You and 159 million children

2 MIN READ

By Rev. David Beckmann

The 2016 Offering of Letters has officially begun! This is Bread’s annual year-long campaign. This year, the theme is “Survive and Thrive,” focusing on maternal and child health with an emphasis on nutrition. Making progress on malnutrition and health among women and children is key to ending chronic hunger and extreme poverty around the world.

God calls us to care for people who are hungry, and women and children are the most vulnerable to hunger (Isaiah 58:7). Now is the time to act for maternal and child nutrition! Call (800-826-3688) or email U.S. representative or U.S. senators today. Urge Congress to increase funding to at least $230 million for global nutrition programs.

The U.S. Congress plays a critical role in setting the policies and funding levels that will enable the U.S. government to do its part to improve nutrition and health among mothers and children. Congress should increase funding for maternal and child nutrition to at least $230 million in the State Department Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill’s Global Health Account.

Since 2016 is an election year, Congress is aiming to work on an accelerated appropriations timeline. This means that the earlier you can hold your Offering of Letters and contact your members of Congress, the better! The appropriations process is essentially the way Congress slices the pie and divides it up among federal programs after the size of the pie — the federal budget — has been determined.

Let Congress know that our country’s leadership is vital in a world where 159 million children suffer health, educational, and economic consequences of chronic malnutrition. Call or email your U.S. representative or U.S. senators today. Tell Congress that increasing global nutrition funding is a major step toward ending hunger.

Rev. David Beckmann is the president of Bread for the World.

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