Meal Three - Food Stamp MealSpotlight on United States•About half of all American children will receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits at some point before age 20•Among African-American children, 90 percent will enroll in SNAP before age 20 (Bread for the World)

• 14.6% of U.S. households struggle to put enough food on the table, more than 49 million Americans—including 16.7 million children—live in these households (Bread for the World)

• 14% of people living in the United States live in poverty

Food Stamp Meal14.6 percent of U.S. household struggle to put enough food on the table. One in eight people is enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Nearly half of those enrolled are children. The average SNAP benefit is $3 per day, or $1 per meal. For this meal, prepare dinner on the budget of the more than 49 million Americans who live in households struggling to put food on the table. There are recipe ideas below which cost less than $1 per serving.

Printable Table TentPrint the table tent, designed for the Middle East meal. This table tent includes conversation starters and information about your gifts to ELCA World Hunger in action.

PlacematsPrint and use different placemats during your Lenten meals to raise awareness about hunger, poverty and related issues. Available in a separate PDF.

ProgramThis 30-minute program, specifically designed for the United States meal, contains a reading, litany, monologue, prayers and discussion questions.

Table PrayerLord, we greatly rejoice: our souls exult in you. You cause the earth to bring forth food: we eat and are glad. And we beg you to cause righteousness to grow forth from the world that all peoples may live in

ELCA World HungerLenten ResourcesLent is a time of prayer, service, and self-examination. During this time, many of us choose to live simpler lives, remembering those who do not have the food, money, or resources to simply live. Here are some resources to help your congregation remember those who are hungry and living in poverty this Lenten season.

Lenten Meal SeriesDoes your congregation host meals before Lenten services? Why not join together for a meal and help fight hunger at the same time? Enjoy global cuisine while learning about the world and how gifts to ELCA World Hunger are making a difference. Instead of charging for the meal, collect donations to support ELCA World Hunger. Complete plans for six meals are available on the following topics: Bolivia, Cambodia, Columbia, Costa Rica, Egypt, and South America.

strength and safety, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Story: JimEvery afternoon for the past 10 years, 88-year-old Jim Freeman hears a knock at the door. A smile comes over his face as he walks to greet a volunteer from Mobile Meals, who is holding a warm, nutritious meal. Sometimes a nurse or a chaplain is there too—just to check on him. Read the full story.

Local Recipes

Recipes Under $1 Per PersonBaked Lentils Casserole, Bean and Rice Burritos, and Broccoli Rice CasseroleDownload and print these recipesTaken from Food for Life: Recipes and Stories on the Right Food Baked Lentils Casserole

• $0.67 per serving• Serves 4 people

Ingredients for Baked Lentils Casserole• 1 cup rinsed lentils• 3/4 cup water• 1/2 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (optional)• 1/2 cup chopped onion• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)• 1 can (16 ounces) tomatoes• 2 thinly sliced carrots 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

DirectionsCombine lentils, water, seasonings, onion, and tomatoes. Place in 2 quart casserole dish. Cover tightly with lid or foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and add carrots. Stir. Cover and bake 30 minutes longer. Remove cover and sprinkle cheese on top. Bake, uncovered 5 minutes, until cheese melts.

Bean and Rice Burritos• $0.37 per serving• Serves 8 people

Ingredients for Bean and Rice Burritos • 2 cups cooked rice

ELCA World Hunger

• 1 small chopped onion• 2 cups cooked kidney beans or one 15 ounce can, drained• 8 (10 inch) flour tortillas• 1/2 cup salsa• 1/2 cup grated cheese

DirectionsPreheat the oven to 300 degrees. Peel the onion, and chop it into small pieces. Drain the liquid from the cooked (or canned) kidney beans. Mix the rice, chopped onion, and beans in a bowl. Put each tortilla on a flat surface. Put 1/2 cup of the rice and bean mix in the middle of each tortilla. Fold the sides of the tortilla to hold the rice and beans. Put each filled tortilla (burrito) in the baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes. While the burritos are baking, grate 1/2 cup cheese. Pour the salsa over the baked burritos. Add cheese. Serve the burritos warm. Broccoli Rice Casserole

