Happy Oxfam New Year!

By Kathy Chavez

January 31^st 2014 will mark the Year of the Wood Horse, a year of great energy and power. The wood horse will want room to run, so dream big. Set goals worthy of a powerful steed and ride your way to success! What are your goals for this year? According to the USA.gov official web site, the top ten New Year’s resolutions for 2014 are:

1.               Lose Weight

2.               Volunteer

3.               Quit Smoking

4.               Get a Better Education

5.               Get a Better Job

6.               Save Money

7.               Get Fit

8.               Eat Healthy Food

9.               Manage Stress

10.           Manage Debt           

Follow Oxfam’s GROW Method to keep your New Year's resolutions and decrease world hunger. Tackle goal number one for most Americans by eating healthier and instituting Meatless Mondays. There's a common thread in all the "Best Diets" listed in U.S. News & World Report: less meat. Meat-reduced and whole foods programs are leading the way with the most well-balanced diet plans. Even eliminating meat for just one day a week greatly improves your overall health. 

The National Cancer Institute's study of 500,000 people found that those who ate 4 ounces of red meat or more daily were 30 percent more likely to die during a 10-year period than were those who consumed less. Eating processed meats also increased the risk of death from heart disease and other factors. Plus, feel a sense of history and patriotism while participating in Meatless Mondays. The idea originated in World War I when the U.S. Food Administration urged families to practice “Meatless Monday” and “Wheatless Wednesday” to do their part and aid the war effort. Recently the Meatless Monday movement has picked up steam, and become popular on a global scale! 

Volunteering is number two on the list, and if you're considering a positive change of pace, join Oxfam to meet this goal.  Even if you're more focused on the job hunt, remember that volunteering can build up your resume while expanding your horizons, helping to land the perfect job.  Look on www.oxfamamerica.org for volunteer opportunities and possibly some travel opportunities as well. 

Volunteering is also good for your mental and physical help, according to Harvard studies. Volunteering keeps people more connected, warding off loneliness and depression. There is also evidence suggesting that people who give their time to others may be rewarded with lower blood pressure, overall better health, and a longer life span.

Other GROW-friendly life changes can tackle most of the top ten goals. Get fit, burn calories, and save money by riding a bike or walking whenever possible. Eat healthy and support local farmers by eating fruits and vegetables that are in season. Incorporating a few simple energy and calorie saving habits into your lifestyle will benefit the planet and your overall health. It will also save money on gas and food, thereby helping to manage debt.

Have a healthy, happy, and galloping-good New Year from your Oxfam Action Corps! For more information contact us at nmoxfamactioncorps@gmail.com or go to www.oxfamamerica.org

Leadership opportunity: Organize in New Mexico to end global hunger – join the Oxfam Action Corps!

Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, invites you to play a leading role in the Oxfam Action Corps, an exciting grassroots effort to stand up to poverty, hunger, and injustice around the world – starting right here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Oxfam Action Corps is a group of trained grassroots advocates in fifteen US cities who organize with other local volunteers in support of our GROW campaign for policies that will save lives, defend the rights of women and farmers, and protect communities worldwide from rising food prices and climate change.  It includes a free national advocacy and leadership training for select participants. You will gain leadership skills, have fun, and change the world! 

Brian Rawson, Senior Advisor for Oxfam with NM Organizers for 2012-13 & 2013-14 at last year's lobby day

Sign-up by February 14 to apply for Oxfam’s free four-day leadership training in Washington D.C. April 5-8, 2014.  With a combined 50 years experience in activism on global justice issues, Oxfam America staff has put together an anti-poverty leadership training and service program unlike any other.

"This is leadership in practice. You can't just read a book on leadership. You have to put it into practice." — Jill Mizell, Researcher, New York

 “Oxfam Action Corps has given me a ton of confidence… Gaining knowledge and being able to speak to people about the issues.”  Amy L., Business Operations Analyst, Des Moines 

"This has become one of the best parts of my life… I can't express enough how satisfying it is to be organizing with people who are just as committed and dependable and passionate. It is so great to have the support from the Oxfam America staff, and I've been really impressed by their accessibility, competency and friendliness." – Isaac E., Educator, New York City

We're looking for people with the ideas, energy, connections, and dedication to the cause to make it happen. You will gain hands-on experience with advocacy and organizing, and gain practical leadership skills that will serve you in future pursuits. You'll meet and organize alongside like-minded people in your city. And, best of all, you'll contribute in concrete ways to changing policies that can save lives and right the wrongs of poverty and injustice.

Sign up at www.oxfamactioncorps.org by February 14

PS – Thinking about joining the Action Corps, but want more info first? Click here for everything you'll need to know.