A New Year for the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps

Every year two new Action Corps Organizers are chosen to lead each city's Oxfam Action Corps. Our goal, as trained organizers, is to be the on-the-ground arm of Oxfam's campaigning efforts. This means that we help spread the message about the inequalities and poverty in the world, but more importantly, we show the simple ways in which people across America can help end these inequalities, one action and one petition at a time.

Before we start to table farmers' markets, and spread the message at concerts, hunger banquets, and other events, all of the new organizers had to get trained. Here's what it involved:

For four days, 29 amazing people from 15 cities across the country congregated in Washington D.C. We spent three days locked away in a beautiful classroom, getting to know each other and the intricacies of how Oxfam is organized and run. We learned how to organize, spread the message, and even lobby. In fact, we spent our final day in the capital, talking to our representatives and senators about the President's policy to reform Food Aid.

Over the coming months, expect to hear more from myself and my co-organizer as we hit the ground, gathering partners and volunteers, and looking to make a difference for those in need in any way we can. Interested in joining us? Send us an email at Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org. We look forward to meeting you!

Act Local, Think Global!

Support Women Farmers
Fight Global Hunger 

Build a Better Food System

Join the Oxfam Action Corps!

www.oxfamactioncorps.org

Advocate in your community on behalf of millions worldwide

Free spaces are available at training April 13-16, 2013  – Apply now!

ð  Are you concerned that the people who grow the world’s food—many of whom are women—cannot afford to feed their own families?  And that one in eight people goes to bed hungry every night even though the world produces enough food for everybody?

ð  Do you want to take action in your city to achieve policies to sustainably feed a growing population and empower poor people to earn a living, feed their families, and thrive?

ð  Are you willing to reach out to others in your community to hold governments and businesses accountable for the impact of their policies and practices on the environment and global food security?

Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, invites you to join the Oxfam Action Corps, an exciting effort to cultivate grassroots leaders and political change.

Oxfam Action Corps volunteers work closely with Oxfam staff to engage their community and elected officials. We will provide training and support throughout a one-year time commitment.  You'll meet amazing activists, build community, and drive political solutions.

We are recruiting for the Oxfam Action Corps in these cities:

Albuquerque, NM	Columbus, OH	Minn./St Paul, MN
Austin, TX	Des Moines, IA	New York City, NY
Boston, MA	Indianapolis, IN	Philadelphia, PA
Burlington, VT	Kansas City, MO	San Francisco, CA
Chicago, IL	Madison, WI	Seattle, WA

Here is what previous Oxfam Action Corps volunteers said:

“Oxfam Action Corps has given me a ton of confidence… gaining knowledge and being able to speak to people about the issues.”  Amy , Business Operations Analyst, Des Moines

“I liked it, loved it, actually.  I now have a better appreciation for activism and I do believe that it can really make a difference!”  Debby, Graduate Student, VT

"This has become one of the best parts of my life… I can't express enough how satisfying it is to be organizing with people who are just as committed and dependable and passionate." – Isaac., Educator, New York City

          Sign-up by February 14 at:

            www.oxfamactioncorps.org 

Why Agriculture?

Why Agriculture???

By Heather Davis, Vermont Oxfam Action Corps Co-Organizer

I have been doing a bit of reflection lately, and one question I’ve asked myself is: “Why am I so interested in agricultural development?”  I don’t farm – I barely have a vegetable garden, although I did have a large one and some chickens at one time in my past life, pre-children.  I am not a good cook, or a natural cook in any sense of the word – although I do love and appreciate healthy, fresh food.  Nor is it simply a romantic notion about rural life and farming – I have lived in rural areas for most of my life and know first-hand the hard work and realities of farming.

What I think it comes down to is that I know that about one-third of the worlds’ population works in agriculture – including 43% of women in developing countries.  I know that the majority of those that are hungry around the world are actually farmers.  I see the injustices in our current food system – both to people and the earth.  I know that everyone deserves the chance to live their lives to their full potential, and agriculture can be the avenue to such a promise.