• $0.58 per serving

Ingredients for Broccoli Rice Casserole• 1 1/2 cup rice• 3 1/2 cups water • 1 medium chopped onion • 1 can (10 3/4 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom, or chicken, or celery or

cheese soup• 1 1/2 cups 1% milk• 2 - 10 ounce packages frozen chopped broccoli or cauliflower or mixed vegetables• 1/2 pound grated or sliced cheese• 3 Tablespoons margarine or butter

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees and grease on 12x9x2 inch baking pan. In a saucepan mix rice, salt, and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and set aside for additional 15 minutes. Sauté onions in margarine or butter until tender. Mix soup, milk, 1/2 cup of water, onions, and rice. Spoon mixture into baking pan. Thaw and drain the vegetables and then spread over the rice mixture. Spread the cheese evenly over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted and rice is bubbly.

ELCA World Hunger

Meet Jim

Every afternoon for the past 10 years, 88-year-old Jim Freeman hears a knock at the door. A smile comes over his face as he walks to greet a volunteer from Mobile Meals, who is holding a warm, nutritious meal. Sometimes a nurse or a chaplain is there too—just to check on him. On his birthday, he receives a birthday card and cake.

Jim’s wife recently passed away after a 22-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. His two adult children have moved away. So it is just Jim and his dog, Brook, who occupy his home in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Jim, like many of the 600 people served by Mobile Meals each day, lives below the poverty level. “I have no income other than my social security,” he says. “When I crunch the numbers, I realize that without this [help] I would not eat the way I do.”

As Jim ages, volunteers pay careful attention to his dietary needs—adding vitamins, limiting salts, increasing fluids—whatever it takes to keep Jim healthy and free from hunger. “We are feeding God’s people,” says Ralph Gillespie, a Lutheran volunteer. “And that’s what ELCA World Hunger is all about.”

Watch and download the video of Jim.

ELCA World Hunger

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ger

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k ar

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the

Uni

ted

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es,

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ndre

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f so

up k

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ns,

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pan

trie

s an

d ho

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ess

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ters

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any

of t

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min

istr

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orga

nize

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n co

ngre

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orld

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ger

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t re

cipi

ents

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in t

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effo

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de

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, hou

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nd h

ygie

ne

prod

ucts

for

fam

ilies

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ng in

pov

erty

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as t

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e m

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ly

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Free

man

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rs a

knoc

k at

the d

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ile co

mes

over

his

face

as h

e wal

ks to

gre

et a

volu

ntee

r fro

m

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le Me

als,

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s hold

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rm, n

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etim

es a

nur

se or

a

chap

lain

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ere t

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to ch

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n hi

s birt

hday

, he r

eceiv

es a

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rthda

y car

d an

d ca

ke.

Jim’s

wife

rece

ntly

pass

ed a

way a

fter a

22-

year

bat

tle w

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arkin

son’s

dise

ase.

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wo a

dult

child

ren

have

mov

ed a

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m a

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g, B

uck,

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py h

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me i

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arta

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outh

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olina

.

Jim, l

ike m

any o

f the

600

peo

ple s

erve

d by

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ile M

eals

each

day

, live

s belo

w th

e po

verty

leve

l. “I

have

no i

ncom

e oth

er th

an m

y soc

ial s

ecur

ity,”

he sa

ys. “

When

I cr

unch

the n

umbe

rs, I

real

ize th

at w

ithou

t thi

s [he

lp] I

wou

ld n

ot ea

t the

way

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.”

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m a

ges,

volu

ntee

rs p

ay ca

refu

l atte

ntion

to h

is di

etar

y nee

ds—

addi

ng

vitam

ins,

limiti

ng sa

lts, i

ncre

asin

g flu

ids—

what

ever

it ta

kes t

o kee

p Jim

hea

lthy

and

free f

rom

hun

ger.

“We a

re fe

edin

g Go

d’s p

eopl

e,” sa

ys R

alph

Gill

espi

e, a

Luth

eran

volu

ntee

r. “A

nd th

at’s

what

ELC

A Wo

rld H

unge

r is a

ll ab

out.”

