[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23258]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




EXPRESSING SUPPORT OF HOUSE FOR ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING EMERGENCY FOOD 
                               ASSISTANCE

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 5, 2004

  Ms. McCOLLUM. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H. Res. 261, 
to support the efforts of food-assistance organizations and charities 
in providing food to the nation's families. This resolution encourages 
Americans to volunteer services to local anti-hunger advocacy groups 
and food-assistance providers, food banks, soup kitchens, and homeless 
shelters.
  Too many children and their families go hungry every day in a country 
that every year exports more than $56 billion worth of food around the 
world. More than 35 million Americans face hunger. Of these, 13 million 
are children. Chronic food insecurity remains a hard fact of life for 
thousands of Minnesotans.
  Food-assistance organizations and food banks help our neighbors get 
enough food to keep them healthy. Seniors and working families are 
making impossible choices every day between heating their homes and 
buying their groceries. Seniors debate between whether to purchase 
prescription drugs or to buy food. Families choose between finding an 
affordable place to live and putting food on the table. These choices 
are simply unacceptable.
  I am proud of the work of the food banks and food-assistance 
organizations in my district. Every year they help thousands of 
Minnesota families meet their nutritional needs. Groups like Second 
Harvest Heartland and its statewide network of 849 agencies distribute 
every year over 27 million pounds of food.
  Second Harvest Heartland is leading the forces in Minnesota to fight 
hunger. When I visited them last year I saw first hand how they provide 
nutritious snacks and meals to kids during the summer and to after-
school enrichment programs. They reiterated for me how they and food 
banks around the state distribute millions of pounds of food to 
families and provide nutrition education to mothers and children every 
year.
  Unfortunately, their services are increasingly needed due to 
President Bush's jobs deficit. Between March 2001 and September 2003, 
37 of 41 Minnesota counties served by Second Harvest Heartland saw an 
increase in new food support applications. Statewide, the demand for 
food support increased 10.2 percent.
  Minnesota has a long, rich tradition of caring for those in need. 
Food-assistance organizations and food banks in Minnesota truly 
represent this heritage of compassion.
  I am proud to support H. Res. 261 and honor Second Harvest Heartland 
and all organizations providing food to those in need. I hope my 
colleagues join me in supporting it as well.

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