Anti-Hunger Call In Days April 17-19

Soon, the House and Senate Agriculture Committees will be discussing SNAP/ Food Stamp legislation  (known as CalFresh in California).   SNAP is a critical nutrition benefit that helps low-income people to be able to purchase food.  SNAP benefits are used in grocery stores and supermarkets, providing an economic stimulus to local businesses while helping alleviate hunger for the people who receive benefits.

Because SNAP is such an important nutrition / anti-hunger program, Feeding America and the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) are sponsoring call-in days April 17-19.  People from all across the nation will be calling their Congressional representatives to tell them to protect and strengthen the SNAP program.

Here’s how you can join in:

Call Your Senators Toll Free:  1-877-698-8228 – You will be directed to the offices of your Senators (Toll Free number courtesy of Feeding America.)

Call Your House Members:  202-225-3121 (Capitol Switchboard)

FRAC suggests that every communication to our Members of Congress should contain these three words:  strengthen, protect, SNAP.

FRAC has developed the following talking points to help us communicate with our legislators:

•    SNAP works. Weakening SNAP would lead to more hunger and food insecurity, worse health and educational outcomes, and higher health costs.
•    Increasing SNAP benefits reduce hunger. USDA researchers found that the boost to SNAP benefits included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) improved the food security of low-income households.
•    SNAP is responsive in times of need. SNAP’s responsiveness to unemployment proved it to be one of the most effective safety net programs during the recent recession, providing families with a stable source of food.
•    SNAP helps the most vulnerable. The average beneficiary household has an income of only 57 percent of the federal poverty guideline; and 84 percent of all benefits go to households with a child, senior, or disabled person.
•    SNAP lifts people out of poverty. SNAP lifted 3.9 million Americans above the poverty line in 2010, including 1.7 million children and 280,000 seniors.
•    SNAP has – for decades – enjoyed bipartisan support. Recent polling data from FRAC found that 77 percent of voters said that cutting SNAP would be the wrong way to reduce government spending. Every bipartisan deficit group in 2010-2011 has insulated it from cuts, including the Simpson-Bowles and Domenici-Rivlin commissions; the Gang of Six; and the August 2011 deficit agreement. In his FY2012 and FY2013 budgets the President has included proposals to strengthen the program.

For more information, visit the FRAC website.