Join No Kid Hungry in urging Congress to take action and help hungry kids in the Build Back Better Act.
Table of Contents
Dear Advocates,
Now is the time to act on behalf of kids across our nation.
Right now, Congress is making critical decisions about policies that help feed children, and we have a small but important window of opportunity to make sure these policies make it into this year's reconciliation bill - the Build Back Better Act.
With 13 million kids facing hunger today, Congress must take action to close the summer meals gap, strengthen school meals and ensure struggling families have resources for essential needs. But they need to hear from you.
Over the next few weeks, Congress will be deciding what policies make it into the Build Back Better plan. Now is the time to use your voice for hungry kids.
Tell them to prioritize ending childhood hunger by including critical measures in this legislation. This toolkit provides resources to help. Thanks for taking a stand for kids.
Monica Gonzales, Director of Federal Advocacy and Government Relations
Policy Points
Congress has a small window of opportunity right now to help children who are facing hunger in our nation today. But we need them to act now. We are urging Congress to make updates and changes to how we feed kids in our nation through the Build Back Better Act.
Here are the policies that need action today:
- Make the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, or Summer EBT, available nationwide. It helps get more food to kids in need when schools are out of session by providing parents and caregivers an additional benefit to buy groceries in the summer months.
- Extend the expanded Child Tax Credit into the future. In 2021 a temporary expanded Child Tax Credit makes benefits available to families with the most need. Extending the Child Tax Credit would be a game-changer in ending child poverty.
- Expand an option for school meals programs called the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP. CEP helps schools reach more kids with the healthy meals they need with less red tape. This would help kids focus on learning and not their empty stomachs.
Including these three policies in the Build Back Better Act would help more kids get the nutrition they need all year to grow up healthy, educated and strong.
Contact Congress
Your voice is a powerful tool! Here are tools to help you connect with your members of Congress to urge them to take action.
Call
Don't underestimate the power of picking up the phone. Calls are a direct, effective way to share your message. Click here to call your member of Congress.
Looking for a more simple way to send a message to your lawmakers? Send them an email that outlines the issue and opportunities at-hand. Click here to email your members of Congress.
Tweet
Get vocal on social! Get your opinion in front of your lawmakers by tagging them in a message on social media. Click here to tweet at your members of Congress.
Share These Messages on Social Media
Help spread the word and build momentum for these important policies with the messages below.
Right now, Congress has a rare, powerful opportunity to invest in kids and they can't let that slip away. That's why I'm standing with @nokidhungry to urge Congress to pass the #BuildBackBetter Act. Here's what you can do: https://bit.ly/3081GAj
Millions of kids need Congress to pass the #BuildBackBetter Act now. I'm joining @nokidhungry in fighting for solutions that will dramatically accelerate progress in ending child hunger. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3081GAj
The #BuildBackBetter Act is a bold, transformative investment in kids. Join me and @NoKidHungry in urging Congress to seize this critical opportunity. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3081GAj
Social Media Images
Please feel free to use the images below on your social platforms:
Amplify Through the Media
Letters to the editor are great advocacy tools that reach large audiences and are often read by elected officials. Click here for an easy-to-use tool that connects you to the local papers where you live. You can also copy/paste the following message and submit your letter to the editor by email or publication website.
Congress must update and modernize how our nation feeds kids
Today, 13 million children may face hunger in the wake of the COVID pandemic. But new and enhanced policies are game-changers, helping to feed more kids during this crisis.
Now is the time to fight for these policies, and now is the time for Congress to act.
We know what works. The Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer program, or Summer EBT, helps get more food to kids in need when schools are out of session by giving parents and caregivers an additional benefit to buy groceries in the summer months. At the same time, the enhanced Child Tax Credit provides more families with monthly benefits to help pay for food and other essential items like rent, diapers and shoes.
These programs work alongside federal nutrition programs, like school and summer meals, to get kids the nutrition they need. A program called the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP, helps make sure that more kids have access to the healthy meals they need with less red tape so they can focus on learning and not their empty stomachs.
These solutions work, and we need help from Congress to make sure programs can continue to do this in the future.
Now is the time for Congress to make updates and changes to how we feed kids in our nation, and they have the power to do that right now through the reconciliation bill. Hungry kids can’t wait.
Meet (Virtually) with Congress
Lawmakers are usually excited to meet with their community members, leaders and the people working to serve their constituents in their district or state. While Members of Congress may not be conducting in-person meetings this year due to COVID safety protocols, they may consider meeting virtually. Here are some resources to help facilitate a request for a virtual meeting.
No Kid Hungry Contacts
We hope you've found this guide useful. Our team would love to hear about the great work you're doing to secure policy change in your cities, counties and states, so please, keep in touch.
Monica Gonzales
Meredith Jorss
Resources
You don't have to be a policy expert to use your voice for change. Here are some additional resources to help get you up-to-speed about how a few practical policy changes at the federal level can help feed more hungry kids across the nation.