Every parent does their best to give everything they can to their children: food, shelter, clothing, education and positive social experiences, to name a few areas. Due to the economic downturn, record unemployment levels and diminished career opportunities in many fields, countless parents across the country worry about where their next meal will come from.

What if you or your spouse/partner lost their job and were unemployed for an extended period of time? What if you became sick and unable to provide for your children? What if you could not afford health insurance for your family? These are some concerns that are keeping mothers and fathers awake at night. It’s a different generation than the one we grew up in. Many educated parents are fighting to survive.

Federal nutrition programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) have been put into place to help out during critical times of need.

Members of Congress are working to reauthorize the Farm Bill, legislation that provides funding for the SNAP program and for the SNAP education program. Drastic cuts to SNAP are on the table for the Farm Bill, and nearly half of all SNAP participants are children. If Congress cuts funding for this poverty-relieving program, it will affect millions of children and families, leaving them even more vulnerable to hunger.

As one of the wealthiest nations in the world, we cannot afford to let our children go hungry. Ensuring our children have enough to eat must be a priority for our nation. Support the Farm Bill and No Kid Hungry® by visiting http://nokidhungry.org/farmbill to send a message to Congress, share your story or make a pledge.

SNAP also provides important economic benefits to communities across the country. For every SNAP dollar spent, $1.79 is returned to the economy. As our economy slowly begins to recover, now is not the time to cut programs that help local businesses and families.

A family of 4 making less than $23,000 net income qualifies for SNAP.

Quick Hunger Facts:

• 1 in 5 kids in America doesn’t get enough to eat.
• Nearly 50% of SNAP participants are children.
• More than 46 million Americans – a majority of whom are seniors, children, or people with disabilities – rely on SNAP to feed their families.
• The average monthly SNAP benefit = $1.48 per meal

More than two-thirds of the funds in the most recent Farm Bill help feed these hungry kids through Federal Nutrition Programs.