Celebrating Our Birthday and Earth Day

Oxfam Action Corps - Minnesota enters its second year
One year ago this week, Oxfam America founded ten Oxfam Action Corps groups, including Oxfam Action Corps - Minnesota. Through grassroots organizing and outreach, these teams mobilized supporters in their regions to ask Congress for a reformed Farm Bill. Although the Farm Bill continues to languish in Congress and current versions of the bill keep the trade-distorting subsidies linked to poverty abroad, the Oxfam Action Corps have left their mark. The Wall Street Journal gave a nod to our David and Goliath-like campaign, writing "Some groups argued that farm subsidies hurt poor, unsubsidized farmers in the developing world.... Antipoverty group Oxfam America tapped into a grass-roots network around the country to raise awareness of the issue."

Here in Minnesota, our outreach efforts took us to:

• 9 concerts
• 3 music festivals and 1 film festival
• 12 community festivals and fair trade fairs
• 5 visits to congressional offices
• 4 house parties
• 2 conferences
  
• a unique climate change event attended by 90 people
• a major two-day event at Minneapolis' Midtown Global Market

Through these efforts and more, we've reached thousands of people and have had a lot of fun along the way! The second year of Oxfam Action Corps - MN brings new challenges, opportunities, and a climate change campaign. You can get involved; there are many ways to make a difference in the fight against poverty and injustice without writing a check. E-mail us at oxfam.mn@gmail.com to learn about volunteering with us. There is truly something for everyone.

Join us on Saturday for the Earth Day Watershed Clean-Up
"Think globally, act locally." So goes the mantra and that's exactly what we'll be doing this Saturday, April 19 at Martin Luther King Park in Minneapolis (4055 Nicollet Ave. S.). Stop by the park between 9:30 am and 12:00 pm to be part of the 14th Annual Earth Day Watershed Clean-Up. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board provides gloves, bags, and more. You provide the passion and drive to make a difference by picking up trash in and around the park's watershed. Come by yourself or with others. You can work in your own time. Oxfam Action Corps volunteers will be on hand with information about Oxfam's global climate change campaign and how you can take action.

More Farm Bill News:
Christian Science Monitor, Time running out for U.S. Farm Bill
CQPolitics.com, Farm Bill Conferees Make Progress, But Deal Still Elusive
San Francisco Chronicle, Bumper crop of big spending
Politico, Farm talks hit snag on tax cuts