Issues

Through the Hunger Action Center, we’re working to feed hope for millions of hungry people across America. We believe that everyone has a role to play in the fight against hunger: food banks, people like you, and even our elected officials.

Here are brief descriptions of just some of the issues we’re working to address at the legislative level—not just on Capitol Hill, but in every community in America, too. Click the links in each description for more detailed information on each of these issues.

• The Food Stamp Program. Nearly 28 million people in America receive food stamp assistance. The average household enrolled in the program receives about $215 a month in food stamp benefits. That’s only a little more than $50 a week for nutritious food. As food prices continue to rise, we’re pushing for better funding for food assistance programs.
  
• Commodity Supplemental Food Assistance. The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) ensures that seniors, low-income pregnant or breastfeeding women, new mothers, infants, and young children receive nutritional assistance. However, the program funding is uncertain. In fact, President Bush has sought to eliminate the program altogether. In addition, rising food costs have limited the program's ability to sufficiently meet the needs of eligible seniors, mothers, and young children.  The Hunger Action Center is advocating for the continuation of and increased funding for this valuable program.
  
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program. The Emergency Food Assistance Program (or TEFAP) provides food for low-income people in need of immediate and short-term hunger relief. Requests for emergency assistance are increasing, but surplus-commodity deliveries have declined more than 70 percent. We’re advocating for full funding of TEFAP, including commodities, storage and distribution costs, and stopgap funding.
  
• Senior Hunger. Over the past decade, investment in food assistance programs for seniors has dropped significantly. But as more Americans retire and have to budget based on fixed incomes, shouldn’t we be doing more to help?
  
• Child Hunger. 6 out of 10 American households with children under the age of 18 are food-insecure. Making sure children have access to childhood nutrition programs year round is essential to keeping our nation’s growing children healthy during the most critical years of their cognitive and physical development.
  
• Rural Hunger. People living in rural America are more likely to experience food insecurity. One out of every five children in rural areas doesn’t have enough to eat. Providing better access to nutrition programs, like the Food Stamp Program and the Summer Food Program, is just one way we can help feed rural America.
  
• The Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Extension Act. Currently, only C corporations are allowed to take a special enhanced tax deduction when they donate food to charity; this deduction helps provide an incentive to donate.  In 2006, the Congress temporarily extended this tax incentive to all business taxpayers, including restaurants and small businesses.  Unfortunately, the provision expired at the end of 2007.  The Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Extension Act would not only permanently extend the special enhanced tax deduction to all business taxpayers, it would simplify the deduction and provide a tax incentive to farmers and ranchers who donate.  We support this important effort to bring millions more meals into the America’s Second Harvest Network.