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According to Bread for the World, the report, released in response to President Obama’s pledge to end child hunger by 2015, recommends nine steps that will collectively eliminate child hunger in the United States. “Our nine recommendations will help the more than 16 million kids in this country whose families struggle to put enough food on the table,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president, Bread for the World, speaking in a news release. “These nine steps are designed to increase economic opportunity, bolster income supports and strengthen the nutritional safety net.” In a news release, Bread for the World said NAHO presented its report in a briefing on Capitol Hill. Kevin Concannon, USDA undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, gave opening remarks. Senator Sherrod Brown, chair of the U.S. Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Hunger, Nutrition, and Family Farms, commented on the report. “No child should go hungry,” said Sen. Brown, author of the Hunger Free Schools Act. “But during these challenging economic times, more parents are struggling to feed their children. We all share a responsibility to end childhood hunger. Success will require a coordinated response between the government, private, and non-profit sectors. This Roadmap should serve to remind us of the work ahead.” Bread for the World said the report also calls for leadership to end child hunger. “Presidential leadership will be critical to our success, both to enact the necessary policy changes and to make this goal a priority for Congress and state and local government,” said Eric Shockmann, NAHO chair. According to the Roadmap, one priority action is the reauthorization of child nutrition programs, up for renewal in 2010. Bread for the World said child nutrition programs provide food assistance to 18.5 million low-income children each school day, but fail to connect millions more eligible children with the food they need. NAHO has called on the president and Congress to provide major new investments to fill gaps in current programs, reduce access barriers, boost participation and improve nutrition. Bread for the World said a report released last month by the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed that, as hunger increased in 2008, the number of children in food-insecure households rose by 4.2 million to 16.7 million. Nearly one in four U.S. children is now at risk of hunger, living in families that struggle to put food on the table. Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging national decision makers to end hunger both nationally and internationally. For more information go to www.bread.org NAHO is a coalition of the nation’s leading secular and faith-based organizations working to end hunger in the United States.
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