CWS Joins the ONE Campaign: Calls for People to Sign the ONE Declaration

Angolan boy selling brooms Photo: Paul Jeffrey/ACT-CWS

Church World Service has joined the ONE Campaign, a broad-based mobilization of faith-based and anti-poverty organizations. The mission of the One Campaign is to advocate for U.S. policies that will help transform the lives of our neighbors throughout the world struggling to overcome poverty and disease. The Campaign addresses issues of aid to impoverished countries, debt cancellation and fair trade.

One in five people globally lives in extreme poverty, on less than $1 a day. Each night one in seven goes to bed hungry. A billion people lack clean, safe drinking water. More than 38 million people are infected with HIV/AIDS. Every day more than 28,000 children under the age of five die needlessly from preventable and treatable poverty-related illnesses. Each one has a name, a face, and family and friends who love them.

Many caring people of faith give generously through Church World Service and other humanitarian organizations to help end the living nightmare of extreme poverty. Advocating for U.S. government action can multiply these efforts and help transform entire societies.

The name of the ONE Campaign comes from its call for people of faith and conscience to speak up “one by one” to advocate for more compassionate and just U.S. policies. The name also reflects the goal to increase U.S. international aid for meeting basic global needs by one percent of the U.S. national budget, or $25 billion. This increase -- when combined with making U.S. trade policies fair for developing countries and canceling the international debts of poor nations – can save millions of lives and help all members of the human family to enjoy lives of dignity and sufficiency.

Action
The first step an individual or congregation can take to participate in the ONE Campaign is to sign the ONE Declaration. Signers will begin to receive twice-monthly e-newsletters and action alerts suggesting additional advocacy actions. We also encourage you to sign up for Church World Service Speak Out email alerts, to receive action alerts on hunger, development and refugee issues.

To involve your group or congregation, download this bulletin insert: Pentecost "Day of Action" Against Poverty (PDF, 109 KB)

The apostle Paul challenges followers of Jesus Christ to be “rich in good works, generous and ready to share” (1 Tim. 6:18). Proverbs challenges us to “Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute” (Prov. 31:8). When our response to God’s grace in Christ combines personal giving with policy advocacy, we can have the greatest impact on a hurting world.

Join Church World Service in the ONE Campaign’s united action to help our neighbors in need overcome extreme poverty and devastating disease.