Legislative Update
With the economy rapidly deteriorating, Congress will return one last time for a lame duck session to debate a loan package to the auto industry and possibly a second economic stimulus package. Rising unemployment, high food and fuel costs, and a global economic downturn have left more and more Americans seeking help. In this current economic climate, it is more important than ever to secure federal resources to help our network food banks serve their communities.
Feeding America has been working with legislators and staff from both parties to ensure that the rise in demand for food assistance is addressed in the proposed stimulus package. Specifically, Feeding America is asking for:
- $50 million for TEFAP storage and distribution. Demand for food assistance is on the rise and is expected to increase, putting further strain on food banks to serve greater numbers in their communities. With skyrocketing transportation costs and tight state and local budgets, food banks are in desperate need of this funding to offset higher costs of operations. These funds were authorized in the Farm Bill enacted this summer, but have yet to be appropriated.
- $15 million for food bank infrastructure grants. Food banks serving rural areas face unique challenges. In the Farm Bill, Congress authorized $15 million for transportation and infrastructure grants to help food distribution organizations deliver food to sparsely populated communities. To date, no funding has been provided for this critical initiative.
- $100 million for the purchase of additional The Emergency Food Assistance Program commodities. Private donations to local food banks have not been able to keep up with the rising demand for food assistance. The economic downturn could make it even more difficult to secure the food and funds needed to serve hungry Americans throughout the country. Feeding America is asking for additional federal commodity assistance to ensure that our network’s warehouses do not go bare.
Unfortunately, the prospect of Congress including funding to fight hunger in an economic stimulus package during the lame duck session is highly uncertain. However, it is still important to let your legislators know that funding for anti-hunger programs is critical as we navigate this financial crisis and that Congress must pass a stimulus package as soon as possible. Visit the Hunger Action Center to send a letter and make your voice heard!
As always, Feeding America will continue to educate state and federal legislators of the challenges facing our network and ensure that the concerns of the more than 35 million Americans struggling to put food on the table are heard and addressed. You can help by lending the power of your own voice and recruiting others in the fight against hunger. Visit the Hunger Action Center to find out how you can do more.
Election 2008 Recap
Looking Ahead to 2009
What does this mean for all of us engaged in the fight against hunger?
Clearly, 2009 will unleash a new set of challenges for hungry Americans. We expect that with the downturn in the economy, there will be more people without jobs, and more demand on our nationwide food banks. Our new government leaders will be faced with many decisions—especially those that deal with the economy and helping those in need. With this in mind, it is absolutely essential that you stay highly engaged in the legislative and regulatory process in the coming weeks and months; with your help, we can make certain that our voice is heard when legislative measures arise that will affect Feeding America and its mission of feeding the hungry.
How Will the Election Results Affect Anti-Hunger Efforts?
On November 4, the long 2008 election season finally came to an end after almost two years of campaigning by hundreds of candidates for various state, federal, and local offices.
In the Presidential race, Democratic Senator Barack Obama of Illinois defeated Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona to become the 44th President of the United States. In his victory, President-elect Obama––the first African American to win the U.S. Presidency––has thus far garnered 365 electoral votes, compared to 162 for Senator McCain, with results from Missouri still pending. The popular vote breakdown was 53% for President-elect Obama and 46% for Senator McCain. The key to President-elect Obama’s victory seems to have been his ability to capture a large share of victories in key battleground states, such as Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
In Congress, as was widely expected, the Democratic Party was able to add to its majority totals in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. In the House, Democrats gained a significant number of seats to secure a more solid majority, though a number of race results are pending, making any prediction of the final House partisan breakdown premature. In the Senate, Democrats were able to pick up a number of seats, but are expected to fall short of attaining the 60 seat filibuster-proof majority that they had been avidly seeking.
While Democrats were able to pick up seats in states such as Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia, they fell short in states such as Alabama, Kentucky, Maine, and Mississippi––leaving them with a 58 to 40 majority over the Republicans (including two Independent senators who caucus with the Democrats) with two races yet to be decided. For the Democrats, as the party held onto the reins of power in both chambers, it is expected that the majority leadership in each chamber––led by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV)––will remain in place. For Republicans, however, after a second straight election of significant defeats, leadhership. Feeding America will continue to work with both parties to make sure ending hunger is a national priority.
New USDA Statistics Highlight Hunger Crisis!
2007 Study Fails to Reflect Current Economic Woes
Most American households are food secure, meaning they have dependable and consistent access to food. But the USDA study "Household Food Security in the United States, 2007" released on November 17 reveals a startling and growing rate of food insecurity. It found that 11.1% of American households were food insecure or had difficulty providing enough food for their families at some time during 2007. This number represents over 13 million households or 36 million people—including 12.4 million children. In fact, households with children reported food insecurity at almost double the rate for those without children—15.8% compared to 8.7%—and 6.5% of households with seniors were food insecure.
The study paints a stark picture of the pervasiveness of hunger in our nation. But Feeding America, the nation’s leading hunger-relief organization, warns that the actual number of Americans forced to skip meals and survive without adequate nutrition is even greater today, prompting a national appeal for help in feeding hungry men, women, and children.
