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April 26, 2007Catholic Charities USA Goes to Congress to Urge Action to Address Poverty |
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Catholic Charities USA took its Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America directly to Congress, with a briefing on the struggles of 35 million Americans who experience hunger, testimony before a House Ways and Means subcommittee on poverty, and visits to Hill offices by local Catholic Charities agency leaders. The four main areas of the Campaign are improving food and nutrition programs, increasing access to health care, enabling more people to get affordable housing, and promoting greater economic security for the poor and vulnerable through programs that support work and strengthen families. Hunger Briefing Features Baltimore Senior and Denver Grandmother of Three At the congressional briefing on the persistence of hunger, Catholic Charities USA called on Congress to give a higher priority to helping those living with hunger to strengthen current federal nutrition programs to help reduce hunger and poverty in America. In 2005, Catholic Charities agencies nationwide served more than 5 million people through their food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, and other food service programs. Those served in Catholic Charities soup kitchens has increased 27 percent since 2001, while clients served by food banks increased by almost 15 percent. And the need for nutrition assistance across the country continues to rise, especially among low-income working families. For example, as many as 40 percent of the working poor must turn to emergency food to fight off hunger, and 29 percent of food stamp recipients are in families where at least one person works. Father Snyder said that while Catholic Charities agencies continue to provide needed food for families, the organization is working to convince federal lawmakers to revise and improve nutrition programs.
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