Update on the Offering of Letters
By Rev. Schaunel Steinnagel
Hunger Action Enabler, Presbytery of Philadelphia
In May of this year, you may have written a letter to your U.S. Congressperson or Senator, concerning ways that United States foreign assistance could be made more effective, because this was the proposed Bread for the World Offering of Letters issue for 2011. What a year it has been, so far! Sadly, good ideas, on how to make foreign assistance more effective at reducing poverty, have not been able to be a meaningful topic of discussion so far in Congress, because instead, conversation has been dominated by consideration of deficit reduction, and anti-hunger advocates have found themselves defending the less than 1% of the federal budget, which supports foreign assistance, and the 14% of the budget that provides for human needs programs, rather than giving thought to how to more effectively put dollars into use. Large cuts to certain programs will make it even more difficult to go forth in our struggles to fight hunger!
Fast-forward to fall, 2011! In August, Congress agreed to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, with the stipulation that a “Super Committee” work on a proposal for deficit reduction, their recommendation due by November 23—the day before Thanksgiving—for an up-or-down vote of Congress by December 23—the day before their recess for Christmas. Any programs—domestic, international, defense, revenue increases—are open for consideration. Senator Toomey from Pennsylvania is on the Super Committee. Bread for the World is offering a new sample letter, for people who would like to write either a first or a second letter to Congress this year, because of the seriousness of this season for the future of key anti-hunger programs. Bread for the World is joining with other organizations in calling for a “Circle of Protection” around programs that serve the hungry and vulnerable, both in our own country and throughout the world. Letters from people with Senators and Representatives in Super Committee members’ states and districts are especially needed, so would you please consider writing a letter to Senator Toomey at this time? Due to security measures, it takes two to four weeks for a letter to reach Congress. Let’s write letters to Senator Toomey now, so that he can receive them before his November 23 deadline! There is a sample letter at http://www.bread.org/ol/2011/sample-letter.html. Please consider a handwritten letter. Let me know if you have questions or need further information.
Meanwhile, our region faces hunger programs of its own. Within the city of Philadelphia is the second hungriest congressional district of the nation. Nearly 500,000 in Philadelphia and one million people in the region are now relying on food cupboards. Orange postcards are available, to send to Mayor Nutter, from people both in the suburbs and the city, asking for a coordinated response to hunger. We need more than food cupboards. We need to move our communities. Please sign and mail an orange postcard, or speak with me further about this effort!
