Religious leaders meet Sen. Tim Kaine; ask for a meeting with Gov. Mike Pence

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Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine, left, and Rev. Gabriel Salguero, right during meeting with religious leaders. Photo courtesy of National Latino Evangelical Coalition.

By Bread Staff

Together with 30 other religious leaders, Bishop Jose Garcia, director of church relations at Bread for the World, met with Democratic vice presidential candidate Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia earlier this week.

Bread for the World also hopes to meet with the Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence. A formal request for a meeting has been made. Kaine and Pence will meet for the first and only vice-presidential debate on Tuesday, Oct. 4.

The meeting was organized by the Rev. Gabriel Salguero, pastor of Iglesia El Calvario in Orlando, Fla.

Garcia asked Kaine how, if they win, a Clinton administration would end hunger, alleviate poverty, and create opportunity in the United States and around the world? Kaine responded by saying that their approach to the hunger question would be comprehensive and would address the following issues:

  • Programs that impact mother and child nutrition, with emphasis on children before they reach 5 years old
  • Food programs that would be extended beyond the school year
  • Improve programs for the elderly that deal with nutrition
  • Food deserts
  • Work with USAID in programs that lead to ending hunger at an international level
  • Development of agricultural technologies that can help people overseas move to sustainable agriculture
  • Climate change because it has an impact on hunger

Before meeting privately with the religious leaders, Kaine addressed the group for about 10 minutes with the press in attendance. He shared three themes. First, that Hillary Clinton and he would push for comprehensive immigration reform during the first 100 days. Second, he talked about the need to continue improving the economy, and third, the need to bring respect and civility to the public discourse.

Salguero, president of the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, also invited Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) to the meeting. It took place at Iglesia El Calvario, where Rev. Salguero is a pastor.

This election season, Bread is urging voters to elect a president and Congress who will put the United States and the world on track to end hunger by 2030.

 

 

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