I feel as though one of the ways to live out my values of simplicity, supporting people, and working with the earth is to promote agriculture – small-scale, sustainable agriculture, whether it be local (Vermont for me) or global (read up on the current Farm Bill).  I have been fortunate to be involved with both levels of supporting farming.

I am truly blessed with my current work at the Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick, VT, which is an organization that works to develop the local food system.  My specific work there includes monitoring and project work and I am able to contribute to the promotion of well-being in the community in which I live – a rural community whose history is steeped in agriculture and which is experiencing a synchronistic renaissance of sustainable rural development.

I have also recently had the great opportunity to get involved with Oxfam America  – an impressive international relief and development organization – as one of two organizers for the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps.  This allows me to stay connected to my passion for working toward equal opportunities for people around the world.  Nobody should be left behind because of where they were born, and by left behind I don’t mean they don’t have the opportunity to shop at the local mall for frivolous impulses.  I mean to be able to feed their families, have some leisure time, and not have to take desperate measures to provide themselves and their families with their basic needs.

A famine is currently developing in the Sahel region of West Africa, which follows a famine in East Africa last year.  This is completely unacceptable in current times – we have the ability to prevent the suffering and deaths that have and will happen, if we prioritize it.  Let us all hold these people in our hearts and minds as we go about our lives.  But more than that, let us work toward making famine history.

There are two approaches to the promotion of well-being and meeting basic needs among those who are currently struggling in the Sahel: emergency aid and long-term development.  Currently we can make a difference to those in the Sahel and other regions in need by contacting our representatives in the House of Representatives and ask them to include a provision in the current Farm Bill to increase local purchasing of food aid and to eliminate the monetization of food aid.  Food aid, as it is currently implemented, is a very inefficient system that is fraught with special interests that contradict the intended purpose of food aid.  You can also sign this petition with Oxfam.

Everyone deserves a chance at providing a good life for themselves and their families, and with about one-third of the world making their living in agriculture, investing in small-scale farmers is a way to do so with tremendous impact.

[If you’re interested in getting involved with the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps, please email Heather and Kayla at Vermont@oxfamactioncorps.org and “Like” us on Facebook]

We're recruiting! Join the Oxfam Action Corps and fight hunger worldwide

Hey Everyone,

Oxfam America is currently recruiting new volunteers for 2012-2013. If you are interested in joining the Oxfam Action Corps please sign up and spread the word by February 14th at http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org/.

Join the Oxfam Action Corps to support women farmers, fight global hunger, and build a better food system! You will meet great people and work together to change laws that can save lives, defend the rights of the world’s poorest farmers, and protect communities from rising food prices and climate change. You will gain leadership skills, have fun, and change the world!

Anybody can join the local effort! All levels of experience are welcome. You can also apply for Oxfam’s free four-day leadership training in Washington D.C. May 12 – May 15.

This year, we will mobilize for the GROW campaign for global food justice. The women and men in poor countries who struggle to grow enough food to feed their families are facing competition for land and water, rising prices, and climate change. We will call for laws that support women and farmers, sustainable practices, and resilience to climate change, and ensure a better future for people in the poorest regions of the world.

This is a year-round volunteer opportunity, with a deadline of February 14 to apply for the spring training. Find out more and sign up at http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org/ .

Check out this video to see what we are all about:

Earth Week at UVM

http://www.uvm.edu/bored/calendar/category/earth-week

Sister on the Planet will be showing on Earth Day, April 22nd at 5pm at UVM's Brennan's Pub. Please join local Oxfam American supporters and learn from firsthand accounts of how climate change is impacting women leaders throughout the world!

Share your Citizen Climate Activist Story!

President Obama Wants Your Story! And so do we (by 4/21 if possible).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVs5_nbdxVo

* * *

Over the past 12 months, while lobbying for comprehensive climate and energy legislation, I’ve met with dozens of members of Congress. Over and over they’ve said to me: “My constituents don’t care about climate change.”

I’ve also met with many individuals and citizen groups, students and members of faith-based communities, business leaders and municipal employees and I know you do care.

