“This government shutdown is creating widespread uncertainty and disruption, and if allowed to continue will hurt millions of Americans who deserve better,” said Kelemen.
Contact: Ryan Flaherty, rflaherty@strength.org
WASHINGTON, DC — Congress was unable to pass a funding agreement by the September 30th deadline, shutting down the government and potentially causing a painful disruption for millions of families if prolonged. The following is a statement from George Kelemen, Senior Vice President for Share Our Strength and its No Kid Hungry campaign:
“If Congress cannot quickly reach a compromise to restore essential services there will be serious consequences for the millions of Americans who participate in the federal nutrition programs, making it harder for families to put food on the table.
“This is no time to be putting at risk vital programs like SNAP, which helps feed nearly 16 million kids, and WIC, which serves pregnant women, new moms and young children with educational resources, support and nutrition.
“SNAP, WIC, and other child nutrition programs have operated without interruption during past shutdowns. The Administration should immediately release the necessary contingency funds and provide guidance on spending flexibility to state agencies so families across our country can continue to receive critical nutrition assistance until an agreement is reached.
“This government shutdown is creating widespread uncertainty and disruption, and if allowed to continue will hurt millions of Americans who deserve better. Congress must swiftly pass a bipartisan bill that fully funds WIC and protects all nutrition programs so we can continue investing in our kids’ future.”
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids in the United States live with hunger. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty.