Inside MAZON
TAKE ACTION: Support The Measuring American Poverty Act of 2009
UPDATE 8/18/09: Just learned of an online petition in support of HR 2909 at Change.org’s “Poverty in America” section. Take a minute to make a difference! Introduction: Measuring Poverty Finally after years of waiting for a new approach, Rep. Jim McDermott (D- WA) has introduced a bill providing for one year to plan and recommend
Interview with MAZON Board Member Ruth Laibson
Hunger bears many faces; luckily, the anti-hunger movement has just as many unique faces & personalities. One of the most beloved around our offices is Philadelphia-based activist, musician, mother, grandmother & MAZON board member Ruth Laibson. In the midst of all that, she took the time to answer a few of my questions last December.
El Salvador Day 1 (March 10, 2009)
Eric Schockman (President of MAZON) and I, along with some of our board members, arrived safely in El Salvador early this morning after our short overnight flight from Los Angeles. The sun was just about to peak as we met the representatives from our long-time grantee, the SHARE Foundation: Building a New El Salvador Today.
El Salvador Day 2 (March 11, 2009)
Today began by interacting with all of the participants (MAZON’s delegation of eight people is part of the larger SHARE delegation of 150 individuals) while also going through an in-depth orientation on health, safety, and the elections as well as on the SHARE Foundation. Important health, safety and election takeaways: 1. Brush your teeth with
El Salvador Day 3 (March 12, 2009)
We spent the day in the southeast region of El Salvador visiting two cooperative programs. After our hour and a half bus ride, we visited Los Frailes cooperative with CONFRAS, a grassroots organization that cultivates organic and agro-ecological basic grains and vegetables. CONFRAS, with the support of SHARE, organizes the Peasant to Peasant program, where
El Salvador Days 4 and 5 (March 13 and 14, 2009)
The past day and half has been incredible. On Friday morning we made the two-hour drive to Chalatenago in the northern part of the country. We met with the leaders form the community of Guarjila to discuss their partnership with SHARE as the CCR, a grassrooots board of leaders in the neighboring communities. Many of
El Salvador Days 6 and 7 (March 15 and 16, 2009)
March 16, 2009 marked a day in history for the El Salvadorian people and we were able to be a part of it as we witnessed the nation’s presidential elections as international observers. At 5 a.m. we entered a polling place, a high school, in the southern part of San Salvador. In El Salvador, citizens
MAZON Mission to South Africa, Day 7
The MAZON mission started our day with a visit to the shanty-town of Alex (short for Alexandris). It was for many years called the ‘dark city’. Until 10 years ago there was no running water, sewage, electricity and was never accepted as part of the municipality of Johannesburg. It is a very dense place with
MAZON Mission to South Africa, Day 4
The MAZON Mission continued its journey to visit our grantees in the field and see first hand their effects and workings. Yesterday we visited IKAMVA LABANTU (“the future of our nation”). One thing we continue to see in the field of anti-hunger whether it’s in Brooklyn or the townships of Cape Town, is the importance
MAZON Mission to South Africa, Day 3
The MAZON mission started our day visiting one of our newer grantees: African Solutions for African Problems (ASAP). ASAP works at training women in the townships to care and feed for HIV AIDS children. We were all impressed with the level of commitment that the leadership that one individual can make. ASAP has been working
