Food Banks Urge Passage Of Historic Farm Bill To Help Hungry Americans
Statement Attributable to:
Vicki Escarra
President & CEO
(Available for interview upon request.)
“On behalf of 35 million hungry Americans, I urge Members of the House and Senate to vote in favor of the historic, hunger-fighting Farm Bill on Wednesday. Hungry Americans are facing one of the most difficult times they have seen in recent years, and our food banks are on the brink of catastrophe.
“A recent survey of 180 food banks found that 99 percent of respondents are seeing increases in the number of low-income Americans turning to the nation’s food banks, soup kitchens and food pantries for help. The average reported increase was 15-20 percent, and 80 percent of food banks have indicated that they are unable to adequately meet the demands for food assistance in their communities. More than 90 percent of food banks cited rising food and fuel prices as a primary factor driving the increased need.
“Hungry Americans need a Farm Bill enacted now! The charitable distribution system in the United States is overburdened, and soaring food and fuel prices continue to send more and more Americans into the ranks of hunger. We must begin to replenish scare inventories at food banks and make significant improvements to the Food Stamp Program to ensure that our neighbors in every community—right here in the United States—do not go to bed hungry.”
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America's Second Harvest - The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through its network of more than 200 member food banks, America's Second Harvest annually provides assistance to more than 25 million people in need, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3 million seniors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each year, America's Second Harvest secures and distributes more than 2 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products to support feeding programs at approximately 50,000 local charitable agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. To learn more, please visit www.secondharvest.org.
Contact:
Maura Daly
Cell: 301.943.3733
Ross Fraser
Office: 312.641.6422
Cell: 312.307.8470
