Write to Congress
Bread for the World urges elected leaders in Washington, D.C., to enable people in our nation and our world to feed their families and move out of poverty.
Personalized emails stand out. They tell senators and representative that you, as a constituent, really care about an issue. Members of Congress want to hear from their constituents about the issues on which they will vote in the Senate and House of Representatives.
The following are issues moving in Congress and/or in the administration. This is your opportunity to change policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist here and abroad.
Global Nutrition
Conflict, climate change, growing instability in fragile states, and the coronavirus pandemic have caused significant setbacks in reducing global hunger. Now, more than ever, U.S. investments in global health, food security, and nutrition are critical for the future.
Malnutrition is the leading risk factor for death among children globally, accounting for 45 percent of all child deaths—losses that are almost entirely preventable. Congress has the opportunity through legislation to change the course of the lives of millions of children. They just need the political will to make it happen.
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Refundable Tax Credits
When it comes to fighting hunger, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC) are proven to be the most successful at moving more children out of poverty than any other government program.
COVID-19 exposed the vulnerability of the U.S. safety net and amplified the inequity that shows that Black, Latino, and Indigenous children have disproportionately higher levels of food insecurity than their white counterparts. Children are more vulnerable than any other group to the damaging impacts of hunger even for short periods. By making the recent expansion in the refundable tax credits permanent, Congress can cut child hunger in half, with even greater impacts in communities of color.
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Child Nutrition Reauthorization
Reauthorization of child nutrition programs is long overdue. The programs were last authorized in 2010 when lawmakers passed the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Congress is supposed to pass legislation that funds and sets policies for national child nutrition programs every five years. The programs include school lunch and breakfast programs, afterschool and summer feeding programs, and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). These programs serve millions of low-income children annually and ensure their access to the nutritious food they need to thrive.
One in seven families with children are not getting enough to eat because they cannot afford it, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. Congress must enact policy that strengthen and protect child nutrition programs.
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Immigration and Migration
Immigration is a hunger issue on both sides of the border. Hunger and poverty push people to leave their home countries but many remain at high risk of hunger and poverty once they arrive in the United States due to our broken immigration system.
Congress must address the root causes of migration—hunger, poverty, and climate change— by investing in nutrition programs and strengthening U.S. development and humanitarian assistance. Congress must also fix our broken immigration system by passing just comprehensive immigration reform in the U.S. that includes a pathway to citizenship for those who are undocumented.
Take Action"Jesus said ...
'You give them something to eat.'"
Matthew 14:16
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
FAQ: Hunger Crisis in Afghanistan
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.
Global Malnutrition Fact Sheet 2021
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.
MEMO ON THE HIGH RETURNS OF INVESTING IN A 1,000 DAYS INFRASTRUCTURE
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.
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue
“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.
The Bible on...
Faith Leaders' Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
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.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
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.