September 20, 2005

The attached letter strongly opposing Food Stamp Program cuts in the reconciliation
process and strongly opposing structural changes that would weaken the program was signed by more than 1,000 organizations and sent to Congressional leaders before Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. The success of the food stamp program and USDA’s fast and effective response since Hurricane Katrina in reaching people from the four affected states has shown once again that the food stamp program is fundamentally sound.

Yesterday and today representatives of more than 30 state-based anti-hunger organizations at a meeting in Washington D.C. discussed how Katrina has affected the food stamp and other anti-hunger programs and the needs of poor Americans. Based on that discussion we are writing you to:

1. restate, but with renewed vigor and urgency, our opposition to cuts and structural changes in the Food Stamp Program;

2. restate our deep opposition to proposed tax cuts and tax cut extensions that will disproportionately benefit wealthy Americans at a time of great need in our country;

3. urge you in passing legislation in the weeks ahead to help Katrina’s victims to buttress the already effective ability of the food stamp, WIC, and child nutrition programs to respond; and

4. move quickly, effectively, and fundamentally in the months and years ahead to address the problems of poverty, hunger, deprivation and inequality that Hurricane Katrina exposed.

The more than 20 million food stamp recipients just in our states – and the millions more in other states, and millions of poor, hungry, food insecure, unemployed, disabled, and others in this country who need but can not access food stamps – urge you to commit to take these four steps. We are confident that after Hurricane Katrina Congress can build on proven successful programs, Congress can reject proposals to reduce such programs and weaken the government’s fiscal position through tax cuts, and Congress can respond to the basic human needs Katrina has revealed.

Sincerely,

Atlanta Community Food Bank
Association for Arizona Food Banks
California Association of Food Banks
California Food Policy Advocates
Center for Civil Justice
Center for Public Policy Priorities
Children’s Alliance
Children’s Hunger Alliance
Colorado Anti-Hunger Network
Connecticut Association for Human Services
DC Hunger Solutions
End Hunger Connecticut!
Federation of Virginia Food Banks
Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina
Food Bank of Central New York
Food Bank of Iowa
Food Research and Action Center
FoodChange
Greater Minneapolis Area Council of Churches
Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank
Health & Welfare Council of Long Island
Hunger Solutions Minnesota
Illinois Hunger Coalition
Kentucky Task Force on Hunger
MANNA Tennessee
Milwaukee Hunger Task Force
Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest
New Jersey Statewide Emergency Food Network
Nutrition Consortium of NYS
NYC Coalition Against Hunger
Oregon Food Bank
Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force
Partners in Ending Hunger
Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center
Project Bread/The Walk for Hunger
Public Policy Center of Mississippi
Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee
Southern New Hampshire Services, Inc.
Texas Association of Community Action Agencies
Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger

Printer friendly version