Feeding America today issued the following statement in response to the release of President Barack Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 Budget
Statement Attributable to Diana Aviv, CEO of Feeding America:
“President Obama’s FY 2017 budget proposal demonstrates an investment in America’s families and communities by strengthening programs that expand opportunity, improve health and reduce poverty.
“While unemployment has fallen to pre-recession levels, millions of Americans including low wage people employed part and full time are, making difficult choices between paying the rent, keeping the utilities turned on or buying food.
“For families who have fallen on hard times, Federal hunger-relief programs are indispensable. Programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP), school lunch and breakfast, summer meals and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) provide nourishment to people in every community in America.
“We are particularly pleased with the President’s proposal to strengthen access to summer meals, by providing a summer grocery card to low-income families with children. Currently, 82 percent of children receiving free and reduced price school meals are not being reached during the summer months. Summer EBT pilot projects have been tested and evaluated. The results demonstrated a one-third reduction in food insecurity among children and increased consumption of healthy foods. Expanding this program will help close the summer meal gap and ensure that more children are getting the nutrition they need to learn and grow when school is out.
“As Congress moves forward to reauthorize federal child nutrition programs this year, we urge its members to pass a strong child nutrition bill that makes the investments and improvements needed to end childhood hunger.
“We are also pleased that the budget provides additional investments in funding for TEFAP and senior nutrition programs.
“We are disappointed to see that, once again, the president’s budget calls for policy changes that would limit the positive impact of charitable giving from taxpayers. We are concerned that this could reduce giving at a pivotal time for our network.”
"We will continue to work with our supporters in Congress and our hunger-relief partners to strengthen and protect Federal hunger-relief programs and ensure that all of our neighbors have enough food to eat."
Contact
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About Feeding America
Feeding America is committed to an America where no one is hungry. We support tens of millions of people who experience food insecurity to get the food and resources they say they need to thrive as part of a nationwide network of food banks, statewide food bank associations, food pantries and meal programs. We also invest in innovative solutions to increase equitable access to nutritious food, advocate for legislation that improves food security and work to address factors that impact food security, such as health, cost of living and employment. We partner with people experiencing food insecurity, policymakers, organizations, and supporters, united with them in a movement to end hunger. Visit FeedingAmerica.org to learn more.