{"id":8105,"date":"2023-11-21T15:06:14","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T15:06:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/?post_type=article&#038;p=8105"},"modified":"2024-05-23T14:15:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T14:15:59","slug":"remembering-bread-for-the-world-founder-art-simon","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/article\/remembering-bread-for-the-world-founder-art-simon\/","title":{"rendered":"Remembering Bread for the World Founder Art Simon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Rev. Arthur \u201cArt\u201d Simon died on November 14, 2023. His vision, knowledge, and foresight established Bread for the World as one of the foremost organizations advocating for the end of hunger, impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-vimeo wp-block-embed-vimeo wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&quot;...We do good for other people.&quot;\" src=\"https:\/\/player.vimeo.com\/video\/885321090?h=27430fc155&amp;dnt=1&amp;app_id=122963\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture; clipboard-write\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Art was born on July 28, 1930, in Eugene, Oregon. Growing up, he helped his father publish his monthly magazine, The Christian Parent. Art graduated from Dana College in Blair, Nebraska, where he advocated for scholarships for minority students as student body president. He later attended Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri, and was ordained as a Lutheran pastor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-light-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><blockquote><p><em>\u201cRev. Art Simon has left behind a powerful legacy. When I consider the many millions of people around the world whose lives have been changed for the better because of the policies and programs created and improved by anti-hunger activism; when I see the 200,000-strong citizen\u2019s movement that Bread is today; when I hear from individuals about how Art\u2019s message and work led to a new orientation in their life toward justice; I feel an enormous weight of gratitude. <br><br>\u201cTo this day, I\u2019m inspired by the three ideas he had in the founding of Bread. To prevent hunger from happening in the first place rather than just reacting to it; to work within the system of American democracy to ensure political leaders hear about hunger from their constituents; and to organize Christians to speak up collectively against hunger \u2013 these speak to things that are as relevant in the 2020s as they were in the 1970s.\u201d <\/em><\/p><cite>Rev. Eugene Cho, president and CEO of Bread for the World.<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1961, Art was called to serve Trinity Lutheran Church on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It was an impoverished neighborhood, and Art often found himself responding to emergency situations caused by hunger and poverty. Many churches provide emergency assistance, but Art soon recognized that this did not address the reasons why people find themselves experiencing hunger in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-black-color has-light-background-color has-text-color has-background\"><blockquote><p><em>On December 4 at 7p.m. Eastern Time, a memorial service will be held online to celebrate Art\u2019s life and legacy. <a href=\"https:\/\/bread-org.zoom.us\/webinar\/register\/WN_t79b5JF4S_CG0jjO1S2PvA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Register here to attend<\/a>. If you\u2019d like to express your condolences with the Simon family, share your wishes, or reminisce about Art, please <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/artsimon\/\">visit the memorial board<\/a> Bread has created at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/artsimon\/\">www.bread.org\/artsimon\/<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Art studied up on U.S. government policies that are important to people struggling with hunger in the United States and around the world. He also saw that, in his own words, \u201calmost nothing was being done to encourage Christians as citizens to urge decision makers to craft policies that would address hunger and poverty.\u201d Art felt that by doing little or nothing to influence elected leaders on the problem of hunger, Christians were silently approving of or reinforcing policies that contribute to it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-light-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><blockquote><p><em>\u201cArthur Simon taught me how to weave economics, justice, and my Christian faith together, empowering me to better love my neighbor through public policy advocacy. I read Art&#8217;s seemingly simple book back when I was a student. It gave my love traction. I&#8217;ll forever be thankful to the stranger who gave me that little book and to Art for writing it.&nbsp; Art&#8217;s vision gave rise to a grassroots network called Bread for the World, which has, over the years, made our government more effective in providing help and opportunity to hungry people in our country and around the world.&nbsp; As a result, hundreds of millions of hungry people are better off.\u201d<\/em><\/p><cite> Rick Steves, travel writer and television host.<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>He began to contemplate what more could be done to get the kind of government response that was needed to address hunger. And what could churches do that they were not doing? He thought, \u201cWhy not organize a citizens outcry against hunger?\u201d. With this in mind, Simon began developing the idea of a national, non-partisan Christian movement mobilizing against hunger.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"777\" height=\"418\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-at-Trinity-Luthern-in-NYC.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8110\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.8588516746411483;width:469px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-at-Trinity-Luthern-in-NYC.jpg 777w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-at-Trinity-Luthern-in-NYC-300x161.