Social Responsibility Means Action

Social Responsibility Means Addressing Poverty

Good morning, my name is Peter Magistri and I’ve been an active member here for about 10 years and a part time sexton for eight of those years.

The Social Responsibility Committee, now known as the Information & Advocacy Sub Council has been an outlet for me to act on peace and justice issues near and dear to my heart.

One such issue is poverty.

I learned many years ago how easy it was to act on this tragedy from Steve Shepard who was part friend and part mentor and a fully compassionate individual.

Steve showed me how one container of food per week could be multiplied to help feed Hartford’s hungry at the Horace Bushnell Children’s Food Pantry.

That is still the mantra today: one can per week. Many of you have been doing just that and you know how easy it is.

Well, I don’t do it.

The fact is, it isn’t on the top of my to-do list on Sunday morning.

You may have this same problem.

Not one to present a problem without a solution, I offer you this: throw one item into a grocery bag each time you food shop. Bring it in when it’s full. Nobody will complain that it isn’t one item.

Every couple of months I bring in a full bag.

Four or five times a year we also deliver a large bag of returnable bottles and cans that the food pantry turns into more groceries.

This all equates to thousands of dollars annually that we will never miss yet is so well received.

Finally, each year the Feinstein Foundation matches monetary gifts to the food pantry so today we’re asking that you write a check out to the USH with the Horace Bushnell food pantry noted on the memo line. The Meeting House office will be happy to take the check during the week as well.

Won’t you please join in? It couldn’t be easier.

Let us know of any comments, errors and corrections - thanks (revised 1/29/07)