Washington, DC (Feb. 28, 2023) — Islamic Relief USA, a nonprofit humanitarian and advocacy organization, was among three leading national faith-based advocacy organizations calling for strengthening federal food and nutrition programs in the 2023 Farm Bill.
Together with Bread for the World and MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, panelists presented their organizations’ top priorities for fighting pervasive and intensifying hunger nationwide, and how shared faith values inform this approach. With over 10 percent of Americans — one of eight people — experiencing food insecurity, including nearly 13 million children, these advocates are united in their values-based approach to addressing hunger in the Farm Bill.
The panelists, including Jihad Saleh Williams, IRUSA’s Senior Advisor for Advocacy & Government Affairs, were particularly focused on protecting and bolstering the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps), which is funded through the Farm Bill along with hundreds of billions of dollars in agriculture and food programs. The House and Senate Agriculture Committees are preparing to begin debate on the once-every five-year Farm Bill reauthorization.
During the discussion, Saleh Williams shared perspectives on the importance of “working with our faith and community partners across the country to make sure that the concerns and interests of Americans who have lived experiences with poverty and hunger are reflected in the final reauthorization bill.”
SNAP benefits were boosted during the pandemic, but those increases will expire March 1, after Congress passed the omnibus bill last December. This threatens to exacerbate hunger, as inflation continues to squeeze all Americans, especially lower-income households. Already this year, some legislators have said they want to cut back further on SNAP and other social supports and add new work restrictions.
IRUSA recently had an opinion piece about this subject published in several newspapers across New Jersey.
The panel — moderated by Amelia Kegan, Associate General Secretary for Policy and Advocacy for the Friends Committee on National Legislation — focused on various ways that faith communities engage in the Farm Bill, as well as specific policy priorities.
MEDIA CONTACT
Syed M. Hassan
mhassan@irusa.org or
(571) 421-7032 (CELL)
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Islamic Relief USA, based in Alexandria, Va., is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization. Its mission is to provide relief and development in a dignified manner regardless of gender, race, or religion, and works to empower individuals in their communities and give them a voice in the world. Its programs benefit millions of people each year in more than 40 countries around the world, including in the United States.
Islamic Relief USA meets all of the Standards for Charity Accountability of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance, a national charity monitoring group affiliated with the Better Business Bureau system. Islamic Relief USA is on the U.S. government’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) charity list, and it is also a signatory to the code of conduct of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.