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-at-Trinity-Luthern-in-NYC-768x413.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-at-Trinity-Luthern-in-NYC-400x215.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-at-Trinity-Luthern-in-NYC-570x307.jpg 570w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 777px) 100vw, 777px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In 1972, Art gathered an organizing committee of seven Catholics and seven Protestants to further explore his idea. And in May 1974, with no staff and virtually no money, the group founded Bread for the World with the mission of ending hunger by encouraging Christians to speak out to their elected officials in Washington, D.C. Art became its first president, a position he held for 16 years.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Art saw the work of ending hunger as an extension of his pastoral ministry. Under his leadership, Bread helped pass legislation and establish programs that reduced hunger and improved nutrition in the U.S. and around the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-light-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><blockquote><p><em>&#8220;Art was a true saint and prophet.&nbsp; It was a profound honor to have known and worked with him.&nbsp; He was an extremely generous listener and deeply kind person.&nbsp; He led Bread with humility and tenacity, ever seeking to bridge potential religious and political divides and engage more people in the vital work of ending hunger.&nbsp; May he continue to inspire and intercede for us and all those whom he touched by his tireless advocacy!! May he be dancing.&#8221; <\/em><\/p><cite>Betty Anne Donnelly, Bread staff member from 1977 to 1980 co-founder and preacher coordinator of Catholic Women Preach<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Bread\u2019s first major legislative initiative was the Right to Food Resolution in 1975, which affirmed each person\u2019s right to a nutritious diet. It was the focus of Bread\u2019s organizing initiative called Project 500 \u2013 the effort that Art and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/article\/remembering-joel-underwood-breads-first-staff-member\/\">Joel Underwood<\/a>, Bread\u2019s first staff member, led to recruit 500 local leaders for the first Offering of Letters. When the Right to Food Resolution was introduced, Congress largely ignored it. But then the letters started coming in from churches across the country \u2013 more than a hundred thousand of them \u2013 and lawmakers took notice. The resolution was passed in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, and the effort brought thousands of new members to Bread.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1577\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-1920x1577.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8109\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.2175015852885225;width:428px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-1920x1577.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-300x246.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-768x631.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-1536x1262.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-400x329.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-852x700.jpg 852w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon-570x468.jpg 570w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/7467737074-Jim-McGovern-Art-Simon.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Other notable Bread successes under Art included the establishment by Congress of two grain reserves, one of which was for international emergencies; the creation of the federally-funded Child Survival Fund, with the intent of saving as many children as possible through cost effective interventions such as growth monitoring and immunization; the Horn of Africa Recovery and Food Security Act, which secured aid for famine recovery and development assistance; and the expansion of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Bread was also able to fend off numerous attempts to cut aid for people experiencing hunger.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote alignfull has-black-color has-light-background-color has-text-color has-background has-medium-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><blockquote><p><em>\u201cArthur Simon led the development of Bread for the World from a prayer into a powerful, nationwide movement to get our nation\u2019s elected leaders to help end hunger. In the 50 years since Art started organizing, Bread for the World and its members across the country have played a leadership role in expanding and improving poverty-focused international aid. Bread has also helped to protect and improve programs that are important to hungry people in this country. The world has made dramatic progress against hunger, partly because Arthur Simon responded to God\u2019s call to make the world more consistent with God\u2019s love for everybody.\u201d <\/em><\/p><cite>Rev. David Beckmann, Art\u2019s successor and Bread\u2019s second president emeritus.<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After Art retired from Bread, he continued his advocacy towards the end of hunger for the rest of his life \u2013 through his writings and speaking engagements, as director of the Washington office of Christian Children\u2019s Fund from 1992 to 1997, and his ongoing support for the efforts of Bread.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1236\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-1920x1236.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8111\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.5533980582524272;width:557px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-1920x1236.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-300x193.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-768x494.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-1536x989.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-400x257.