Covenant News

Groups Want More Funding for Hunger Fight

CHICAGO, IL (August 1, 2005) - Leaders of anti-hunger groups gathered here Thursday to discuss national poll results showing 92 percent of likely voters want Congress to continue programs that combat hunger.

Those programs include school nutrition programs, food stamps and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.

Despite public attitudes, people often do not realize the seriousness of the problem when it comes to specific issues related to hunger, says Glenn Palmberg, president of the Evangelical Covenant Church, who attended the meeting. One of those issues is the level of federal funding for programs like food stamps.

A Bread for the World analysis of the proposed Fiscal Year 2006 budget suggests that changes in eligibility requirements proposed by the president will result in a reduction in funding for food stamps by $500 million over the next five years, potentially removing an estimated 300,000 women and children from the roster of eligible recipients. An added fear is that Congressional agriculture committees may further reduce food stamp support as they seek to trim some $3 billion over the next five years – the food stamp program is administered by the Department of Agriculture.

Pollster Jim McLaughlin, whose firm McLaughlin and Associates conducted the national poll, agreed with Palmberg that most people do not realize cuts are being proposed. The poll was commissioned by the Alliance to End Hunger.

Palmberg added that Americans are unaware of how much the United States gives in worldwide humanitarian aid, saying that most think the country gives 15 percent of its Gross Domestic Product. "The truth is we are one of the worst in the world, giving two-tenths of one percent."

The poll findings reflect strong support for The Hunger-Free Communities Act of 2005, which seeks to cut hunger in the United States by half by 2010. The act would be funded at $15 million and provide funding to local organizations that work collaboratively to fight hunger. According to the poll, 72 percent of respondents said they favored such legislation.

According to U.S. Census Data, 36 million Americans are hungry, at risk of hunger, or "food insecure" – meaning they are unsure whether they will be able to pay for food.

Other findings of the poll include:

• 75 percent of voters say the food program should be protected from cuts by the administration or Congress even in a tight budget year.
• 63 percent of voters say that they feel the federal government is spending too little on feeding hungry Americans.
• 58 percent agree that the United States has a moral obligation to help lift Africa out of poverty.
• 77 percent of Americans favor President Bush committing the United States to an initiative to work with the leading industrial nations to support African countries that are working to reduce hunger, poverty and disease.
• 62 percent of voters favor spending an addition $2 billion to support child hunger and nutrition programs in Africa.

Pollster Jim McLaughlin said hunger issues often are not at the top of people's political concerns until the issue is discussed with them. McLaughlin said the results have significant political implications, saying he tells candidates that they have to pay special attention to any results that are above 65 percent.

McLaughlin believes there has been a "disconnect" between politicians and the public on the hunger issue, but believes that is changing. "It's no accident," McLaughlin notes, that John Edwards (considered a likely Democratic presidential contender in 2008) is directing the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity, which presents itself as a nonpartisan initiative to bring policy experts together to discuss the issues. "It's good policy and it's good politics," McLaughlin said.

"Overcoming hunger is central to all of our faith traditions," says David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. "Americans understand the morality on this issue and now is the time for us to do our part." (Accompanying photo shows Palmberg and Beckmann.)

The gathering Thursday represented a wide range of religious and secular organizations. Participating were representatives of MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger; the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago; and Second Harvest – The Nation's Food Bank Network, which is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States.

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