Partners to Combat Hunger

PARTNERS TO COMBAT HUNGER

BY ERIC M. BOST, USDA FOOD, NUTRITION AND CONSUMER SERVICES UNDERSECRETARY; ROBERT FORNEY, President and CEO AMERICA’S SECOND HARVEST; ERIC SCHOCKMAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger

Over the past several months, Hurricanes Katrina, Wilma and Rita ravaged our Gulf Coast states. Through our joint efforts with states, food banks,faith and community-based organizations, and schools, hundreds of thousands of the victims were able to receive meals and emergency food boxes at shelters, and more than 960,000 households received over $550 million in emergency food stamps to feed their families. Food Banks across the country shipped more than 1,700 truckloads of food from their own inventories to the states across the affected region. While we are proud of the creativity and flexibility in meeting the needs, we remain steadfast in our combined effort to achieve real, lasting results in reducing and preventing hunger.

Combating hunger across America requires leadership, commitment and partnerships at all levels. Our nation’s 15 domestic nutrition assistance programs including Food Stamps, schools meals, commodity food donation programs and Women, Infants and Children (WIC), serve one in five Americans each day.

Our nation has a long and distinguished record of providing nutrition assistance to our children, low-income families and the elderly.

That’s why we are working in a public-private partnershipensuring that all who are eligible know about the Federal nutrition assistance programs. Helping needy individuals and families access these programs withdignity and respect has been, and continues to be, a high priority for the President, Secretary Johanns, Under Secretary Bost and our partners. Our partners, including States, national anti-hunger organizations, food banks,faith and community based organizations, and schools are critical in our joint efforts to serve those in need.

Our combined efforts to make nutrition assistance more accessible to more people have been successful. Since 2001, 5.8 million more eligible people are receiving food stamps; 1.6 million more children receive a free or reduced price school lunch; over 1.5 million more children receive school breakfast and over 400,000 more women, infants and children receive assistance through WIC.

These investments and achievements serve as the foundation for the work that remains to be done. But there is still need and with your assistance, we can do more to meet that need.

In the aftermath of the hurricanes, all of us are reminded that many ofour fellow citizens continue to need help. And even today,many individuals and families who are eligible for our nutrition assistance programs do not participate. The American spirit is a generous one-we have witnessed the outpouring of courage, kindness and generosity over the last several months and throughout history. So, what more can be done?

As the holidays approach, you can positively affect the lives of others through some simple acts. Additional partners, individuals, and organizations are needed at the community, state and Federal level to ensure that all who are eligible for nutrition assistance can receive it with dignity and respect. In your community, through your local food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens, you can help by volunteering time or donating money and food. You can help us to ensure that those in need know about our federal nutrition programs. You have the power to make a difference and we invite each of you to join us in reducing hunger right here at home.