Posted: 7/23/04
Hunger Hounds track down donations
to alleviate suffering, fight hunger
By Janelle Bagci
Texas Baptist Communications
KILGORE–A man and woman living in a shack in the poorest area of town know what it's like to go to sleep hungry. But the mentally disabled epileptic couple still set aside $60 from their meager earnings for world hunger.
Their gift went to Hunger Hounds, an informal organization committed to alleviating hunger.
Hunger Hounds was founded in 2003 as the brainchild of businessman Charlie Whiteside. The loose network of laypeople began as a grassroots effort after Whiteside received a “calling in the night.”
| Charlie Whiteside of Hunger Hounds talks with Joyce Gilbreath with the Christian Life Commission about gifts he has collected for the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger. |
Whiteside, a member of First Baptist Church in Kilgore, said, “the calling was almost audible” to raise money for world hunger throughout Texas.
Christians have the opportunity to “save a lot of kids,” he explained. “There's just too many starving to death out there.”
After receiving money from speaking engagements and donations, Whiteside donates all proceeds to the Texas Baptist Offering for World Hunger, administered by the Baptist General Convention of Texas Christian Life Commission.
Giving to the offering “was up 25 percent in the earlier part of the year as opposed to last year,” Whiteside said. “I don't know how much of that is due to us,” but it is encouraging.
“If we had 20 more people like Charlie, it would make a huge difference in the offering,” said Joe Haag of the CLC.
Whiteside covers essential expenses out of his own pocket and speaks to groups in Texas, requesting money to support the BGCT hunger offering. He hopes to garner more support through churches around the state.
Although he hasn't been able to collect as much money as he expected, he remains hopeful.
When first promoting the idea, Whiteside received close to $4,000 from his home church, and money still is coming in, he said. One woman found the Hunger Hounds web site and donated $5.
“If these people can do it, why can't we?” Whiteside asked.
The potential for the hunger offering would increase if each Sunday school class in each church would pool its money, he observed.
Whiteside “feels committed to doing this for the long haul, not just a couple of months.”
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