To help get this message across to our elected leaders, the Natural Resources Defense Council and I are asking you to tell the story of what you and your group are doing to address the climate crisis and create a green energy economy for America.

Once we’ve gathered these stories, a team of citizen lobbyists will deliver them to Congressional and White House Administration offices, to let our government know we do care.

Forty years ago, on the first Earth Day, tens of millions of Americans joined their voices to show they cared, and government responded by creating the Environmental Protection Agency and passing the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.

Once again let’s show our leaders that people from all parts of America want them to complement our local actions by passing an effective climate and energy bill.

Please join us in changing the public conversation in America about energy and climate by sharing your story. And while you’re at it, please feel free to pass this on to others who have their own stories to share.

Sincerely, Barbarina Heyerdahl

Vermont Mom and Climate Activist

* *

Instructions for sharing your story:

Here’s what we need from you to get started:

Basic organization/business information:
Name, Number of members, Location (city, state)
Focus area (e.g. education, industry, community, faith-based)

A few paragraphs (about 500-600 words) on what your organization is doing to reduce global warming, promote clean energy, and/or help the environment.

Any other stories you would like to tell, such as a best practice for greening your community or a profile of a star worker/volunteer.

Photos! Interesting images will help illustrate your work. Especially compelling will be shots of your team in the field helping to clean up or green your community.

We want your stories by April 21st, when we have a special opportunity to present them to President Obama. But feel free to contribute stories throughout the rest of 2010. We’ll give them a basic copy edit for consistency, send them to a designer to package with the stories of other groups, and distribute them throughout all levels of government. The end result will be information that amplifies all of our voices!

We are excited to share your stories with decision makers all over the country.

Send your information to us at citizenclimatestories@gmail.com

p.s. email us for a .pdf file to give you an idea of what your group’s story will look like.

Apply to be an Organizer with the Oxfam Action Corps!

Volunteer opportunity: Oxfam Action Corps organizer

Apply by February 15, 2010

Stand up to poverty and climate change – Join the Oxfam Action Corps!

Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, invites you to join the Oxfam Action Corps, an exciting effort to cultivate grassroots leaders working to enact solutions to poverty and climate change!

The Oxfam Action Corps is a group of dedicated volunteer organizers in more than a dozen US cities who campaign with Oxfam in their towns, engage their elected officials, and reach out to community members at events and concerts. Anyone can join, but those willing to make a time commitment of one-year become eligible for a free Oxfam training in advocacy and organizing in Washington DC.

This year, Oxfam Action Corps organizers will mobilize around one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change and its impact on the world’s poorest communities.

Apply online at: http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org

The deadline to apply is Monday, February 15, 2010.

Oxfam Action Corps teams will be formed in the following cities:

Albuquerque, NM Austin, TX Boston, MA Burlington, VT Chicago, IL Columbus, OH Des Moines, IA Indianapolis, IN

Kansas City, MO Madison, WI Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN New York City, NY Philadelphia, PA San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA

As an Oxfam Action Corps organizer you will help convene activities and inspire action—from house parties and film screenings to visits with elected officials—all with ongoing training and coaching from dedicated Oxfam staff. You and your local team will gain practical skills and leadership experience. Corps organizers commit to one year of volunteer service, giving approximately 5-8 hours/week.

Oxfam Action Corps organizers are eligible for selection to attend a 4-day training and day of lobbying in Washington, DC from Saturday, April 18 to Tuesday, April 21 (spaces limited). Travel and accommodation are provided.

Here is what previous Oxfam Action Corps organizers said:

“As an activist, I had done fundraising. But the Oxfam Action Corps was about public education and raising awareness, and I found people really appreciated my work.” Khadija, Mechanical Engineer, Pennsylvania.

“My work with the Oxfam Action Corps has helped immensely in building organizing and mobilization skills. It was a great way for me to start reaching out and getting to know the people in the community.” Julie, Assistant Human Resources/Office Manager, Colorado.

To sign up go to: http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org

The deadline to apply is Monday, February 15, 2010.