The Wisconsin Food Security Consortium addresses the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee
In April of 2009, the Wisconsin Food Security Consortium drafted a letter to Wisconsin State Senator Mark Miller and State Representative Mark Pocan, both members of the state's Joint Finance Committee. The letter sought specific support for the following four points:
- 1. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will provide much-needed financial assistance to state programs and communities. If used wisely, ARRA will generate jobs for those unemployed and underemployed. Furthermore, investment in public transportation will facilitate both job growth and job retention for employees. Government initiatives that create and maintain employment are our state's first line of defense against hunger and poverty. As households gain greater economic self-sufficiency, the demand on federal nutrition programs and emergency food providers declines.
2. The Governor’s budget recommends ending state-funded FoodShare benefits for 800 low-income refugees and legal immigrants who are ineligible for the federal FS benefit due their immigrant status. Refugees and immigrants in our state were facing unique economic challenges prior to the significant downturn in our economy. We do not support this cut in badly needed nutrition to 800 low-income residents and ask for a reversal of this proposal and its subsequent impact on this vulnerable population.
3. The School Breakfast Program and the School Lunch Program are slated to receive a cut of 1% in the Governor’s budget. While we understand the economic strain on our state budget, we must remember that school districts around the state are witnessing a spike in demand for these important nutrition programs. To school districts around the state, a cut of a few thousand dollars will impact the quality of food served and their ability to routinely provide meals to students in need.
4. Continued support for the work of the Department of Health Services in administering FoodShare and TEFAP. It is essential that DHS be allowed to strengthen its outreach and access for these critical food programs.
To view the entire letter, click here (PDF, 40kb).
Support for this site has been made possible by the Lutheran Office for Public Policy in Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Council of Churches, and the Wisconsin Community Action Program Association.