FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
May 14, 2008

Contact: Patty Kuderer, National Director of Communications The Peace Alliance
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Washington, D.C. – For many moms, there was much more to Mother’s Day this year than the usual flowers, chocolates and breakfast in bed. Last Friday, there were "peace pies" for Congress and a growing voice for the passage of HR 808, legislation to establish a cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence. All across the United States and in the nation’s Capitol, pro-peace supporters called on their representatives and senators to rethink how we handle the problem of violence.

"Nearly 600 pies were delivered across the country," said Wendy Greene, Managing Director of The Peace Alliance, the nonprofit, nonpartisan organization sponsoring the national event, "Peace Wants a Piece of the Pie." "We wanted to draw attention to the relatively miniscule amounts of money we spend on programs and policies that proactively address the root causes of violence, compared to the billions upon billions spent dealing with the after-effects," Greene said. "It’s time to change that by giving peace a piece of that pie."

From coast-to-coast, Department of Peace supporters cooked up creative ways to ask their members of Congress to support HR 808. In Kentucky, Louisville area resident Kim Summers-Bates organized a multi-national group that included a Princess from Rwanda, representatives from Tanzania, Trinidad and the Congo, a retired U.S. Naval Officer and other local citizens all of whom delivered pies to delighted recipients and talked about the need to proactively work for and fund peacebuilding programs and policies.

"Our message was simple - supporting peace is as easy as pie," said Summers-Bates, the Kentucky State Coordinator for the Department of Peace Campaign. Summers-Bates added that her group also includes people from Tibet, Togo, and Iran, and now a Palestinian family she met while delivering pies who are eager to join the movement. "People everywhere yearn for peace. Our campaign gives them the opportunity to put their feelings into action."

In Charleston, South Carolina, a local chef opened the doors of his cooking school to willing pie-makers of all ages, providing the ingredients and coaching in addition to the space. Ten-year-old Mimi thought her pie would help make whoever ate it more peaceful.

"I think my pies are going to help with peace because I was thinking of peaceful thoughts while I was making the pie. So I think that will put a lot of peace into whoever eats it," Mimi said.

"We’re hoping our Representatives will ‘bite’ on HR 808," said Dee Partridge, South Carolina State Coordinator for the Department of Peace Campaign. "Pun aside, violence remains an issue in our country and the world. It’s time to tackle this problem in a sensible, smart, and strategic fashion, and a U.S. Department of Peace will help us do just that."

Mirroring activities by grassroots volunteers across the nation, 440 peace pies representing the federal budget were available for pick up on Capitol Hill by all members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including representatives from the American territories.

"We handed out over 300 pies in the pouring rain," said Peace Alliance National Field Coordinator, Kathy Kidd. "We had great conversations about HR 808, and everyone enjoyed the pie," said Kidd, adding that members also received a packet of information on HR 808 with a reminder that "Peace Wants a Piece of the Pie." The Peace Alliance has sponsored this national event for the last four years, and according to Greene, each time it gets bigger. "Peace belongs to everyone, and it’s up to all of us to ensure our elected officials make it a priority."