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National Relay Fast to Protest Massive Cuts to Health Care, Food Assistance, and other Basic Needs

Urgent Action Needed!

Hungry For Justice. Millions of people could lose food assistance if the Senate passes its budget bill that includes devasting cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), our nation’s first line of defense against hunger. Senate Leader Thune (R-SD) intends to move the bill this week.

SNAP not only supports vulnerable children, older adults, and working families, it also boosts local economies. Cuts to SNAP will deepen food insecurity, raise healthcare costs, and strain states and municipalities, all to fund tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy.  We’re going hungry to prevent millions of Americans from going hungry, losing healthcare, and paying more for basic needs due to devastating cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, the Child Tax Credit and other basic needs in the budget reconciliation bill.

Join Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and other national organizations in a protest fast (started June 23), to stand in solidarity with the millions of people who could lose access to food assistance, health care, and other basic needs.

1. Join the #EmptyPlatesProtest
2. Fast for 24 hours any day between June 23 and July 4, 2025.
3. Tell your Senator to reject budget reconciliation bill cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, Child Tax Credit.
4. Use the FRAC Action Network to send a message directly to your Senators urging them to oppose any cuts to SNAP and to vote “No” on this harmful bill that would increase hunger.
5. Invite a friend to do the same.

The national relay fast will continue until Congress breaks for the July 4th recess.

*If you can’t fast for 24 hours, pledge to skip a meal or two in solidarity with the millions who won’t have food on the table or health coverage.

Learn more at protestfast.org.

Faith-rooted communities value care access for all, cutting Medicaid contradicts principles of compassion.

Rural communities in Elko, Ely, Eureka, and Douglas County depend on these hospitals not only for urgent care, but also for long‑term elder support.

Affects on Nevada:

• Rural hospitals may face closure.
• Medicaid recipients could lose essential services.
• The state could face major healthcare funding shortfalls and increased disparities.

Medicaid cuts would disproportionately harm elderly, low-income families, and those with chronic conditions, which directly contradicts the ELCA’s commitment to healthcare as a shared responsibility and a human right (ELCA Social Statement: Caring for Health). It threatens the dignity and wellbeing of the most vulnerable among us.

Tell your Senators to defend Medicaid funding for rural Nevada.

Full Bellies. Happy Summers.

We’re excited to welcome families back to the Food Bank’s 2025 Summer Meals program! Throughout the summer break, children ages 2–18 can enjoy free breakfast, lunch, or snacks at dozens of sites throughout our community. There are no registration or income requirements, just nutritious meals to help the kids in our community stay fueled for the summer!

Reno/Sparks

• Meals are available daily, Monday-Saturday, with some sites also open on Sunday.
• Meals must be eaten on site.

Click here for the Reno/Sparks locations, dates, and times.

Please note: All sites are closed on Thursday, June 19 and Friday, July 4.

Rural Sites

• Grab-n-go meals are provided weekly.
• Each child receives 7 breakfasts and 7 lunches each week.
• Child must be present, or parent must be able to provide each child’s birth certificate or school ID.

Meals are available in the following communities:

