Resources: Advocacy Day

This year our public witness on the Capitol lawn will be a labyrinth bordered by cans of food. We will set up the labyrinth in the morning, with tables around the edges of the labyrinth. You are invited to bring a few cans of food with you and place them on the tables. At the end of the day the food will be donated to South Lansing Ministries, an EngageMI project (CCMM#3027) of Grace UMC.

A labyrinth is a circular path, often used for prayer and reflection There is a singular winding path that leads you to the center. You may wish to pause in the center for a few moments before turning around and following the path back out.

Our canned food labyrinth will be a public witness to everyone visiting the Capitol that day, that we are people of faith who care deeply about food justice. The labyrinth will be available to walk throughout the day, and will be taken down after worship.

Guidelines for bringing canned food:

Only bring as much food as you can carry yourself
Only bring food that is not expired
Only bring cans - do not bring anything in cardboard boxes.

The labyrinth will be outside and exposed to the elements, so don’t bring anything that would be damaged by rain.

We have valuable voices. Sharing our reason, experience and faith with law makers can impact policy and encourage action. Send messages by mail, email, or phone call. The latter two can be timelier. If you are planning to visit them on Advocacy Day, March 18, let them know you are coming. If they offer you an appointment, be sure to let us know for coordinating purposes at advocacy-day@michiganumc.com.

Find your state representative on this web page. Find your state senator on this web page. You’ll obtain their contact information, including addresses and phone numbers. Write to each separately.
Host a letter-writing party with family, friends and neighbors.
Organize a letter-writing session and/or collect letters written during worship and include them in the prayer of dedication.
If calling a legislator’s office, talking to a staff member can also be helpful. They track the number of contacts by issue.

Focus 2026:
The focus for Advocacy Day 2026 is expanding support for food security in the state budget. One in six adult Michiganders struggles with food security, according to the 2023 census. As food prices have risen, wages have not kept up, leading to increasing hunger.

Community partner:
The 2026 community partner is the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM).
FBCM connects and supports seven regional food banks, all of which are part of the national Feeding America network. FBCM has led Michigan through the crisis of the pandemic, tornados, floods, and the most recent government shutdown. The FBCM’s mission is to create a food secure state through advocacy, resource management, and collaboration among stakeholders and Michigan’s unified food bank network. FBCM is currently determining which project increases will make the most impact in 2026. Advocacy Day details will be updated with developments.

One of the many important programs that FBCM runs is the Michigan Agricultural Surplus System (MASS), which invests in Michigan farmers, strengthens our local economy and increases access to fresh, healthy food while reducing waste. Established in 1990, MASS connects Michigan growers and food producers with the state’s food bank network to move surplus or cosmetically imperfect but nutritious products to families in need. Managed by the Food Bank Council of Michigan and funded through state resources, the program enables food banks to purchase fresh, locally grown produce, dairy, and proteins directly from Michigan farms, processors and distributors. MASS supports Michigan agriculture, reduces food waste, and improves access to nutritious food in all 83 counties.

RESOURCES FOR ADVOCACY

Act of Public Witness

Letter-writing Templates

Resource Library

Training Videos

Learn More About Food Insecurity

Additional FBCM Resources