Tim Shaw is the team leader for First Plymouth Congregational Church (UCC) Bread for the World Team. Tim is a current member of the Bred for the World Midwest Regional Leadership Team. Tim told us about what the Bread for the World does to try to end hunger within the community and around the world.
Since our founding in 1974, Bread has been a strong voice in solidarity with those affected by hunger and marginalized by society in the United States and abroad. More importantly, we bring the realities of hunger to the attention of those who are elected to represent our priorities for U.S. policy. We also bring hunger into elections by urging candidates to support policies that will address inequities around the world and lead to the end of hunger and poverty.
Bread members send letters and emails, make phone calls, and visit their members of Congress about legislation that addresses hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Bread equips its members to communicate with Congress and to work with others on advocacy. It educates members on hunger-related issues and inspires members to be legislative activists as a way of putting their Christian faith into action.
Bread works in partnership with churches, campuses, and other organizations to mobilize Christians and others in congressional districts and states.
Tim said that Bread for the World usually chooses one particular issue to focus on each year. Some of the things that Bread worked on to make a difference was in 2018 they helped with the Global Food Security Reauthorization Act, Farm Bill where the SNAP benefits would help locally and internationally with food aid and the First Step Act which deals with criminal injustice. In 2019 Bread worked toward the Global Nutrition Resolutions and to help secure $150 million for global nutrition.
Today malnutrition remains a leading cause of child deaths globally. During the past 30 years hunger and poverty globally have been cut nearly in half. But, since COVID-19 it has risen drastically. Still, more than 1 of 5 children under age 5 are not growing as they should. In the United States 1 in 7 children live in a food-scarce home environment. Children who do live in a food insecurity environment usually have more headaches, colds, and other types of illnesses.
In 2020 Bread focused on mothers and children. Than came COVID-19 and they had to increase funding of SNAP Benefits. They worked on getting SNAP benefits increased which Congress did increase by 15% for six months. There was no global increase during this time. In the State of Nebraska we see 1 in 6 children in poverty. There are three bills currently in the Nebraska legislature dealing with hunger. They are: LB108 - "Cliff" SNAP -- if you should get a job you would lose all your SNAP benefits, but this bill would help you to continue with SNAP until you are able to be on your own. LB121 - SNAP Drug Felon Ban - If you have been convicted of using drugs you lose your SNAP benefits. This bill would allow you to continue get those benefits. LB171 - Hunger Free School Act -- would work the schools so that all those in the community would be eligible and continue to receive free or reduced lunches at the schools -- so no one would fall through the cracks.
Bread’s goal is to help end hunger by 2030. It believes that everyone must play a part in ending hunger, especially our federal government. We work to change the policies and conditions that allow hunger to persist. Bread seeks long-term solutions to hunger and advocates on legislation that addresses the root causes of hunger.
We have a track record of winning bipartisan legislation that helps hungry people feed their families. We are successful because our grassroots network of members and activists works in concert with national denominations, networks, and organizations supported by Bread’s staff in Washington, D.C., and around the country.
God’s grace moves us to build the political commitment needed to overcome hunger and poverty. We believe it is possible to end hunger in our time.