Churches Mobilize 100,000 Letters to Congress In Support of Hunger Relief Act

Bread for the World
Tuesday, 29 February 2000

This year people of faith from all over the country and every denomination will join Bread for the World in sending a message to Capitol Hill: Hunger in this country is unacceptable, it can be solved and we should start today.

As part of our 2000 campaign, A Fair Share: Working to End Hunger, Bread for the World members and churches are expected to generate more than 100,000 letters to their members of Congress asking them to support the Hunger Relief Act (H.R. 3192/S.1805).

The Food Stamp Program is our nation's number one defense against hunger. But too many barriers exist that keep the program from helping the families who need it most. Low-income working people in the United States should not be forced to live with the persistent threat of hunger. The Hunger Relief Act would extend food stamp benefits to more hungry families.

As much as we'd like to think that ours is a generous society, the fact is that the richest country in the world does less than any other developed nation to combat pervasive hunger. A recently released study from Bread for the World Institute shows that for just a nickel per person per day, the United States could cut domestic hunger in half in two years.

Congress can start that process this year by passing the Hunger Relief Act. We commend Sens. Kennedy and Specter and Reps. Walsh and Hall for their leadership on this essential legislation.

For more information, or to contact Bread for the World, see their website at: www.bread.org