Through an initiative organized by Feeding America, we recently asked our agency partners to have clients receiving food assistance to write about their situations on paper plates. We received hundreds and hundreds of paper plates, filled with heart breaking stories and comments from our neighbors in need. Those plates were brought to our Senator’s office to bring to Washington DC, along with thousands from other states. Can you imagine the impact something as simple as a paper plate might have?
Your voice is also needed to show Congress people care about our nation’s investment in anti-hunger programs! We’re working to end hunger in our community. This work requires all of us to let decision-makers know we want them to stand up for those who need food. Join people across the country in speaking up for vital anti-hunger programs for low-income individuals and families.
This is a significant moment in the debate on federal deficit reduction. Congressional committees have until Friday, October 14 to provide recommendations to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction about where to find savings. If nutrition safety net programs are not safeguarded in the deficit reduction plan, this would lead to even more hungry people, particularly children, seniors and the working poor.
Programs like TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program), which provides high-quality, nutritious food to food banks; CSFP (Commodity Supplemental Food Program), which provides a monthly food box for low-income seniors; SNAP (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program), which provides households monthly benefits via a grocery debit card; and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), which serves low-income women, infants and children younger than 5 who are at nutritional risk, are essential to the well-being of our nation.
Your Members of Congress can influence the direction of deficit reduction talks in the next two weeks. Make a difference TODAY by calling your Members of Congress to deliver this important message: “My name is ________ and I am from (city, state). With the need for food assistance at unprecedented levels, I urge you to protect federal nutrition safety net programs like TEFAP, SNAP, CSFP and WIC in the deficit reduction plan. Please reject proposals that would increase hunger and harm vulnerable populations in our communities.”
In Colorado, call 1-877-698-8228 to be connected directly to Senators Bennet and Udall or to Barrasso and Enzi in Wyoming.