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-1088x700.jpg 1088w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Art-Simon-handing-book-1-570x367.jpg 570w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>He authored numerous books, including <em>Faces of Poverty<\/em> (1966); <em>The Politics of World Hunger<\/em> (1973, with his brother, former Illinois Senator Paul Simon); the foundational <em>Bread for the World<\/em> (1985); <em>Christian Faith and Public Policy: No Grounds for Divorce<\/em> (1987); <em>Grace at the Table: Ending Hunger in God\u2019s World<\/em> (1999, with David Beckmann); <em>How Much is Enough? Hungering for God in an Affluent Culture<\/em> (2003); <em>Rediscovering the Lord\u2019s Prayer<\/em> (2005); and <em>The Rising of Bread for the World<\/em> (2009). In 2019, at the age of 89, Simon released his final book <em>Silence Can Kill: Speaking Up to End Hunger and Make Our Economy Work for Everyone<\/em>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote has-light-background-color has-background has-medium-font-size\" style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:600\"><blockquote><p><em>\u201cArt Simon was a giant in the Christian faith, an advocate for the hungry and impoverished, and a kind mentor to many. Those of us working with Bread for the World past and present stand on the shoulders of his faith animated legacy. Art bent the world more towards justice and we will miss him.\u201d &nbsp;<\/em><\/p><cite>Jeremy Everett, founder and executive director of the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty and incoming chair of Bread\u2019s board of directors.<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Art received many accolades for his work, including the Presidential Hunger Award for Lifetime Achievement, which President George H.W. Bush awarded him in 1990; the national Religious Book Award for his book Bread for the World; the Center for Public Justice\u2019s Leadership Award; and the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pacem_in_Terris_Award\">Pacem in Terris Peace and Freedom Award<\/a> in 2004. In 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a <a href=\"https:\/\/bost.house.gov\/_cache\/files\/d\/e\/de6b3b46-ad6c-483e-9878-706e8c1d2a26\/725015BAA34FA9438B109ECC4AB2D5B4.art-simon.pdf\">resolution honoring his accomplishments<\/a>. Introducing the resolution, Congressman Mike Bost (R-Ill) noted, \u201cHe used his faith as the foundation for his mission to feed countless vulnerable communities throughout the world. Art is such an inspiration for putting faith into action.\u201d Co-introducer, congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-Ill), said, \u201c\u2026the work he has done has touched a countless amount of lives around the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-1920x1440.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8112\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.3333333333333333;width:478px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-1920x1440.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-scaled.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-933x700.jpg 933w, https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Rev-Art-Simon-Rep-Bryon-Dorgan-570x428.jpg 570w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>One of Art\u2019s favorite Bible passages was Ephesians 2:8-10, which exemplifies the way he lived his life: \u201c<em>For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God\u2014 not the result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we may walk in them<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More information about Art\u2019s remarkable life can be&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/religionnews.com\/2023\/11\/17\/art-simon-founder-of-christian-anti-hunger-group-bread-for-the-world-dies-at-93\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">found in this article<\/a>&nbsp;published by Religion News Service. <br><br>Please join us in keeping his wife Shirley and the entire extended family in your prayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Art\u2019s family has asked that memorial gifts be made to organizations that help people. If you would like to make a gift to Bread, you may do so at&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/bread.org\/RememberingArt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bread.org\/RememberingArt<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/bread-org.zoom.us\/webinar\/register\/WN_t79b5JF4S_CG0jjO1S2PvA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here<\/a> for information about the hunger community memorial service that will be held online to celebrate Art\u2019s life and legacy on December 4 at 7p.m. Eastern Time. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/artsimon\/\">Click here<\/a> to visit the message board where people are sharing memories and reminiscences about Art and add your own.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Rev. Arthur \u201cArt\u201d Simon died on November 14, 2023. His vision, knowledge, and foresight established Bread for the World as one of the foremost organizations advocating for the end of hunger, impacting the lives of hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Art was born on July 28, 1930, in Eugene, Oregon. Growing up, he helped<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":8106,"template":"","tags":[],"focus":[],"topic":[],"resource_type":[57],"class_list":["post-8105","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","resource_type-blog"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/8105","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/8105\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8105"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8105"},{"taxonomy":"focus","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/focus?post=8105"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=8105"},{"taxonomy":"resource_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bread.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource_type?post=8105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}