Hunger Network in Ohio

What is 2 Cents-a-Meal?

This is program within congregations designed to remind us of the poor and needy at mealtimes. It encourages individuals and families to engage in a daily devotional exercise of collecting 2 pennies per person for shared hunger ministries as they give thanks for their own food. Some people also include their snacks.

NEW!!

2 Cents-a-Meal Pamphlet

2 Cents-a-Meal Bulletin Insert

How Does a Household Do 2 Cents-a-Meal?

Each household keeps an offering container for the "2 Cents-a-Meal" offering in the kitchen or on the dining table. One suggested ritual prior to the mealtime blessing, one member of the family may begin with, "Let not the needy, O Lord, be forgotten." Then the rest respond, "Nor the hope of the poor be taken away." Numerous other options are available, adaptable to each family, each person who leads the prayer, or even each meal.

What happens to the 2 Cents-a-Meal Offering?

Each parish designates a Sunday of the month to receive the 2 Cents-a-Meal offering from their households. This is usually done at the time of the offertory. One cent is to be given to a local hunger ministry in which the parish is involved and/or supports. The other one cent is sent either to the judicatory to be forwarded to to the Hunger Network in Ohio.

How to Start and Maintain a 2 Cents-a-Meal Program

1. Recruit one or two people (preferably who are keenly interested in this issues) to chair 2 Cents-a-Meal Program in your congregation. It will be their responsibility to inform the congregation about the overall program, promote it through families and church gatherings, and manage monies collected. They then distribute half to a local hunger project of your choice and half to either your judicatory office for forwarding or send it directly to Hunger Network in Ohio.
2. Inform your congregation about this new program through: 
   1. Presentations during Sunday worship, at youth group, Sunday School, men's or women's groups, and other gatherings. 
   2. Use Sunday bulletins, newsletters, bulletin boards, etc. A larger version of the cover of this packet is available through the Hunger Network Office. 
   3. 2 Cents-a-Meal containers should be placed on the tables when there is a church function involving food.

    

3. An excellent way to involve the Sunday School is to encourage them to design collection cans. There are a number of containers that may be used for this purpose. 12 ounce juice containers, flavored coffee tins and pint ice-cream packages are a few examples.
4. Sponsor a 2 Cents-a-Meal kickoff day. If possible use special prayers, a litany and a sermon based on hunger issues. Each church is encouraged to make a plan to suit the needs of it's own congregation.
5. Schedule a consistent time to collect the 2 Cents-a-Meal offerings. A set time helps people to become familiar to a new idea. Be sure to keep the 2 Cents-a-Meal offering separate from the regular Sunday collection.

REMEMBER: 2 Cents-a-Meal = 6 cents per day = 42 cents per week = $21.84 per year.

This is an easily sustainable program to support our brothers and sisters who are hungry.

2 Cents-a-Meal Responding to Hunger in the World A Sample Exercise for Young People

We are called to serve those in need. Students should be able to tell about the source of that call and to explain how the 2 Cents-a-Meal program works.

GATHERING

1. Set a date for a regular 2 Cents-a-Meal gathering in your parish. Having the children bring their canisters forward during the offering works well. They especially like to pour their coins into a nice, noisy soup kettle.
2. Ahead of time, scatter several pennies around the classroom for the children to find (reserve two for yourself). When all are gathered, ask what a penny can buy. Is it worth much? Then hold up your two cents and tell the class that today they will learn how two cents can change someone else's life as well as their own.
3. Begin with a prayer. Here is one suggestion: "Almighty God, Whose loving hand hath given us all that we possess: Grant us grace that we may honor thee with our substance, and, remembering the account which we must one day give, may be faithful stewards of thy bounty, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
4. Consider the Scripture.
   1. Select someone to read this passage from John 21:15-17: When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs." A second time he said to him, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" And he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."
   2. Introduce the theme by retelling in your own words Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial and Peter's subsequent three denials of Christ. Help the children to imagine how devastated and lost Peter must have felt when the cock crowed (Mt. 26: 30-35, 69-75).
   3. Now introduce the story from John. This is one of the greatest displays of love and compassion on the part of our Lord found in the Bible. Retell in your own words how Jesus gave Peter three chances to publicly declare his love for Jesus, where previously he had denied him. Note Jesus' response each time Peter speaks. In giving the command to "Feed my sheep," Jesus shows his forgiveness of Peter and entrusts him with a task. That responsibility is a great gift. It also suggests that statements of faith are not enough. We must act on them.
   4. Explain that the "sheep" referred to in this passage are all those in need and that this command is addressed to all of us, Christ's church. While this passage can be interpreted on many levels, the simplest way to respond to this command would be to feed the hungry. But this task can seem overwhelming. How can we feed so many people? 

    

5. Introduce the 2 Cents-a-Meal program. This is one way we all can respond. Explain that in this program, one places a 2 Cents-a-Meal container on the table where family meals are shared. Each family member then puts at least two cents in the container for each meal they eat. Note that two pennies aren't good for much else. Most stores even keep dishes of them to use when customers don't have any when making a purchase. Tell them that two cents a meal for a year is over $21.00 per person. This may not seem like much, but what if you multiply it by the number of people in your family? Then what if we could multiply that by all the families in the congregation, denomination, or in the church at large? Suddenly, all our small gifts put together may be considerable and potentially make a real difference to those in need.

Discuss contrasting strategies that "feed my sheep," including providing direct emergency services on one hand and trying to change public policies that are indifferent to hunger and inhibit persons from becoming self-sufficient. Consider how students might become involved in each or both approaches.

Now stress that this is only half the program. The other half is to say a prayer at the family meal for those in need. This can be added to your usual grace at meals. If the family doesn't usually say a grace, this would be a good time to start. Now we have both myriad dollars and prayers offered for the hungry. They are fed and we have responded to our call.

EXPLORING

Make a 2 Cents-a-Meal container. Ahead of time gather containers with removable lids. Coffee cans, cocoa, etc. work well. It is best to have straight sided containers. The children could be asked to bring these in for a couple of weeks before this lesson is done. Supply colored paper, markers, glue, felt, cotton balls, or other materials to use in decorating the containers. Each should say "2 Cents-a-Meal". "Feed my sheep" would also be appropriate. Any number of symbols would work, cotton ball sheep seem especially popular. Help the children cut a coin slot in the lid.

Ask the children write a brief prayer for those in need. This could be done as a group or individually. Instruct them to place their containers and prayers on the dining table so they are handy at mealtime and let them know when the gatherings will take place.

CONNECTING

Option 1

Ask if anyone has ever done anything they know they shouldn't have done. How did they feel? Were they forgiven? How does it feel to be forgiven and trusted again? Note that we are is just such a position. We are forgiven and trusted to respond to those in need.

Option 2

Using magazines, newspapers, or TV. reports, ask the students to find examples of hunger in the world. Note any information on ways the world is responding to those needs. Are any class members participating directly in one of these responses:

GOING FORTH