Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Tell your congressperson to protect anti-hunger programs!

October 14 is the deadline for Committees to provide recommendations to the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction (the Supercommittee), but right now the political threats and opportunities are multiple and ongoing, and so we must continue our steady drumbeat about protecting anti-hunger programs at every possible opportunity. 

Because the Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill was significantly better than the House version, it is important we continue to register our support right now to get the best possible outcome. 


Use our toll free number to help us track our impact. Just dial 1-877-698-8228 to be connected directly to both of your senators. 

  • The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks urges Senator Brown and Senator Portman to vote for passage of the Senate's FY2012 Agriculture Appropriations legislation when it comes to the Senate floor in the coming weeks and to oppose any amendments that would strip funding from valuable food assistance programs.
  • Our foodbank and food pantries ability to serve our community is at stake. This bill funds programs such as the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) which are critical to addressing hunger in low-income families all across the state.   
  • Hunger is a real problem in Ohio.  With unemployment stuck above 9% nationally and millions of families struggling to find work or working for reduced wages, the need for food assistance in our community remains incredibly high.  Protecting anti-hunger programs throughout the budget process is critical to reducing hunger in our state.
  • One out of every four children in Ohio are hungry - They cannot wait while politicians debate.

Join OASHF in signing this federal sign-on letter

The Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks has signed on to a Federal Sign-On Letter and we are helping to circulate the letter and build support across Ohio.

Will you help us send a message to Ohio's Congressional delegation about the federal budget by
signing on here?

The goal of the letter is to strengthen the resolve of Senator Portman and other key members of Ohio's Congressional delegation to advocate for a deficit-reduction plan that does not increase poverty or income inequality.

 
Please sign on now.

 Advocates for Ohio's Future will deliver the letter to Senator Portman and the rest of Ohio's Congressional delegation. It is important that they hear from organizations in Ohio that cutting major health, human service, and early care & education programs that serve the most vulnerable is not the answer to the nation's budget problems.

If you are not in a position to speak on behalf of your organization, you can help by sharing this with your Executive Director and encouraging your organization to act now.

You can also help by forwarding this opportunity to agencies and organizations you work with locally and across Ohio.

Thank you for lending your name to build our strength and our voice.