Call or write your Senator to ask him/her to co-sponsor the Community Food
Security Act of 1995. Your calls and letters worked to get the bill
successfully passed in the House. We can do it again in the Senate! The
Capitol switchboard number is 202-224-3121.
The Senate bill was introduced by Sens. Leahy (D-VT) and Harkin (D-IA) on
Friday Sept. 21, and is known as S- 1265. It is identical to the House
version (HR 2003) that was amended to the Food Stamp Act of the Farm Bill,
except that requested authorization is $4 million rather than $2.5 million.
For those of you contacting Republican senators, let them know that there is
bi-partisan support:
* The House bill was co-sponsored by Rep. Emerson (R-MO) chairman of the
Subcommittee on Nutrition;
* Senate Agriculture Chairman Richard Lugar (R-IN) has expressed his
interest and may sign on as a co-sponsor in the near future;
Ask your Senators to contact Diane Coates in Sen. Leahy's office to sign on.
Things are moving fast in Washington. Please act ASAP--- October 6 by the
very latest. If you need a copy of the bill or more information, please call
the Community Food Security Coalition office at 310-822-5410.
Here's some talking points to make when writing your letter or making your
call.
* Describe the potential benefits to your state.
* Community food security is about building up a community's food
resources-especially local agriculture- to meet community members' food
needs.
* It promotes local solutions to local problems.
* It takes an empowerment approach (like community gardening) to hunger
problems.
* It supports the flourishing of family farmers near metropolitan areas.
* It is not a substitute for federal food assistance programs, but increases
their efficiency.
* It encourages a coordination and planning approach to food and farming
issues to maximize existing programs' efficiency.
* Some examples are: increased support for farmers' markets, community
gardens, CSAs; support for the Farmers' Market Nutrition Program; improved
coordination among all levels of government; bringing supermarkets into inner
city neighborhoods; and nutrition education.
* The CFS Program provides matching funds to model programs that increase
access to healthy foods by low income consumers and support local
agriculture.
* Would give funding to programs with a proven track record that provide
multiple benefits, like job training, empowerment, urban greening, pollution
prevention, community development, & nutrition education.
* It doesn't create new bureaucracies; streamlined administrative approach
needed.
* Funding requested for first year $2.5-4 million.
Community Food Security Coalition * PO Box 209 * Venice, CA 90294*
310-822-5410