Expressing Support of House for Organizations Providing Emergency Food Assistance

EXPRESSING SUPPORT OF HOUSE FOR ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE -- (House of Representatives - October 05, 2004)

(BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT)

Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 261. Currently, about 35 million Americans either don't know where their next meal is coming from, or they have to cut back on what they eat because they don't have enough money for groceries. Thankfully, there are organizations like Second Harvest who provide when it is most needed. America's Second Harvest is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. The America's Second Harvest mission is to feed hungry people by soliciting and distributing food and grocery products through a nationwide network of certified affiliate food banks and food-rescue programs and to educate the public about the nature of and solutions to the problem of hunger in America.

America's Second Harvest's network of more than 200 regional food banks and food-rescue organizations serves all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico by distributing food and grocery products to approximately 50,000 local charitable hunger-relief agencies including food pantries, soup kitchens, women's shelters, Kids Cafes, Community Kitchens, and other organizations that provide emergency food assistance.

As we approach fall and the holiday season, many of our food banks will not have enough food. I urge our citizens who are fortunate to have the necessities in life to share with their neighbors who are more in need-not just around the holidays when we are reminded but throughout the year. I hope one day Congress is able to report to our Nation that the number of hungry citizens in our Nation is decreasing. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation as a way to thank those organizations that have assisted in feeding the hungry for so many years and encourage more people to assist in this fight.