"It is important to note that the USDA numbers released today are 2007 figures and do not take into account the unprecedented economic crisis that our country is currently facing," said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of Feeding America. "While the numbers reported are tragic, our network typically experiences trends as direct service providers before they are officially reported. We believe that this is just the beginning of a downward trend and we expect things to get worse before they get better."
For example, during the spring of 2008, Feeding America conducted a research study to determine increased need. Across the board, food banks witnessed an average increased need of nearly 20 percent. In many areas, the percentages were double that of the same timeframe in 2007.
"If the data we are reviewing today reflected food insecurity data from the last twelve months, it would be even more shocking," said Escarra. "We don’t expect the lines to get any shorter at local food pantries anytime soon, and we won’t know how bad it really is until the future USDA numbers are released next year."
You can help Feeding America provide food for the more than four million people who stand in line every week for just a few bags of groceries to help feed themselves and their families! Won’t you join us? Visit the Hunger Action Center today to find out how you can help in your community. Or click here to make a donation to Feeding America. We’ll make sure that your donation, large or small, is used in the best way to feed hungry Americans.
You can read "Household Food Security in the United States, 2007." Just click here to access the full USDA report.
Spotlight on Faith-Based Hunger Relief
Churches and Food Banks Work Together to Feed the Hungry
At Feeding America, we strive to support the many food pantries and soup kitchens run by faith-based charities. Faith-based charities work hard to meet the needs of their local communities. One of these is the Waterford Food Pantry in Waterford, Pennsylvania, which is supported by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest Pennsylvania.
Mimi Cook, the director of the Waterford Food Pantry, shares her story:
"In 1984, the Churches of Waterford, PA decided that they needed to do something about local hunger. As a former Hunger Chairman of the Presbyterial of Lake Erie, I volunteered to be the first director of the Waterford Food Pantry, which covers two towns and the townships surrounding them. Twenty-four years later, I'm still on the job. Our Food Pantry is supported by the churches in our town, the schools, and individual members of the community. We give each family a three day supply of food—including one fresh (frozen) meat, tuna fish, peanut butter, macaroni and cheese, cereal, fruit, vegetables, juices, and snacks. Four of the churches send workers to the Food Bank on alternating months to bring us food, and there are usually five volunteers on hand when we distribute the food each week.
"We give out Thanksgiving dinner baskets, and the Lions Club gives out Christmas baskets. At Christmastime, we get toys for the children from the Salvation Army and the Kiwanis Club, three books for each child from Books for Kids, and the church members pick a child's name to buy clothes. The scouts and elementary school students provide stocking stuffers, socks, and gloves, and several ladies in the community make hats for the children. This year, with the help of a new doctor in town and the Kiwanis club, we were able to give out school supplies to our children.
"We are very grateful to the Food Bank for working so hard to get us government surplus, and for getting grants from the state to help pay for the food. With the state of the economy this year, we are getting several new families each week, and without this help, we would soon be out of money and out of business."
All across America, there are faith-based charities just like this one in Waterford, Pennsylvania—and good people like Mimi Cook who work tirelessly to ease the burdens of families in need. What’s going on in your community?
November’s Hunger Challenge
Give the Gift of Food this Holiday Season
As a Feeding America advocate, you are an important partner in our work to engage the public and our elected officials in the fight against hunger. Through your support and the partnership of all of our volunteers, advocates, and donors, we are better able to help provide resources to our network of food banks and much needed assistance to families facing hunger.
The upcoming holiday season is a critical time for hungry Americans. As you know,
Feeding America works all year long to move more than 2 billion pounds of food to people in need; to secure increased support from the federal government for food banks and low-income Americans; and to raise money to help our network store, transport, and distribute food to hungry men, women, and children.
But this effort is particularly compelling during the holiday season. And although we’re proud of the progress we’re making, we know that one in eight Americans is still struggling with hunger. That’s 35 million people across the country. Your neighbor, your co-worker, or the stranger you meet on your way to work might be wondering where they will get their next meal. Many are forced to make tough choices—like choosing to pay to heat their homes or put food on their tables. And at holiday time, these choices are even tougher.
As a nonprofit organization, Feeding America relies on charitable contributions to operate. In the coming weeks, you will receive a mailing from us updating the current situation as we approach the holidays and the end of the calendar year.
Won’t you consider making a donation to Feeding America part of your holiday giving? You can choose to make a gift online now, or give through the mail. Your donation will directly support our public policy and advocacy efforts to ensure that hunger in America is a priority for our federal, state, and local elected officials.
You are already a dedicated hunger advocate. This holiday season, please join our fundraising efforts. You can help us achieve our vision of a hunger-free America—and when you make a gift, you can be sure that your donations are always used efficiently, safely, and effectively to help those in need. We are proud of our 98% efficiency rating from the Better Business Bureau. For every dollar you give, 98 cents goes directly to our mission of fighting hunger.