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Letters to the Editor
Dear Editor:
Hunger is one of the most solvable problems facing our region, and our nation. But sadly, one in ten Americans are hungry or at risk of hunger. More than 100,000 of them live right here in Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties. As a member of America's Second Harvest-The Nation's Food Bank Network, the Food Bank of Western New York is working desperately to combat hunger in our region, but more help is needed.
The federal government has an important role to play in ending hunger. Federal nutrition programs, such as the Food Stamp Program, The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), are the first line of defense for millions of low- and fixed-income Americans.
Now, U.S. Reps. James McGovern (D-MA) and Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) have taken a major step forward by introducing the "Feeding America's Families Act" (HR 2129), which would provide $20 billion in new spending for federal nutrition programs over the next five years.
The proposal contains extensive changes to the current Farm Bill scheduled to expire at the end of this fiscal year. Among the key proposed changes for our region is improving and expanding access and benefits for the Food Stamp Program. Only 60 percent of Americans who are eligible for this program are currently enrolled. The bill would also increase resources available to fund the transportation and distribution of emergency food.
We commend our local Representatives Brian Higgins (D) and Louise Slaughter (D) for signing on as a cosponsor of this act and we urge our other representatives in the House and our senators to consider sponsoring the "Feeding America's Families Act" as a great path toward ending hunger in our region.
Yours truly, Clem Eckert President and CEO Food Bank of WNY Buffalo, New York
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