• Battle Mountain
  650 Altenburg Ave. Battle Mountain, NV
  6/3–8/6, Tuesdays, 1–2pm
• Elko
  Communities in Schools – Elko, 346 7th St., Elko, NV
  6/11–8/20, Wednesdays, 12–3pm
• Fernley
  Fernley Pool, 300 Cottonwood Ln., Fernley, NV
  6/18–7/30, Wednesdays, 10–11am
• Gardnerville
  Gardnerville Elementary School, 1290 Toler Ave., Gardnerville, NV
  6/18–7/30, Wednesdays, 1–2pm
• Incline Village
  Incline High School, 499 Village Blvd., Incline Village, NV
  6/18–7/30, Wednesdays, 11am–12pm
• Lockwood
  Hillside Elementary School, 1250 Peri Ranch Rd., Sparks, NV
  6/18–7/30, Wednesdays, 12–1pm
• Lovelock
  Pershing County Food Pantry, 810 Franklin Ave., Lovelock, NV
  6/4–8/19, Wednesdays, 11am–1pm
• New Washoe City
  New Washoe City Park, 2400 Lakeshore Dr., New Washoe City, NV
  6/17–7/29, Tuesdays, 1–2pm
• Nixon
  Pyramid Lake High School, 711 State St., Nixon, NV
  6/19–7/31, Thursdays, 12:30–1:30pm
• Red Rock
  Silver Knolls Park, 113000 Silver Knolls Blvd., Reno, NV
  6/17–7/29, Tuesdays, 11am–12pm
• Wadsworth
  Pyramid Lake Tribal Food Distribution Center, 11 Brady St., Wadsworth, NV
  6/19–7/31, Thursdays, 11am–12pm
• Wells
  Wells Combined School, 1378 Lake Ave., Wells, NV
  6/11–8/20, Wednesdays, 12–3pm
• West Wendover
  West Wendover JHS, 2000 Elko Ave., West Wendover, NV
  6/10–8/19, Tuesdays, 12–3pm
• Winnemucca
  Communities in Schools – Winnemucca, 310 4th St., Winnemucca, NV
  6/11–8/13, Wednesdays, 12–3pm
• Winnemucca
  Grass Valley Elementary School, 6465 Grass Valley Rd., Winnemucca, NV
  6/10–8/12, Tuesdays, 11am–12pm

The Hunger and Advocacy Highlights of 2024-25

No matter who you are, no matter what your politics may be, the year past has been fraught with anxiety. Events in our church, our state, our country and the world at large have caused us to question our leaders, our principles, our motives, even who we think we are as a nation. People who never gave a moment’s thought about advocacy find themselves showing up, and speaking up, for the first time. As Lutherans, we are called to use our voices and influence to shape public policy and advocate for justice, peace, and the common good, rooted in our understanding of God’s love and concern for all people. This year reminds us, if we’d forgotten, that there is no more crucial time than now to be actively engaged in this important work.

I am encouraged by our synod’s engagement in Lutheran advocacy. We’re learning, we’re showing up, we’re speaking out… all signs of remarkable progress in the five years we’ve been at it. I am grateful – it is a privilege to be your director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Arizona!

Below are highlights of an exceptional year of advocacy and engagement in the Grand Canyon Synod.

Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network – the network has met monthly since June 2021. With the unanimous approval of our Hunger Team’s Synod Resolution at synod assembly in June 2023, the group received its green-light to proceed with “Encouraging congregations to support local hunger ministries, increase awareness of hunger and poverty issues, and increase opportunities to financially support the work of ELCA World Hunger.” Through its meetings, education opportunities, coalition partnerships, advocacy efforts and more, the network is making a difference in the fight against hunger and succeeded in increasing the synod’s giving to ELCA World Hunger from $329,570 in 2023 to $445,473 in 2024, a 35% increase due primarily to the popular 40-40-40 Lenten Challenge.

Highlights of the GCS Hunger Leaders Network year include:

• The Grand Canyon Synod won the 40-40-40 Lenten Challenge, in which 547 Individuals from ELCA Region 2 (417 from the GCS alone!) – from  102 congregations came together to raise awareness and funds through Lutheran Disaster Response in support of water projects at the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission in Rock Point, AZ. Solveig created the resources and chaired the Region 2 Hunger Team for a year
• 92 hunger leaders from the Grand Canyon Synod participate in the GCS Hunger Leaders Network. Our goal: One Hunger Leader from every congregation in the synod.
• As part of our partnership with ELCA World Hunger, our synod hunger team was drafted to be an Early Adopter of Rallyhood, the new ELCA-WH communication platform, which will be rolled out churchwide at the Hunger Leaders Gathering in September 2025 (Solveig is on the planning team for the upcoming gathering).
• Promoted World Food Day events and Hunger Action Month while celebrating ELCA World Hunger’s 50th Anniversary
• Promoted ELCA-WH Advent and Lenten resources
• We gratefully acknowledge the Northeast Valley Consortium, who sponsored the Grand Canyon Hunger Leaders Network this year!

