July 26, 2010

WASHINGTON – Nearly one in four American children are hungry, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Bishops and members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) are working together to fight hunger among children.

"Our job as the domestic caucus of the Conference of Bishops is to do our best to advocate for the hungry in America," said the Rev. James F. Mauney, bishop, ELCA Virginia Synod, Salem, and chair of the domestic caucus. In cooperation with the ELCA Washington Office, more than 34 of the ELCA's 65 synod bishops are participating in a nationwide movement to provide reliable and nutritious meals for hungry children, he said.

Mauney reported that his colleagues also urged other clergy and professional church workers and lay leaders to act. The movement began in response to the child nutrition reauthorization act that is currently in the U.S. House of Representatives. The U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Education and Labor approved its version of the child nutrition reauthorization act, "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act" (H.R. 5502), on July 15 by a vote of 32 to 13. The Senate Agriculture Committee reported out their version of the bill back in March.

"As citizens we can request that our government do the right thing on our behalf, with our tax dollars, and reauthorize the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act at the $10 billion level. That will allow more hungry children to be admitted to the program and will help give all children a chance at a safe, healthy and productive life," said the Rev. Jessica R. Crist, bishop, ELCA Montana Synod, Great Falls.

"In addition to feeding our neighbors through our charitable donations, we can exercise our rights as citizens, and petition our government to direct resources to address hunger," said Crist. She said she wrote an opinion piece for the Great Falls Tribune in Montana, which led to increased support from her legislators for ending childhood hunger.

The Child Nutrition and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Act, which is up for reauthorization, includes various child nutrition programs, such as the school lunch program, school breakfast program, after-school snack and supper program, and summer feeding initiatives.

"For many children, especially those at risk of hunger, these programs are an important source of food and nutrition. The reauthorization provides an opportunity to connect more children in need to the programs, increase their efficiency and accessibility, and enhance the nutritional quality of the food served," said Robert D. Francis, director of domestic policy, ELCA Washington Office.

"As I visit parishes across our synod I see many communities in distress," said the Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, bishop, ELCA Northeastern Ohio Synod, Cuyahoga Falls. "In my town over 70 percent of the students qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. My former parish, Messiah Lutheran Church, Ashtabula, was a site for the USDA's (U.S. Department of Agriculture) summer breakfast and lunch program. For too many of the children this was their only consistent, reliable source of nutrition during summer vacation."

"I know that most of our congregations provide some sort of emergency food assistance, but all of our food pantries, soup kitchens and community meals cannot meet the need. We need the government's help to feed our children," Eaton added.

The Rev. Andrew D. Genszler, director of advocacy, ELCA Washington Office, said "This ELCA advocacy is truly a coordinated effort. It is exciting to us that ELCA members and over half of our bishops are connecting the ways they feed, serve and volunteer in their communities to policies that support and sustain these faith-based efforts."

In addition to the telephone calls to legislators, many ELCA congregations have participated in a postcard and paper plate advocacy campaign. More than 1,500 postcards and paper plates are being delivered to members of Congress from Lutherans across the country, asking for a strong child nutrition reauthorization act, according to Francis.

"Caring for children is an important measure of the health of a society. These children are our future," said Nancy Arnison, director, ELCA World Hunger Program. "As our bishops speak out on behalf of poor and hungry children, they continue a strong Lutheran tradition that addresses hunger and its root causes through relief, development, education and advocacy."

Information about ELCA World Hunger is at http://www.ELCA.org/hunger/, and ELCA response to the Child Nutrition Reauthorization is at http://bit.ly/9cWp9Z, on the Web.

ELCA News Service