Advocate for Change

Help End Childhood Hunger: Write to Congress

While hunger affects people of all ages, children are particularly vulnerable.  Inadequate nutrition has a devastating impact on children’s health, growth and learning.  We can end childhood hunger by ensuring that every child receives nutritious meals at home, school, day-care, after-school and summer programs.

The federal nutrition programs, including School Lunch, School Breakfast, Afterschool Meals, Summer Food and WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) are effective at feeding children where they live, learn and play.  In Rhode Island, over 50,000 students receive free or reduced-price school meals; more than 20,000 young children are enrolled in WIC.

Every five years, Congress must approve funding for these key child nutrition programs.  Earlier this year, Senator Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas released the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010.  This legislation proposes the first substantial increase in funding for child nutrition in several decades. And, recently, Representative George Miller of California introduced the companion bill in the House, called “Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act of 2010.”  This legislation increases funding for these critical programs by $8 billion over 10 years, ensuring that the federal reimbursement for meals keeps up with the actual cost of healthy, nutritious food. Congressman Miller’s bill also makes needed adjustments to these programs so that more kids can participate.

Write to the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation today. Ask Senators Reed and Whitehouse to support the Health, Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010 in the Senate and ask Representatives Kennedy and Langevin to support the Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act of 2010 in the House. 

Click here for a sample letter to Senators Reed and Whitehouse.

Click here for a sample letter to Representatives Kennedy and Langevin.

Help Hungry Families: Write to the Governor

The economic recession has led to job loss and financial ruin for thousands of Rhode Island families.  It is critically important that these families have the resources to afford adequate food and avoid hunger.  The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, previously called the Food Stamp Program) boosts the buying power of struggling families where they need it the most, in the supermarket.

Low-income households receive, on average, $275 in SNAP benefits each month for food purchases.  SNAP also helps the Rhode Island economy since these federal dollars are spent at local supermarkets and grocery stores.  In fact, the state received over $170 million through SNAP last year.

As more Rhode Island families become eligible for SNAP, it is up to the Department of Human Services – that oversees the application process – to help these families enroll and receive benefits. Unfortunately, the state lacks enough eligibility workers to manage the current caseload, resulting in long delays and unfair denials. 
  
Write to Governor Carcieri today or send him an e-mail (dcarcieri@gov.state.ri.us) and urge him to make it easier for those in need to apply for SNAP.  Click here for a sample letter to the Governor.

Helpful Links

Click here for contact information on Rhode Island's Senators

For a list of Rhode Island Representatives, click here.

To download a list of Rhode Island Senators, click here.

To find your Representative or Senator, click here.

For some easy and effective tips you can use when contacting your legislator, please click here.

Many thanks for letting your voice be heard!