Monthly meeting this Thursday

Our next meeting is Thursday, August 25th:

Borderlands Cafe

870 Valencia St, SF

6:30 pm

We have lots of upcoming activities. Come to the meeting to learn about constituent lobby visits, outreach at music festivals and farmers markets, and plans for a hunger banquet. We have lots to do this fall and we need your help, so please join us!

Also, go ahead and fill in your calendar. We're resuming monthly meetings every 4th Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm.

"Like" Oxfam America on Facebook

Oxfam America has a goal of increasing their global movement by reaching 50,000 "likes" on Facebook. Check out this video made specially for San Francisco, then click on this link to join them on Facebook. And tell your friends; because the larger our community, the louder our voice!

You can also "like" our local Oxfam Action Corps on Facebook to receive updates on local opportunities, activities, and events.

Outside Lands outreach

Thanks to a great group of volunteers who helped at Outside Lands over this past weekend, another 428 people signed on to the GROW campaign and were added to the petition to end tax credits to corn ethanol!

We have lots of outreach opportunities coming this fall -- concerts, farmers markets, Hunger Banquet. We'll be posting more information soon, and feel free to contact us if you're interested in helping to plan upcoming events.

Recommended articles

Though we're busy gearing up for an exciting weekend of outreach at Outside Lands, it's worth taking a break to share a few articles published recently.

First, Jim French wrote this article about the drought here in the U.S. and the drought/famine in the Horn of Africa. As a farmer in Kansas and agriculture policy organizer for Oxfam America, Jim is in a unique position to share his personal and professional experiences related to climate change, farming, food security, and development assistance. The article is worth reading to see his perspective and insight and learn about agriculture here compared to developing countries.

There is also this editorial from the NY Times about eliminating the ethanol subsidy. On it's own this editorial makes a sound case for eliminating the ethanol subsidy. However, there is the additional problem that the corn-based ethanol subsidy places on food security and food prices here and abroad. So, not only does it make sense to remove the ethanol subsidy to end government waste, but from a humanitarian stand point, it's crucial to remove it's adverse effects on food prices and hunger.

You can take action by signing this petition to end the ethanol subsidies.

Conference call with USAID Administrator Raj Shah

Here's an opportunity to learn more about the crisis in the Horn of Africa. Please note that this call is through ONE, not Oxfam America, but since USAID and World Food Programme will be speaking, this should be a good resource for timely information:

Right now a crisis is unfolding in the Horn of Africa. The region is confronting the worst drought in 60 years, while a staggering 11.6 million people severely lack access to food and water. Tens of thousands of lives have already been lost due to this famine. Meanwhile, the United States is working with the international community around the clock to avert a major humanitarian disaster.

USAID Administrator Raj Shah just returned from the region and has asked to speak directly with ONE members about some important developments he's seen on the ground and what we can do right now to help.

The call will begin TODAY (Wednesday) at 5:10 PM PDT. Just RSVP here, and they'll call you promptly at 5:10: http://act.one.org/go/33?akid=2336.1476897.21o_cd&t=3