Senate Hunger Caucus Co-Chairs Lead Bipartisan Senate Food Drive on National Hunger Awareness Day

SENATE HUNGER CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS LEAD BIPARTISAN SENATE FOOD DRIVE ON NATIONAL HUNGER AWARENESS DAY

Donations Collected from Senators and Staff Will Benefit Capital Area Food Bank

- U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) today presented food collected in the Senate Food Drive to the Capital Area Food Bank. The donated food will help families in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia. The Senate Food Drive was organized by the four co-chairs of the Senate Hunger Caucus to commemorate National Hunger Awareness Day, June 7, 2005.

Hunger is a problem that continues to affect millions of Americans. In 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that more than 36 million Americans, including 13 million children, lived in homes that experienced hunger or were at risk for hunger. Food banks, soup kitchens, and charities have experienced increased demand for their services, and they have struggled to keep up with the need.

"Democrats and Republicans have come together in Washington to encourage all Americans to fight hunger in our communities," said Durbin. "We organized today's food drive in the Senate, but there are many ways to help. I hope that people in Illinois and across the nation will participate in National Hunger Awareness Day and work toward solutions to this problem throughout the year."

"Simply being able to hold down a job doesn't necessarily guarantee your family three square meals a day, but there are organizations who are addressing this need as a mission field," said Senator Dole. "I implore our friends on both sides of the aisle and throughout this great country to join this heartfelt mission, this grassroots network of compassion that transcends political ideology and will provide hope and security not only for those in need today, but for future generations as well."

"As Americans, we are called today to remember that millions in our country still live on the brink of hunger," Senator Lincoln said. "Yet it's important that we also use today to retrain our focus on the need to alleviate hunger both here at home and abroad. National Hunger Awareness Day is a calling to us all to act on our responsibility to care for America's most vulnerable citizens."

The Senators noted that food donations in the summertime are especially important. Emergency food providers report increased demand in the summer months, yet receive the lowest levels of donations in the summer.

This is the fourth year of National Hunger Awareness Day. Thousands of hunger-relief activities are planned today in communities throughout the country.

http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=238533&&