Nashville, TN
It all starts with an impulse. Chap Oscar meeting today with friend Tom Grant at local coffee shop and looks at headline "Pet Food Stamps" and this is my automatic response. No disrespect for your pet but please, pretty Please..
Let's Protect Hunger Relief Programs!
Dear State of TN Decision Makers:
•Senator Lamar Alexander
•Senator Bob Corker
•Representative Jim Cooper,
As Congress considers how to proceed on the Farm Bill and deficit reduction in 2013, I urge you to oppose cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), WIC, and other hunger-relief programs. I understand the need to balance the budget, but we must do it in a way that reflects our values as a nation. Asking hungry families to bear the burden of reducing the deficit does not reflect those values. I support my local food bank, and I know they are struggling to meet the needs of our community. Food donations are drying up, gas and food prices remain high, and nearly 50 million Americans are living in food insecurity.
I know Congress is considering how to balance the budget, but cutting programs that help low-income Americans put food on the table is the wrong way to reduce our nation's deficit. While food banks, churches, and pantries are doing great work in our community, charity alone cannot meet the need for food assistance.
You have an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of hungry Americans. As Congress considers how to write a new Farm Bill and reduce our national debt, Congress must protect and strengthen hunger-relief programs like the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and WIC. With unemployment still high and many Americans struggling to make ends meet, Congress cannot cut the programs that are helping many of our neighbors put food on the table. Given the associated healthcare, educational, and economic costs of hunger and poor nutrition, cuts to these programs are not only immoral, they are short-sighted and costly in the long run.
As your constituent, I ask that you remember the families who are struggling in our state and remain committed to protecting programs that are a lifeline for hungry Americans. Please protect and invests in TEFAP, SNAP, WIC and other hunger-relief programs.
Within minutes this was an honorable response.
Thank you for contacting my office Thursday, February 28, 2013 11:19 AM
From: "senator@corker.senate.gov" <senator@corker.senate.gov>Add sender to Contacts
To: chaposcar@yahoo.com
Thank you for taking the time to email me to share your thoughts and concerns.
I want you to know that we read every single letter and e-mail that is sent to us in order to best understand the issues that are important to you. It is our commitment to respond to your input as thoughtfully and efficiently as possible. I meet with my staff regularly to discuss the issues raised in correspondence like yours and will be back in touch with a more thorough response soon.
Thank you again for your email. I hope you will continue to share your thoughts with me.
Sincerely,
Bob Corker
United States Senator
RE: Your recent message. Thursday, February 28, 2013 12:07 PM
From: "Congressman Jim Cooper" <Rep.Jim.Cooper@mail.house.gov>Add sender to Contacts
To: chaposcar@yahoo.com
Thanks for writing to my office to express your views. I look forward to reading your comments and will do my best to respond to you as quickly as possible.
I'm always pleased to hear from residents of the 5th District and welcome your thoughts. As a member of Congress, knowing what you think helps me to better represent all my fellow Tennesseans here in Washington.
In the meantime, I hope you will consider signing up for my eNewsletter so I can send you regular emails to keep you informed of my work in Congress. If you'd like to sign up, click http://www.cooper.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=120
If you need additional information or help, please don't hesitate to call my office, either in Nashville or in Washington. I look forward to hearing from you again in the future.
Sincerely,
Jim Cooper
Now as a Chaplain my goal as an Advocate is to put a face on this situation so here is one for you and thank you for reading this far. Hello, My name is Ashley and this is my story. I remember, growing up in a single-parent home. There were so many times that we suffered with food insecurity; me, my mom and my brother. Although I never told anybody, this made me feel very shamed. I remember when I was in high school, I would skip lunch because I could not afford the food, nor I did I want anybody to me to eat free lunches. This was my story growing up. But this isn't my life anymore. Because I know how it is feel to be hungry and that emotional trauma that accompanies it, I am a Hunger Advocate. I want to help spread the knowledge about food insecurity, donate and help others to donate. Every little effort makes one child feel less forgotten.
Thank you for always being there for Chap Oscar and supporting the Chap Oscar Outreach. You also may have a story we can use to show the human face of hunger to Members of Congress. Please help me expand the strength of our anti-hunger movement by sharing these stories with your friends and family.
Thank you for everything you do to help hungry Americans. Thank you for supporting us on this issue. Sincerely CISM Chaplain Oscar Smith and the wonderful Staff and Partners of The World's First Dot Com Church www.adotcomChurch.com
Gratitude to you Ted Ciuba www.ThinkRichRadio.com
Bobby Williams www.SpiritofaChampion.com
Thank you so much for all you do my "Dear Friend" Mr.Brett Weisel
Director of Advocacy Feeding America
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