Expressing Support of House For Organizations Providing Emergency Food Assistance

EXPRESSING SUPPORT OF HOUSE FOR ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE -- (Extensions of Remarks - October 10, 2004)

Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 261, to support the efforts of food-assistance organizations and charities in providing food to the nation's families. This resolution encourages Americans to volunteer services to local anti-hunger advocacy groups and food-assistance providers, food banks, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters.

Too many children and their families go hungry every day in a country that every year exports more than $56 billion worth of food around the world. More than 35 million Americans face hunger. Of these, 13 million are children. Chronic food insecurity remains a hard fact of life for thousands of Minnesotans.

Food-assistance organizations and food banks help our neighbors get enough food to keep them healthy. Seniors and working families are making impossible choices every day between heating their homes and buying their groceries. Seniors debate between whether to purchase prescription drugs or to buy food. Families choose between finding an affordable place to live and putting food on the table. These choices are simply unacceptable.

I am proud of the work of the food banks and food-assistance organizations in my district. Every year they help thousands of Minnesota families meet their nutritional needs. Groups like Second Harvest Heartland and its statewide network of 849 agencies distribute every year over 27 million pounds of food.

Second Harvest Heartland is leading the forces in Minnesota to fight hunger. When I visited them last year I saw first hand how they provide nutritious snacks and meals to kids during the summer and to after-school enrichment programs. They reiterated for me how they and food banks around the state distribute millions of pounds of food to families and provide nutrition education to mothers and children every year.

Unfortunately, their services are increasingly needed due to President Bush's jobs deficit. Between March 2001 and September 2003, 37 of 41 Minnesota counties served by Second Harvest Heartland saw an increase in new food support applications. Statewide, the demand for food support increased 10.2 percent.

Minnesota has a long, rich tradition of caring for those in need. Food-assistance organizations and food banks in Minnesota truly represent this heritage of compassion.

I am proud to support H. Res. 261 and honor Second Harvest Heartland and all organizations providing food to those in need. I hope my colleagues join me in supporting it as well.