Congress must pass a Child Nutrition bill before it expires in September!

Who is upset that the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (Known as the Health, Hunger-Free Kids Act) is paid for by cuts to SNAP (commonly known as food stamp) benefits? I am. Are you? Then, take action!

This action comes from the Greater Chicago Food Depository, but anyone in any state can send a letter like this to their elected officials using the sample letter as a guide.
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Congress must pass a Child Nutrition bill before it expires in September!

With nearly one in four children at-risk of hunger, it is more critical than ever that Congress works quickly to pass a fully funded Child Nutrition Reauthorization before the current law expires in September. This reauthorization provides an opportunity to improve and strengthen these programs so they better meet the needs of our nation’s children and provide food to children when they need it the most – in the summer, after school and on weekends when children do not have access to school meals.

In early August, the Senate passed its version of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act. While the Food Depository is pleased the Senate is moving forward, the Senate-passed bill does not make as robust of an investment in child nutrition programs as the originally introduced House bill makes. The Senate bill is also paid for by cuts to SNAP (formerly known as Food Stamp) benefits, nearly half of which provide food to children. This is not an acceptable child nutrition bill for the House to approve. Anti-hunger advocates across the nation, including the Greater Chicago Food Depository, are urging the House to pass its version of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization that includes substantial funding for child nutrition programs and does not include cuts to SNAP.

Please take action TODAY by urging your House members to pass its version of the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (HR 5504) before the current law expires in September!
Click here to go to the Advocacy Center

Double your impact with the Greater Chicago Food Depository

From the Greater Chicago Food Depository...

Right now you can have twice the impact on hunger in Cook County. A generous family has agreed to double every gift we receive—up to $50,000—until Sept. 30. That means every $1 you give will be worth $2 to the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
It couldn’t happen at a better time. September is Hunger Action Month—the month to take a stand against hunger in our community. And in Cook County, 1 in 8 people are turning to the Food Depository in the face of hunger. We must not let them down.

Make your gift online right now, and your generosity will go twice as far. We turn every $1 you give into four meals, but until Sept. 30, it’s eight meals!

Your matched gift will be used for programs that take food directly to hungry people in our community:

The Producemobile is a “farmer’s market on wheels.” Each week, we take fresh fruit and vegetables directly to people across Chicago. Many live in neighborhoods that have no grocery stores or produce available at all.The Mobile Pantry distributes bags of groceries each month in communities that have high concentrations of poverty. Serving working people, the program delivers food on nights and weekends, when food assistance isn’t usually available. Many families find that no matter how hard they work, it still isn’t enough. Just imagine how many families YOU can feed today.

Please act now and help reduce hunger in our community.
Sincerely,

Kate Maehr
Chief Executive Officer
Greater Chicago Food Depository
P.S. This month, your gift has twice the hunger-fighting power. Please give what you can by Sept. 30. Because of you, someone will eat today.

Urgent need for Chicago Food Depository Volunteers

40,000 boxes in 40 days

The City of Chicago has an immediate need for 40,000 family food boxes now through mid-September. Sign up now to join us on the Flex Line with your family or community group. This task requires adults (at least 18) who are able to stand for three hours.

Each session listed needs to reach capacity, so please also encourage your friends and family to participate as individuals or put together a group.

Please go to
http://www.chicagosfoodbank.org/site/PageServer?pagename=diff_volunteer_ASAP&autologin=true&AddInterest=1021
and click any of the sessions listed below to sign up. Additional volunteer regulations are listed with the sessions, but if you have questions, please contact Volunteer Services at 773-247-3663.


Thursday, Aug. 12: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 13: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 19: 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 21: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 26: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 27: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 27: 1 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 2: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 3: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 7: 1 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 9: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 10: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 10: 1 to 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Sept. 14: 1 to 4 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 16: 1 to 4 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 17: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 18: 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.