LAMA Liaison Roundtable – These congregational liaisons meet monthly via Zoom for education, conversation, encouragement, and a deep dive into the social issues of the day. Topics included Arizona water; Voter engagement; a Bible study on the Magnificat in Luke; the Election; Lutheran Day at the Legislature prep; the current administration; When is the right time to get really angry about what’s going on?; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and much more… always using a faith-based, often specifically Lutheran lens, with social teachings, pastoral letters, real congregational experiences, and current events in mind. Our goal: One LAMA Liaison from every congregation in Arizona.

Lutheran Day at the Legislature – LAMA hosted its 4th annual Lutheran Day at the Legislature on February 10. 200 Lutherans and friends representing 29 of Arizona’s 30 legislative districts gathered to hear remarks from Senate President Warren Petersen, House Minority Leader Oscar de los Santos, Bishop Deborah Hutterer and more, and then met with their legislators about hunger, equal access to voting, and the need for low-income housing. Participants met with more than 40 lawmakers on our big day of advocacy.

Congregational Engagement – LAMA was invited to share news and information about LAMA and the GCS Hunger Leaders Network with 15 congregations across Arizona, and we learned a lot about the amazing work our congregations are doing in their communities, particularly around hunger. The following programs were highlighted in the LAMA newsletter: the Food Bank at Streams in the Desert, the West Valley Community Food Pantry, the Grand Canyon Food Pantry (Flagstaff), Our Savior’s Lutheran and Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal (Tucson), Santa Cruz Lutheran Food Bank, Project AZUL (Tucson), Offering of Letters at Faith La Fe (Phoenix), Feed My Starving Children at Lord of Life (Sun City West), Fifth Sunday Letter Writing at New Journey (Fountain Hills), Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church Outreach Food Pantry (Goodyear), and the Flagstaff Family Food Center

Direct Advocacy – In addition to our work in congregational engagement and coalition building, we are called to build bridges and create possibilities with our Arizona state legislators. In addition to Lutheran Day at the Legislature, we participated in the following:

• Promoted civic engagement through voting with LAMA’s first Voter Guide on Arizona Ballot Propositions, by provided resources, information and guidelines on voting for both primary and general election; by encouraging Lutheran congregations to be voting centers; and by personally working as a Poll Monitor.
• Created a series of seven short Voter Engagement videos that were picked up by churchwide as well
• Pastor Chris Stoxen testified on HB2191 before the House Appropriations Committee, the “Yes In God’s Back Yard” (YIGBY) Bill – February 2025
• At Bread for the World’s invitation, Solveig participated in Bread’s annual Advocacy Summit in Washington D.C. in June, where she met with Representatives David Schweikert (AZ-01), Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Andy Biggs (AZ-05) and Paul Gosar (AZ-09), among others.
• 274 people in our network – that we know of! – have Request to Speak (RTS) accounts, enabling them to weigh in on bills as they’re progressing through the legislature
• Participated in the ELCA Youth and Young Adult Gathering in New Orleans in July, where Autumn helped design the ELCA Advocacy booth and Solveig facilitated 9 Accompaniment Day workshops on what advocacy looks like at every stage from your church door to Washington D.C.
• Through a grant from the Grand Canyon Synod, LAMA utilized Skywolf, a legislative intelligence software tool for bill tracking
• Amplified every ELCA Advocacy churchwide Action Alert in our network

In Other News – We offered information and updates on new resources, study guides, Bible studies, toolkits, ELCA social teachings, August Recess opportunities and “God’s work. Our hands.” activities; we advised about grant opportunities and churchwide and local events; we volunteered at West Valley Lutheran Thrift Shop; we convened a LAMA Policy Council Retreat to discern policy priorities for 2025; we tabled at Synod Assembly; and we wrapped an amazing year with ELCA World Hunger Fellow, Autumn Byars.

This report was prepared for the Grand Canyon Synod Assembly in June 2025.