Washington, D.C. – Bread for the World today released the following statement regarding the ‘phase three’ COVID-19 economic stimulus package now being considered by Congress. The statement can be attributed to Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World:
“Bread for the World urges Congress not to shortchange low-income families in the reported $1 trillion ‘phase three’ COVID-19 economic stimulus package. These families are likely to suffer the greatest health and economic impacts from COVID-19. Any stimulus package must ensure that all families, and especially the most vulnerable, receive the support they need.
“The proposal currently supported by the Administration and Senator McConnell would result in less cash assistance to families in poverty than to the rest of the population. We should instead give more help to people who will be hardest hit by this crisis. Economic studies show that assistance to low-income people gets spent and helps to stimulate the economy especially quickly.”
Afghanistan would be considered likely to have high rates of hunger because at least two of the major causes of global hunger affect it—armed conflict and fragile governmental institutions.
Malnutrition is responsible for nearly half of all preventable deaths among children under 5. Every year, the world loses hundreds of thousands of young children and babies to hunger-related causes.
Bread for the World is calling on the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to build a better 1,000-Days infrastructure in the United States.
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.
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The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition.
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.