Br. Michael Harlan is a member of the Franciscan’s of Holy Name Province and is in his eighth year of ministry at Siena College (Colonie), where he is the Director of the Franciscan Center for Service and Advocacy. Br. Michael is committed to educating and informing young people in the area of social justice. He provides the entire Siena community with a wealth of opportunities for direct service and advocacy among the poor in the Capital Region. The two areas of concern that Br. Michael has focused on through his work with the Franciscan Center are hunger and homelessness. “My main focus is to raise awareness on campus about social concerns in today’s world. We stress the need to move beyond the bandaid approach to solving social problems and work to help empower people. Part of our job is to become a voice of conscience. My job is to help educate a new generation about our civic and religious responsibilities to share the abundance of our society and to shape the future of our society to embrace justice,” said Br. Michael. The tradition of the Franciscans, started by St. Frances of Assisi, is to care for the poor. Br. Michael takes students each year to volunteer at the St. Francis Inn run by his order in Philadelphia. He helps organize a Fair Trade Sales campaign at Siena with SERRV International, a nonprofit alternative trade organization that promotes social and economic justice for people in developing regions of the world by marketing their handcrafts and food products. He also helps salvage food to distribute through local programs when the students vacate each spring. “Hunger Action provides me with information about the number of people who are hungry, including the number of children impacted. Many students, faculty and alumni at Siena College aren’t aware of the growing problem of hunger and homelessness, of the need to open up more overflow shelters in our community. Hunger Action is trying to change the structural problems that create hunger, addressing the root causes and raising questions about the way we spend our public funds”, he added. Br. Michael has been recognized for his commitment to helping those in need in the local community and has been the recipient of several community service awards from the Hudson Mohawk Association of Colleges and Universities, Equinox, Inc., Homeless Action Committee, and Catholic Charities Housing Office.

WELFARE MADE A DIFFERENCE- INVESTING IN PEOPLE TO END POVERTY

These are the stories of real people from across New York State who have struggled to move out of poverty with the help of welfare. Many of these individuals are Hunger Action Network members, including Board members. Their experiences, told in their own words, provide evidence of what really helps families and individuals. The Welfare Made A Difference National Campaign seeks to educate the public on the virtues of a fair, supportive social welfare system and the harmful impacts of punitive welfare policies.

Investing in people can make a difference in their lives.

Investing in people is money well spent.

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