Bread for the World Lauds Obama’s Promises To End Child Hunger and Reduce Poverty
WASHINGTON, DC | JANUARY 15 When the political will to fight poverty matches the spiritual conviction to help poor people, there is potential for real change," said Bread for the World President Rev. David Beckmann.
Today, more than 80 church leaders from 36 Christian denominations called on President-elect Barack Obama and Congress to make the needs of poor people a priority in the economic recovery package now under deliberation.
As President-elect Obama takes office, more than one in 10 Americans are receiving food stamps. Half of the recipients are children. With 7.2 percent of Americans unemployed, demands on food banks have surged by as much as 40 percent.
"Poor people are hardest hit by the economic crisis, so the economic recovery package must provide for America's low-income people," said Rev. Beckmann.
Bread for the World wants the new economic recovery package to include:
- Temporary increases for food assistance programs, including SNAP (formerly food stamps), WIC and food banks;
- Extension of unemployment insurance benefits through 2009;
- Assistance to states for the cost of health coverage through Medicaid; and
- Job creation and worker training.
"Food assistance alone will immediately stimulate the economy," said Rev. Beckmann. "Every dollar invested in food stamps translates into $1.73 in additional economic activity."
He urged the incoming president and the new Congress to move the package as quickly as possible since there is overwhelming public support for policies that can lift people out of hunger and poverty. A post-election poll conducted by the Alliance to End Hunger, revealed that three in four voters approved of President-elect Obama's proposals for cutting poverty and hunger. This includes increasing funding for federal nutrition programs, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, raising the minimum wage, and expanding after school, weekend and summer feeding programs for low-income children.
"While I am inspired by President-elect Obama's promises to poor people, these must be fulfilled as soon as possible," said Rev. Beckmann. "My recent meetings with the transition teams have made me hopeful that his administration will be faithful to those promises."
###
Bread for the World (www.bread.org) is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad.