UN

IT

ED

S

TA

TE

S

www.

elca.

org/

hung

er

Mercy Unlimited

�Mee

t Jim

Your

gift

s to E

LCA

World

Hun

ger s

uppo

rt Mo

bile

Meal

s as w

ell a

s hun

dred

s of o

ther

pro

gram

s like

it in

th

e Uni

ted

Stat

es a

nd in

mor

e tha

n 60

coun

tries

aro

und

the w

orld

. Will

you

help

with

your

gift

toda

y?

YES!

I w

ould

like

to s

uppo

rt EL

CA W

orld

Hun

ger.

I h

ave i

nclu

ded

my g

ift of

$25

0.

I h

ave i

nclu

ded

my g

ift of

$10

0.

Oth

er $

____

____

____

Plea

se m

ake y

our c

heck

pa

yabl

e to “

ELCA

Wor

ld

Hung

er.” P

lace

your

gift

in

your

cong

rega

tion’s

offe

ring

plat

e or m

ail i

t to:

ELCA

Wo

rld H

unge

r, P.O

. Box

71

764,

Chi

cago

, IL 6

0694

-17

64. T

o give

onlin

e with

a

cred

it ca

rd, p

lease

visit

ww

w.elc

a.or

g/hu

nger

dona

te.

Ever

y afte

rnoo

n fo

r the

pas

t 10

year

s, 88

-yea

r-old

Jim

Free

man

hea

rs a

knoc

k at

the d

oor.

A sm

ile co

mes

over

his

face

as h

e wal

ks to

gre

et a

volu

ntee

r fro

m

Mobi

le Me

als,

who i

s hold

ing

a wa

rm, n

utrit

ious m

eal.

Som

etim

es a

nur

se or

a

chap

lain

is th

ere t

oo—

just

to ch

eck o

n hi

m. O

n hi

s birt

hday

, he r

eceiv

es a

bi

rthda

y car

d an

d ca

ke.

Jim’s

wife

rece

ntly

pass

ed a

way a

fter a

22-

year

bat

tle w

ith P

arkin

son’s

dise

ase.

His t

wo a

dult

child

ren

have

mov

ed a

way.

So it

is ju

st Ji

m a

nd h

is do

g, B

uck,

who

occu

py h

is ho

me i

n Sp

arta

nbur

g, S

outh

Car

olina

.

Jim, l

ike m

any o

f the

600

peo

ple s

erve

d by

Mob

ile M

eals

each

day

, live

s belo

w th

e po

verty

leve

l. “I

have

no i

ncom

e oth

er th

an m

y soc

ial s

ecur

ity,”

he sa

ys. “

When

I cr

unch

the n

umbe

rs, I

real

ize th

at w

ithou

t thi

s [he

lp] I

wou

ld n

ot ea

t the

way

I do

.”

As Ji

m a

ges,

volu

ntee

rs p

ay ca

refu

l atte

ntion

to h

is di

etar

y nee

ds—

addi

ng

vitam

ins,

limiti

ng sa

lts, i

ncre

asin

g flu

ids—

what

ever

it ta

kes t

o kee

p Jim

hea

lthy

and

free f

rom

hun

ger.

“We a

re fe

edin

g Go

d’s p

eopl

e,” sa

ys R

alph

Gill

espi

e, a

Luth

eran

volu

ntee

r. “A

nd th

at’s

what

ELC

A Wo

rld H

unge

r is a

ll ab

out.”

UN

IT

ED

S

TA

TE

S

www.

elca.

org/

hung

er

Mercy Unlimited

�Mee

t Jim

Your

gift

s to E

LCA

World

Hun

ger s

uppo

rt Mo

bile

Meal

s as w

ell a

s hun

dred

s of o

ther

pro

gram

s like

it in

th

e Uni

ted

Stat

es a

nd in

mor

e tha

n 60

coun

tries

aro

und

the w

orld

. Will

you

help

with

your

gift

toda

y?

YES!

