“Food doesn’t just serve as a basic need — for sure it is that — but it’s also a symbol of community and belonging and neighborliness,” says Cara Cliburn Allen, Ph.D., a researcher who’s dedicated her career to improving outcomes for college students.

“The ADA represented progress, not the ideal,” writes Nathan Slauer. Read more about this important legislation and what more must be done for the flourishing of people of all abilities.

Victoria Beede writes, “1 in 3 college students do not know where their next meal is coming from. Because of an inability to access typical forms of help for the food insecure, college students are left without resources and government benefits. It is imperative that Christians come alongside struggling college students by providing them with a voice and advocating for policy changes that will help them be heard.”

The Hatfield Prize is named in honor of the late Senator Mark O. Hatfield of Oregon, who left a lasting legacy as a man of vibrant Christian faith and principled policy commitments. Shared Justice sat down with Multnomah University’s Joe Slavens, who interned with Hatfield, to get behind-the-scenes look at Senator Hatfield’s work and life. Hear surprising anecdotes and funny memories from Slavens in Shared Justice’s recent article — read more on our site!

Access to food assistance for 40 million people could be in jeopardy this year. The farm bill, a large piece of legislation that authorizes funding for several food assistance programs every five years, will be up for reauthorization at the end of September, but early debates about the bill have been plagued by partisan disagreements. In the midst of this polarization, Christians can serve others by advocating for strong food assistance programs and fighting food insecurity in their own communities.