coleman is communications director.

Tamera Zivic is executive director of the World Hunger Education, Advocacy & Training (WHEAT) Organization in Phoenix, which works with 5,300 congregations in Arizona. She is a member of the national board of Bread for the World.

Donald E. Messer is a co-author of Ending Hunger Now. A United Methodist theologian, he is now executive director of the Center for Church and Global AIDS, which is based in Centennial, Colo.

The Houston Food Bank is dedicated to feeding those without sufficient food in the Houston area. The media relations contact is Adele Brady.

James P. Ziliak is director of the Center for Poverty Research at the University of Kentucky, where he also holds the Gatton Endowed Chair in Microeconomics. He was the lead researcher on a 2008 national study of hunger among the nation’s senior citizens.

How can a religion writer get more religion news stories into the paper or on air? By Michael Paulson The Boston Globe* In my experience, editors are always hungry for good stories about any subject, and religion is no exception. To get more religion stories into the paper, apply the same rigorous reporting and writing […]

Do religion writers always write stories for religious holidays? New clergy? Anniversaries? By Melanie Smith The Decatur Daily The routine events of religious life are a challenge to the religion reporter. Is there anything newsworthy about another Easter or Rosh Hashanah or Ramadan? Do readers want to know how their neighbors observe Lent or Divali? […]

The Mississippi Food Network in Jackson serves more than 320 churches and other agencies that provide food.