WASHINGTON, DC (Press Release) – The National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) on Wednesday, Nov. 24, called on the House of Representatives to pass the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which will improve programs that provide access to food for families and children in need. NCJW President Nancy Ratzan released the following statement:
“On the eve of Thanksgiving, and in the midst of the worst economic crisis in 70 years, it is imperative that the House pass the pending Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. Just this month, the US Department of Agriculture reported that in 2009 at least 50 million Americans suffered from food insecurity — more than 17 million of them children. One in four children in the US is at risk of hunger and one in three is overweight or obese. Reversing these statistics is a moral responsibility we share as a nation.
“The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act would improve school lunch programs by strengthening nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools, providing schools with increased resources and training to improve meal quality, and supporting farm-to-school programs and school gardens. It would aid breakfast, after-school, and summer meal programs nationwide and help child care providers improve the health of young children. The bill also strengthens the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
“Unfortunately, this bill is paid for with money taken from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). We must not, as some say, take money from dinner to pay for lunch. NCJW is committed to ensuring that SNAP cuts are restored before they take effect.
“Thanksgiving is a celebration of the bounty in our lives. As we come together with family and friends to give thanks for our nation’s blessings, we must not forget those struggling to survive in today’s economy — those who cannot find work, who are in danger of losing their homes, and who simply do not have enough to eat. To celebrate Thanksgiving, we must share what we have as a nation with those who have not. To do otherwise robs the holiday of any meaning.”
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Preceding provided by the National Council of Jewish Women