The Rumi Forum presented “Interfaith Cooperation to Feed the Hungry” with Mr. Max Finberg, Director, Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, U.S. Department of Agriculture on Tuesday, January 25th
Tuesday, January 25th
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
at Rumi Forum
1150 17th St. N.W., Suite 408 Washington, DC 20036
Synopsis:
Religious communities and organizations play a critical role in feeding the hungry, both in the United States and around the world. Almost all faith traditions have mandates in their sacred texts to feed the hungry and care for the poor. In the United States, a large proportion of emergency food assistance agencies such as soup kitchens and food pantries are faith-based. In the international arena, organizations, communities, and houses of worship of many different faiths serve as key partners for food security program implementation and on-the-ground service delivery. In this dialogue, Max Finberg will discuss with Dr. Mohamed El-Sanousi how both domestic and global work to feed the hungry can serve as powerful vehicles for promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation.
Bio:
Max Finberg has dedicated his career to serving others, especially hungry people. He has a wide range of experience in the government and non-profit arenas.
In May 2009, he was appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to direct USDA’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. Housed in the Office of the Secretary, the Center’s mission is to build partnerships between USDA and faith-based and neighborhood organizations to better serve individuals, families and communities.
Previously, he was the first Director of the Alliance to End Hunger, a non-profit organization that engages diverse institutions in building the public will to end hunger, both in the United States and worldwide.
Prior to joining the Alliance, Mr. Finberg served Ambassador and former Representative Tony Hall (D-OH) for 12 years in a variety of capacities. He was Special Assistant to the Ambassador at the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome, Italy. Mr. Finberg was also Senior Legislative Assistant covering domestic hunger and poverty issues for Representative Hall.
Mr. Finberg graduated with honors from Howard University’s School of Divinity with a Master’s degree in Social Ethics. He lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his wife, Kate, and two children, Eliana and Matthias.