Hunger Action Network of New York State

Our annual Thanksgiving Action Against Hunger will take place on Monday, November 21, 2005. We will be organizing local press conferences and events to highlight increased hunger needs and real solutions to ending hunger and poverty. The Westchester forum will take place from 3-5 pm at the Yonkers Riverfront Library, One Larkin Center in Yonkers. For the other regional events, please contact us at 212-741-8192, ext. 3# or 518-434-7371, ext. 2#.

For more than a decade, Hunger Action Network has organized the Thanksgiving Action to remind people that hunger is a 365-day-a- year problem in our communities. We all work hard to make sure that everyone has a seat at the table on Thanksgiving, but much more work is needed to eliminate hunger in our state. The heartbreaking pictures of mostly poor black residents of New Orleans suffering from the devastation of the Katrina hurricane has reminded America that many of its members live in poverty. People have responded with an outpouring of donations of money and time to help their neighbors. But justice, not charity, is the real solution to hunger.

We need to break out of our collective complacency about the existence of hunger in our midst. It is a disgrace that in the Empire State more than 900,000 individuals visit food pantries and soup kitchens each week to find food to help feed their families. Hunger in our state and country is a political and economic problem, not a food supply problem. It is time to demand real solutions. This Thanksgiving, we are focusing on a state and national campaign to end hunger.

2. Hunger and Food Insecurity in NYS Jumped by nearly 200,000 People

The number of New Yorkers who suffered from hunger or food insecurity jumped by nearly 200,000 people over the past six years, according to an annual U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report released yesterday, rising an average of 9.6 percent in the period 1999-2001 to 10.5 percent in the period 2002-2004. Despite being one of the wealthiest states in the union, New York ranks number 31 in food insecurity compared with other states and is below the national average. Nationwide, the number of Americans living in households that faced hunger or food insufficiency rose to 38.2 million, including 13.9 million children (19 percent of all American children). The surge in hunger comes at a time when the U.S. House of Representatives is likely to support more than $844 million in cuts from the Food Stamp Program. Please see the section 4 for how you can get involved in fighting against these cuts!

3. Call Legislators to Urge Support of Legislative Commission on Health Care Coverage

Assemblymember Gottfried wants to push the Commission if the Legislature returns for its normal end-of-year meeting to wrap up any loose ends in the state budget. We need to put pressure on the State Senate to agree to study how best to provide quality health care to all New Yorkers. We need to thank the Assembly for their support and urge them to make it a priority in their negotiations with the Senate.

Please call Senator Hannon (518 455-2800), Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno (518 455-3191) and Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (518 455-3791), as well as your own state Legislators.
Message: “Please create a Legislative Commission on Health Care Coverage to study how to make sure that all New Yorkers have access to affordable, quality health care.” (You can mention the bill A6575)

4. Tell Congress Not to Cut Services to Pay for Tax Cuts for the Rich

Starting Monday, November 7: the National Call-in Week to Save Vital Services
Call your U.S. Representative toll-free: 800-426-8073
Click here for pdf flier with this information: www.chn.org/pdf/novembercallin.pdf.
The House of Representatives is expected to vote during the week of November 7 on proposals to slash assistance for some of the most vulnerable people in America – families lacking health insurance; abused and neglected children; single mothers trying to collect child support; working families relying on food stamps; people with severe disabilities; and others.
Why is the House making billions in cuts? To pay towards the cost of tax breaks for the wealthy.
It’s easy to call.
Step 1: On Monday, November 7 or any day that week, call 1-800-426-8073 to be connected toll-free to the Capitol Switchboard. Ask to speak to your Representative. (If you don’t know who your Representative is, the people at the Capitol Switchboard can tell you, or you can visit www.congress.org where you can insert your home address and identify your member of the House.) You can also go to http://center.parentsaction.org/voices/leg-lookup/search.html to email your representative the letter.
Step 2: After you are connected to your Representative’s office, say:
“My name is _______________ and I live in (your town/city). I would like Representative [name] to vote NO on the reconciliation bill to cut $50 billion in vital services to vulnerable people, including Medicaid, SSI, foster care, Food Stamps, and child support. These cuts are the wrong priorities. Vote against cuts that hurt the poor and sick and vote against more unfair, unwise, and unaffordable tax breaks for the well-heeled.”
So far, the right wing has been unable to collect enough votes to pass such drastic cuts – because of people like you! They’re trying again, and they’re very serious about it. But we can strengthen the hand of House members who do not agree with these dangerous choices - if we and all our networks call!
For more information, contact Deborah Weinstein at the Coalition on Human Needs (dweinstein@chn.org); 202-223-2532.
Step 3: Sign Onto Letter Opposing Cuts
Contact Brian Filipowich, Filipowich@voices.org if your organizationcan sign onto the letter

5. Mark Your Calendars: People’s State of State, Tues. Jan. 3; Legislative Education and Action Day Feb. 28th

Each year, Hunger Action Network holds a rally the day before the Governor’s official State of the State address. This year our rally will be at 11:45 AM on Tuesday, Jan. 3rd, most likely at the Capitol. The Legislative Education and Action Day for Hunger Action Network and ES2 will be on Tues. Feb. 28th in Albany.

6. Holiday Hunger Appeal

Like many nonprofits, Hunger Action Network has found it more difficult to raise money from foundations in recent year. We are more dependent these days on donations from individuals to support our work to end hunger in New York. We hope you will consider adding Hunger Action to your holiday gift list this year. Donations can be sent to HANNYS, 260 W. 36th St., #504, NY NY 10018.

7. Donate Your Used Car for a Good Cause

Please consider donating your used car to Hunger Action to support our work. There’s not much work involved for you. Simply call our office, we’ll get the information from you, mail you the form, then someone from the Vehicle Donation Assistance Program will come pick up your car. Hunger Action will receive the donation for the amount the car is sold for and you will receive a tax deduction acknowledgement letter with the sale price. Call us at (212) 741-8192, ext 1# or 4# for more information or to start the process!