Feature Story

December 1, 2008

Four Actions to Take in this Holiday Season to End Hunger in America

Food Research and Action Center:

Congress is on recess until December 8th, but more layoffs and pay cuts are happening every day, and hunger is growing every day. Here are four ways that you can act over the next few days to initiate meaningful solutions to eliminate hunger in our communities.

1. Share your vision of a hunger-free America with President-elect Obama as he invites your input on his website. Enthusiastically support his commitment to end childhood hunger by 2015 and to cut poverty in half.

2. Call your Members of Congress toll-free at (800) 473-6711* and urge them to pass right away a temporary boost in SNAP/Food Stamp benefits as a key step in their economic stimulus/recovery work. View a letter signed by national organizations (pdf) supporting a SNAP boost.

3. Write a letter to the editor highlighting the recent USDA Food Insecurity data that shows hunger on the rise through 2007 - - with worse in store for 2008. Follow the steps to send a letter. For your state information, visit the state profiles page on the FRAC Web site.

4. Although hunger may be a focus during this holiday season, remember it occurs year-round, and peaks during the summer months when regular year school meals programs stop. Tell your Members of Congress via e-mail or at meetings or forums while they are home to expand and improve the federal child nutrition programs and WIC in the upcoming 2009 reauthorization. Sign up for FRAC's Child Nutrition Action Alerts by contacting Etienne Melcher, emelcher@frac.org.