It’s October, and Unitarian Universalists
Feed the World and Care for the Earth
October is a month for harvest festivals and for focusing attention on food and water needs. World Food Day is a United Nations holiday celebrated on October 16th. October is also the month for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In many places in the world, indigenous peoples are fighting in defense of their land and water rights. Indigenous Peoples’ Day is scheduled for October 9th in the United States.
Congregations and other religious organizations can provide assistance.
- FIRST: Celebrate the harvest holidays in October. Sharing food and water is often a religious experience. Ask congregation members to discuss hospitality and food blessings in different traditions. Identify the harvest festivals that took place in the Americas before the Europeans arrived.
- SECOND: Organizing for Health Equity is an Action of Immediate Witness endorsed by the 2023 General Assembly. Review the statement as you prepare for the October holidays.
In today’s world, some people feast while others starve. Diet-related illnesses are a problem. Study the health-related problems that are identified with food and water. How can all people, in all places, be provided with healthy food and drinking water?
Feed the hungry.
Give clean water to the thirsty.
- Community meals bring people together. Support food pantries, Meals on Wheels programs, community gardens, and other grassroots projects.
- Join the advocates for SNAP (“food stamps”) and other Federally-funded programs for food assistance. Help eligible people apply for benefits.
- Support the labor unions, farmers’ cooperatives, small businesses, “fair trade” organizations, and other associations, that work for justice in the food industry.
- Support indigenous peoples in their defense of land and water. Water is essential for healthy communities.