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***Your call makes a difference on Food Stamps Wednesday, Jan 30th*** We have set up a special line that will connect you with Senator Tom Daschle, the minority leader in the Senate. Call 1-877-431-0006 and deliver the following message: **Improve the Food Stamp Program**
don’t put money in the pockets of Corporate Agribusiness.
SHAME ON DEMOCRATS Senator Richard Lugar, a Republican from Indiana, developed a far better plan to improve our nation's first line of defense against hunger than what Senator Tom Harkin, a Democrat from Iowa, proposed in his Farm Bill. Senate Democrats are on the run they are embarrassed because they appear to be to the right of Republicans on poor peoples issues. Democrats are faced with a clear choice between funding large corporate agribusiness and food stamps for our hungry neighbors. ** They have said that if they increase funding to Food Stamps, they’ll have to take away money allocated to Corporate Agribusiness. If that happens, the Senate Democrats even threatened that “Big Commodities” will pull back on their support of Senate Democrats.** They are hoping you will not notice. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Coalitions of poor peoples groups started fighting a defensive fight on food stamps, expecting to see the beginnings of the destruction of the program. Instead we are poised to win an increase in funding for the program, a lowering of the punitive barriers to the program and a restoration of benefits to legal immigrants. In order to win, we need YOU help to demonstrate that people are paying attention. Show your solidarity. This call will take less that 5 minutes. Please take a minute right now to make the call. Need more information: check out our website and the websites of our coalition members. www.nationalcampaign.org, www.maketanfwork.org
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Background RECESSION. As our nation slides deeper into a recession, it is now more important than ever to ensure that low-income families have access to adequate levels of food stamp benefits. Food Stamps are used by the most vulnerable people in the U.S. In 2000, households with children receive 87 percent of all food stamp benefits, 21 percent of food stamp households contain and elderly person and 27.5 percent contain a disabled person. DROPPING CASELOADS. According to USDA, 31 million Americans were hungry or at risk of hunger in 1999. Yet, participation in the Food Stamp Program, our nation’s first line of defense against hunger, has been dropping precipitously. From 1994 to 1998, the percentage of eligible households actually receiving benefits dropped from 74% to only 59%. Important changes are needed at the federal level to close this need gap and ensure that the Food Stamp Program continues to fulfill its mission to improve the health and well-being of America’s low-income families.
IMMIGRANTS. When Congress passed welfare reform in 1996, they cut off assistance to all legal immigrants, regardless of need. This policy has not only harmed low-income immigrant adults, but their citizen children as well. Since 1994, 75 percent of otherwise eligible citizen children of legal immigrants left the Food Stamp Program because of fear and confusion over who is and who is not eligible. Eligibility for food stamps must be based on need, not citizenship status. ORGANIZING WORKS. Many grassroots organizations including: Northwest Federation of Community Organizations (Idaho Community Action Network, Oregon Action, Montana People’s Action, Washington Citizen Action), South Carolina Fair Share, Arkansas ACORN, GRO - GrassRoots Organizing, Illinois Hunger Coalition, Just Harvest, SIREN - San Jose Immigrants Rights Network, CHIRLA - Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, ICIRR - Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, MIRA, Texas ACORN, PLAN, National Training & Information Center, 9to5, Mississippi Equity Coalition…just to name a few, have been involved in the fight to ensure that all of America’s families have access to the food stamp program. The debate on the re-authorization of food stamps started with talk of block granting, less funding and more work requirements. However, through organizing public events, legislative visits and direct action we have been able to shift the debate in Congress to make posi! tive changes to the food stamp program and increase funding.
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