I w

ould

like

to s

uppo

rt EL

CA W

orld

Hun

ger.

I h

ave i

nclu

ded

my g

ift of

$25

0.

I h

ave i

nclu

ded

my g

ift of

$10

0.

Oth

er $

____

____

____

Plea

se m

ake y

our c

heck

pa

yabl

e to “

ELCA

Wor

ld

Hung

er.” P

lace

your

gift

in

your

cong

rega

tion’s

offe

ring

plat

e or m

ail i

t to:

ELCA

Wo

rld H

unge

r, P.O

. Box

71

764,

Chi

cago

, IL 6

0694

-17

64. T

o give

onlin

e with

a

cred

it ca

rd, p

lease

visit

ww

w.elc

a.or

g/hu

nger

dona

te.

WATC

H TH

E VI

DEO!

Jim

Free

man

’s St

ory i

s onl

ine

at w

ww.el

ca.or

g/hu

nger

/vid

eo.

WATC

H TH

E VI

DEO!

Jim

Free

man

’s St

ory i

s onl

ine

at w

ww.el

ca.or

g/hu

nger

/vid

eo.

ORDER OF SERVICE

PRAYER:“Listen,” you say. And we quiet ourselves to hear you, Lord. Amen.

READING:READING: Revelation 3:20 (NRSV) “Listen! /I am standing at the door, knocking;/ if you hear my voice and open the door,/ I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.” (Selah*)

(*Note: Read, pausing at the slash marks. Allow for a “selah,” or silent moment, before moving into the lesson.)

MONOLOGUE: Mobile Meal Volunteer RalphI guess the title, Mobile Meal Volunteer, says it all. Hey, I volunteer. I put some wheels on some meals and deliver food to people like my friend, Jim Freeman. Jim’s 88 years old and recently lost his wife to Parkinson’s disease. His children live out of state. Jim and his dog, Brook, both look forward not only to the meal but for the contact as well. We keep an eye out for people like Jim who live alone and don’t have much social contact. The meal is only half of it.

Jim lives on his Social Security. This meal helps him eat well and manage his money. When I knock on the door, I like to think it’s not me knocking but Jesus. You know. “Behold I stand at the door and knock” kind of thing. I give Jim a warm meal, and he gives me back a smile and a kind word. I guess in that way we feed each other.

You know it’s programs like ELCA World Hunger that help fund the Mobile Meal Volunteers. Next time you write a check out to ELCA World Hunger, knock three times on your desk and think of Jim. When he opens the door, he’ll be smiling at you. It’s your financial support in that meal box as well as the mashed potatoes and chicken.

Why do we do this? We are feeding God’s people. That’s what ELCA World Hunger is all about.”

calling

Chicago, IL 60694-1764.

SOUTH CAROLINA: MEET JIM

United States

continued on back...

ELR-12049-UnitedStates2.indd 1 2/29/12 4:29 PM

LITANY:Leader: Jesus is standing and knocking the verse says. It’s happening right now. Congregation: This is happening right now?Leader: Yes, right now. Congregation: Are you sure? I don’t really hear anything. It’s pretty quiet.Leader: Listen again. It’s more like tapping.Congregation: He’s not pounding down the door. I don’t hear any pounding. He’s not pushing his way in. Leader: He never does. It’s just a light rap really.Congregation: I’m not sure. Maybe there’s something. It could just be my heart beat. Leader: That would be enough. Don’t you think someone should answer it?

PRAYER: Come into my heart. Come into my heart. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus. Come in today. Come in to stay. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. Were you surprised that ELCA World Hunger works domestically as well as internationally? What other domestic programs are sponsored by ELCA World Hunger? Make it a point to find out.

2. Ralph, our volunteer said, “We are feeding God’s people. That’s what ELCA World Hunger is all about.” When we feed God’s people, what else can happen? It’s not just about food. Not sure? Go back and ask Ralph and Jim in today’s lesson!

3. What is your congregation already doing that might be replicated by other congregations? Check out “The Table,” an online web community sponsored by ELCA World Hunger, and share your ideas while meeting others involved with ELCA hunger efforts.

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