Presbyterian Hunger Program

PDA is in communication with Whitewater Valley Presbytery to respond to historic flooding in Indiana. National Response Team members will be deployed soon. It's been reported that more than 1,000 people have been displaced. Please join us in praying for all who have been impacted.

Photo by Indianapolis Fire Department

Did you know PHP has three blogs❓Use these short links or go to https://pcusa.org/hunger

A new (first!) granddaughter, the work of rebuilding Lahaina in Maui, an old family boat, artificial intelligence, and a shape-shifting plant—this week’s Love Letter from Andrew takes a look at some of the ways people, rowboats, and plants adapt to a changing world.

This letter highlights another group in Hawai’i, the Lahaina Community Land Trust. Three years after the devastating 2023 wildfires, the Lahaina Community Land Trust on Maui is fighting back against displacement by ensuring Lahaina’s future belongs to its people, not billionaires. Led by a dedicated group of women, LCLT has already secured 24 pieces of ʻāina, protected 10 homes, and helped five families rebuild.

Their innovative "Keep Lahaina Home" program goes further, bridging insurance gaps so families can rebuild while retaining their equity, all under a permanent deed restriction that guarantees affordability for local families in perpetuity.

So far, this initiative supports 60 family members—including 22 children and seven elders—who represent a combined 1,685 years of living in Lahaina. By securing both the land and the financial means to stay, LCLT is preserving not just houses, but generational knowledge and community identity. It’s proof that grassroots action can shield a community from the forces of displacement and profit.

Recently, Jennifer Evans, associate for national partnerships, had the opportunity to spend time with longtime PHP partner SouthWest Organizing Project (SWOP) and visit their Feed the Hood community garden in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

What stood out most was how deeply connected their work is. Food justice, environmental justice, community care, and intergenerational learning aren’t treated as separate issues because the systems affecting communities aren’t separate either.

Through Project Feed the Hood, the garden becomes more than a place to grow food. It is a space where community members can nourish their bodies, share knowledge across generations, and build skills and relationships rooted in care for one another and the land.

But what moved Jennifer the most was SWOP’s investment in young people. They aren’t simply inviting youth into the work. They are accompanying them as they develop the skills, confidence and leadership capacity to address the issues affecting their own communities and shape what comes next.

That’s not charity. That’s solidarity. And it’s what investing in the next generation of community leaders can look like.
SouthWest Organizing Project

🚨NEW RESOURCE🚨
Download the 2025 PHP Impact Report
Hunger persists not because there is a lack of food, but because communities are denied access to the resources and conditions needed to thrive, including nutritious and culturally relevant food, fair wages, land and housing security, and a healthy environment. The Presbyterian Hunger Program partners with organizations around the world addressing these root causes through sustainable development, community empowerment, and advocacy for systemic change.
Learn more about our work here: https://pcusa.org/resource/php-impact-report

September is National Disaster Preparedness Month! Join us in the month of September as we share resources, best practices and more.

🚨The food on our tables should never come at the expense of someone else’s freedom, dignity or safety.

Right now, billion dollar agricultural companies are being publicly called out for using incarcerated people to harvest food. This raises serious concerns about modern-day slavery, prison labor and a food system that continues to rely on exploitation.

Food recalls, widespread illness, and even death, show how broken and unsafe parts of our food system can be.

Food justice means safety, dignity, fair wages AND fair treatment for everyone along the supply chain!

Disgusting. https://trib.al/fQwUIZ6

Really grateful for our partners in Cameroon and the young people who are working to develop their own capacity to accompany communities addressing issues in their local context.👏🏽

Sign up for one or all webinars in this series!