America's economic recession is taking a terrible toll on Americans and their ability to feed their families.
1 in 8 Americans receives food assistance every day. That's nearly 37 million people served annually. This is a 46% increase over 2006, and an additional one million people receiving emergency assistance every week. Tell Congress to support increased funding for emergency food programs.
At Feeding America, we want to do more to help hungry Americans make it through these tough economic times. You can help -- sign the petition and tell Congress to support increased funding for emergency food programs.
Dear Representative:
A recent nationwide study conducted by Feeding America -- Hunger in America 2010 -- shows an alarming increase in the number of individuals struggling with food insecurity. The report shows that Feeding America's food bank network is feeding 37 million people annually, an increase of 46 percent since 2006 -- and that the increased numbers are directly related to the economic downturn across the nation.
Unemployment is currently over 10 percent, leading to more first-time users than ever before of our nation's charitable food distribution system. Yet, even with the unemployment rate skyrocketing, more than one-third of households served by Feeding America have one or more adults working -- those jobs just don't bring in enough money to pay the bills. In fact, nearly 46 percent of client households who are in need of emergency food assistance are regularly forced to make difficult choices between food and other basic necessities of life, including utilities, rent or mortgage, transportation, and medical care.
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I urge you to help American families struggling with hunger get through these tough economic times. Please support increased funding for TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) and other emergency food programs.
