Washington, D.C., January 7, 2025 – Bread for the World, a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger, is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Bread was founded in the early 1970s by Rev. Art Simon, who was pastoring a Lutheran congregation on the Lower East Side of Manhattan when he gathered a small group of seven Catholics and seven Protestants to discuss a bold idea: creating a national, non-partisan Christian movement to end hunger by speaking out to their elected officials in Washington.
“Who knew that a small group of local church leaders coming together to explore ways they might address the root causes of hunger would spark a movement with such a profound impact – helping billions of people across the globe,” said Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World.
Fifty years later, Bread continues to be a leading voice to bring about the end hunger of through policy and grassroots advocacy. Bread’s bipartisan network now includes hundreds of thousands of people and churches that are active in every congressional district across the country.
“For 50 years, Bread for the World has called Republicans and Democrats, Baptists and Catholics, and all stripes in between to come together to ensure all people have the food they need to live as God intended. With more people dying today from hunger than people dying at the height of the pandemic, we have a crisis unfolding right in front of us. Fortunately, our farmers and ranchers around the world are producing enough food to ensure that all people should have enough to eat. The problem is in access. The problem is not caring enough to make this a priority. But these problems are inherently solvable. The solution to the problem of hunger requires all sectors and political parties to work collaboratively. So, we the people must heed Bread’s call once again to come alongside our brothers and sisters struggling for survival to end hunger in our lifetime,” said Jeremy Everett, chair of Bread’s Board of Directors and the founder and executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty.
“A hunger-free world is possible in our lifetime. Hunger is not a result of scarcity, but a symptom of unjust or non-existent policies. For 50 years, Bread for the World has been at the forefront of advocating for policies that lift children, families, and individuals out of food insecurity and poverty. Our unique approach—rooted in policy research, raising awareness, and empowering the faith community to advocate—has led to significant breakthroughs. While progress has been made, much remains to be done. We will continue our commitment to a hunger-free world because when our neighbors, near and far, are struggling with hunger, we all lose as a society,” said Mariam Mengistie, vice chair of Bread’s Board of Directors and a community organizer and leader in Orlando, Florida.
In June, Bread will host its’ 50th Anniversary Advocacy Summit, bringing Bread advocates from across the country together to celebrate 50 years of achievements and advocate on Capitol Hill for policies that can help end hunger.
“Bread is a testament to the impact a collective Christian voice can have—spanning generations, denominations, ethnicities, and political parties—to become an incredible movement for hope and change,” added Cho. “As we are reminded in Hebrews 12:1, we are surrounded and inspired by committed people of faith who came before us and therefore prepared to run with perseverance the race that is ahead of us. We’re proud of our legacy and excited to carry the momentum forward in building a future where everyone has access to the food and nutrition they need to thrive.”
