BRUNSWICK — As part of its “Windows On … Food” educational series, First Parish Church, UCC, welcomed three panelists to discuss food insecurity on Sunday, Feb. 8.

State Sen. Justin Alfond spoke about the issue of food insecurity among Maine’s children. Alex Petroff, founder of Working Villages International, shared his work trying to alleviate hunger in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Alex Wheelwright of Bread for the World described how that organization raises awareness around food insecurity and seeks change through legislation.

Sen. Alfond is working to end student hunger here in Maine. Hungry children are not able to reach their academic potential, are more likely to get sick, cannot stay focused, and are less likely to graduate. With more than 86,000 food insecure children, Maine is No. 1 in New England and No. 3 in the nation for student hunger. Alfond chairs the Task Force to End Student Hunger in Maine which identified three broad goals: Increasing publicprivate partnerships, increasing the enrollment of eligible children in federally funded child nutrition programs, and increasing awareness of the problem.

Brunswick native Petroff founded Working Villages International 10 years ago seeking to get rural people out of poverty. Hunger and poverty are systemic problems, Petroff says. It is rare that people go hungry because of a lack of food; people go hungry because of a lack of money.

The answer for building economic strength in the Democratic Republic of Congo is farming. Petroff works to increase farms and farm productivity. As irrigation increases a farmer’s income by a factor of 10, Working Villages International is now focusing on growing irrigation in the area. (www.workingvillages.org)

Wheelwright, also a Brunswick native, is part of Bread for the World, an organization that seeks to end hunger by mobilizing people of faith. Part of this effort is to organize churches, offering letter-writing campaigns so that they have a voice in Washington. Bread for the World chooses a pressing issue each year, alternating national and international issues.

In 2014, Bread for the World focused its campaign on how the United States issues food aid. This year, the focus is on the Earned Income Tax Credit because, as Wheelwright said, every issue is a hunger issue when you don’t have enough money. The EITC provides a refund to families with earned income and adjusted gross income below designated federal limits.

To learn more about Bread for the World, visit bread.org.

Up next in the Windows On … Food series is a worship opportunity on Sunday, Feb. 15, at 5 p.m. The Rev. Holly Morrison, UCC minister and organic farmer, will lead an informal time of worship followed by a potluck supper.

A mini-movie series will be offered the following weekend. On Friday, Feb. 20, we will watch “Goranson Farm: An Uncertain Harvest” at 7 p.m. and on Sunday, Feb. 22, at 11:30 a.m., “Growing Local” will be shown.

Events are held at 9 Cleaveland St. All are welcome.