Ending Hunger in America, 2014 Hunger Report Full Report | Page 140

Committee on Nutrition and Human Needs, led by Senators George McGovern and Robert
Dole, was eliminated in 1977. It should also be reinstated. Setting a goal to end hunger
will draw attention to the problem, which is essential, but achieving the goal will require
oversight in Congress.
One of the most visible ways for elected officials to draw attention to hunger in their
communities is to take the SNAP/Food Stamp challenge. Members of Congress, governors,
state legislators, and mayors have taken the challenge, and so have hundreds—if not thousands—of others who are not elected to public office: religious and community leaders, students, and people from all walks
of life. Here’s how the challenge
Figure 4.4 All SNAP Households Will See a Cut in November 2013
works: for a week or more, participants spend no more on food than
Monthly cut in SNAP benefits by household size
the average SNAP benefit. This
Households
comes to about $4.50 per day.21
Households of
Households of
Households of
Households of
that receive the
1
2
3
4
minimum benefit*
In November 2013, SNAP benefits will decrease unless Congress
-$11
-$20
-$29
-$36
-$1
preserves the increases approved
in the 2009 American Recovery
and Reinvest Act (Recovery Act).
See Figure 4.4. The challenge will
be more difficult, but far more
important, the lives of families
who struggle to buy groceries will
be more difficult.
In March 2013, Dr. Lewis First,
*Households of size 1 or 2 that qualify for less than $16 have th V?"&V?Vf?G2&?V?FVBWF?F?P?VF?G&?6????fW&???B?F???F?P?????V?&V?Vf?B?F?B??V?Bv???G&?F?CR??e?#B??4??f??B7F?6???V?vRv?F??6?W&6S?7F6W?FV??BF?&?F??&?6V?&V??VwW7B"?#2??( ?4?&V?Vf?G2v???&R7W@??F?W"F?7F?'2??W'6W2??B7Ff`?f?"??'F?6??G2????fV?&W"#2?( ?6V?FW"??'VFvWB?B??7?&??&?F?W2?&6VB??R?2??FW'F?V?B?bw&?7V?GW&R?( ?4?( Df?66??V"#B6?7B?b?f??rF?W7F?V?G2?B%$?BfW&???B6???G&V?( ?2??7?F???7V?6WB??7B?????F?V?G2?( ?VwW7B?#2??????2&??r?G"?f?'7B&W?'FVC??( ??F??Vv?F?R6???V?vRV?FVBf? ??RgFW"6WfV?F?2??F??( ?BF?????6?WfW"f?&vWBF?RfVV??w2?BvV?W&FVB???^( F?B0?&W7V?B?*?v?????rGf?6FRWfV???&Rf?"?W"F?V?G2?Bf??W2v??W?W&?V?6Rf??@???6V7W&?G??B?V?vW"??Bv??6R( ?6???V?v^( ??2??B?W7B?f??r??f??B7F?2f?"6WfV??F?>( F'WBWfW'?F??( ?#"?N( ?2W7V6???V?6?W&v??rF??V"g&??F?7F?'2?B?F?W'2??F?P??VF?6?&?fW76?????V?vW"?2V&?2?V?F?&?&?V???BF?R??&RvRF?&?WB?BF??0?v??F?R6???W"vR??&R&?RF?&VGV6RF?R7F?v?F?B??W2?B?V6??&FW"&?&?V?F?6??fRF???B6??V?B&R??F?R6??6WVV?6W2?b6???B?V?vW"?'F?7V?&??V?vW"W?W&?V?6VB'?fW'???V?r6???G&V??&R6?6W&??W2??FW&?2?b7GV?F??rF?V?"??6?6??B??FV??V7GV?FWfV???V?BF?@?V??Rv?F?v?FR&?vR?b??F?6?f?Ww2?fRvV?W&??&VV?&?RF?w&VR??7W?'Bf? ?6???B?WG&?F???&?w&?2?F?Rt?2&?w&?F&vWG2&Vv??Bv??V??B6???G&V???F?V? ?V&?W7B?V'2?F?R??F?v??F?r&WGvVV?&Vv??7??BvR"?2F?R??7B7&?F?6?W&??@????V??FWfV???V?B?&&?W2v??6R??F?W'2&Rf??B??6V7W&RGW&??r&Vv??7?&R??&P??3(26?FW"@???'&VBf?"F?Rv?&?B??7F?GWFP???