My Brother’s Keeper

What are our Biblical responsibilities to our brothers and sisters, especially those who are not like us? From Cain to Christ, God is clear that we have a responsibility to help the “other.” President Obama understood this principle when he recently launched an initiative for young men of color of the same name. Come join a discussion about what it means to be our brother’s and sister’s keeper in the current context.

Max Finberg has dedicated his career to serving others, especially hungry people. He has a wide range of experience in the government, non-profit, and political arenas. He currently serves as Senior Advisor to the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture and coordinates two Secretarial initiatives: StrikeForce, USDA’s initiative for rural growth and opportunity, and Cultural Transformation, focused on creating a 21st Century workforce that is diverse and inclusive. USDA administers programs that benefit one in five Americans with nutrition assistance, contribute to rural development, promote environmental stewardship and feed hungry people around the world.

He recently finished assignments at the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, as a Senior Policy Advisor within President Obama’s Domestic Policy Council, as well as Acting Director of USDA’s Office of Tribal Relations, working with American Indians. In May 2009, he was appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to direct USDA’s Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. The Center builds partnerships between USDA and faith-based and secular 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. The Alliance connects U.S. businesses, religious bodies, charities, and foundations to change the politics of hunger.

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 a senior legislative assistant covering domestic hunger and poverty issues for Representative Hall. He worked on the successful passage of The Hunger Relief Act and the Community Solutions Act with a variety of anti-poverty and faith-based organizations.