BREAD FOR THE WORLD:
​OFFERING OF LETTERS
JUSTICE, PEACE, AND INTEGRITY OF CREATION (JPIC)

UPDATE

Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) just received confirmation from our Bread for the World’s Durham team that all 220+ letters written after our masses during our JPIC Offering of Letters Campaign in support of the Farm Bill officially have been delivered to Senator Thom Tillis, Senator Ted Budd, and Rep. Valerie Foushee. This is in addition to all the letters our parishioners submitted online and personally. Once again, we are so grateful to all our parishioners who made this year’s Offering of Letters to Congress such a success! I have asked our JPIC Bread for the World team to keep our parishioners updated on the status of the Farm Bill as we continue to advocate for healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems.

THANK YOU!

Our Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) and Bread for the World’s Durham team want to thank all the parishioners who made this year’s Offering of Letters to Congress to reauthorize the Farm Bill a success! In addition to all your individual and online submissions, we collected more than 220+ letters following our weekend masses alone. You still have time to submit a letter through this link. We appreciate you taking the time to put your faith into action! The Durham team would like to thank Father Jacek, Ken Chiha, and Katushka Olave for their support. We look forward to doing it again next year!

BREAD FOR THE WORLD: 
OFFERING OF LETTERS
APRIL 29-30
AFTER ALL MASSES  ​

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Our Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC) ministry is proud to support the annual  “Bread for the World: Offering of Letters”  to our Congressional representatives in the gathering space after all masses the weekend of April 29 and 30. This year’s focus will be the approval of the Farm (or “Food”) Bill. The Farm Bill deals with much more than just farming; it covers jobs/workers’ rights, nutrition, research, infrastructure, conservation, and innovation to create a food system that is equitable and sustainable focusing on the needs of those who are poor as well as the needs of our Common Home.
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​The Farm Bill is one of the nation's oldest, ever-evolving, and most important pieces of national food system legislation. It is a bedrock policy for US and global food security, our farmers’ and ranchers’ well-being and relationship with the environment and markets, and nutrition assistance. It is updated every five years, but if the latest version does not pass Congress it will default to the 1949 version, which is outdated and would threaten the sustainability of our food security system. 
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The impact of the farm bill is significant. Among the measures that should be included are strengthening nutrition security in domestic and international food aid programs, creating a more equitable Supplemental Nutrition Assistance SNAP (AKA Food Stamps) program, and increasing food systems sustainability. It not only affects the agriculture and food sectors - but it can also play a huge role in ending food insecurity and hunger in the U.S. and save the lives of millions abroad.

Please join your fellow IC parishioners at this year’s “Bread for the World: Offering of Letters” and tell your senators and representatives to support the reauthorization of the farm bill in order to build healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems. 
In addition to providing information on our parish-wide event, IC's JPIC "Bread for the World: Offering of Letters" webpage hopes to offer you resources to help you write and submit your letter, in addition to sharing helpful resources and information.

WRITING YOUR LETTER!

In addition to writing your letter in the gathering space after all masses the weekend of April 29 and 30, you also can mail a letter on your own or online through the link provided below. A listing of our Senators and our local Representative, some "quick tips for an effective letter," and a "sample letter" are also listed in the following sections.

NC CONGRESS MEMBERS

Senator Ted Budd
B85 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510 
Senator Thom Tillis
113 Dirksen Senate Office Building 
Washington, DC 20510
Rep. Valerie P. Foushee
1716 Longworth House
​Office Building
Washington, DC, 20515-3304

OFFERING OF LETTERS
​SAMPLE

[Date] 
 
Rep.  
U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 
Sen.  
U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 
 
Dear Senator , / Dear Representative , 
 
The farm bill is our nation’s most important national food system legislation. It is critical to the work of ending hunger at home and abroad. Indeed, the farm bill impacts each one of us. 
 
As Congress works to renew our food and farm programs through the farm bill, I urge you to support legislation that builds healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems. 
 
Specifically, I ask you to: 
  • Increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables by increasing support for produce-specific Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP). This provides resources on top of monthly SNAP benefits for the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables, primarily at farmers’ markets, for a limited number of households. 
  • Eliminate barriers to SNAP for marginalized populations, including ending the ban on former drug offenders, eliminating work requirements for college students, and permitting indigenous communities to administer SNAP and other federal nutrition programs on reservations. 
  • Keep food out of landfills by increasing support for post-harvest food recovery efforts and addressing the threat to food security posed by extreme weather. 
  • Support funding for international food aid programs such as Food for Peace. 
 
As a person of faith, I am moved to help and advocate for people experiencing hunger and poverty – no matter where they live. This is why I urge you to support a farm bill that builds healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
[Your name] [Your address] ​

QUICK TIPS FOR AN
​EFFECTIVE LETTER

Ask for a specific action, using your own words or this sentence: 
  • I urge you to support a farm bill that builds healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems. 

Give reasons for your request and make it personal. 
  • Share a personal reason or story that motivated you to write. 
  • Show own organization’s commitment: “My church is helping by (example) but I also urge you to protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) from cuts.” 
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Write your name and address at the end of your letter and on the envelope, so your members of Congress know you are one of their constituents. 

For more impact, consider scheduling a meeting at your members office (or online) and personally deliver the letters with a delegation from your congregation/organization. You  can contact your regional organizer for support. 

Send your letters to your member’s local office or DC offices, and please don’t mail them to Bread for the World. If you’re mailing your letter, put each letter in a separate envelope and address it. To send a personalized email, go to bread.org/farmbill. 

Find addresses here: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm 

​For the OL group leader: Be sure to report your letter and results at the bottom of the OL home page or click here. ​

OFRENDA DE CARTA

[Fecha]
 
Rep. Cámara de Representantes de los Estados Unidos Washington, DC 20515
Sen. Senado de los Estados Unidos Washington, DC 20510
 
Estimado Senador, / Estimado Representante,
 
La Ley Agrícola es la legislación del sistema alimentario nacional más importante de nuestra nación. Es fundamental para poner un alto al hambre en el país y en el mundo. De hecho, la ley agrícola afecta a todos y cada uno de nosotros.
 
Mientras el Congreso trabaja para renovar nuestros programas alimentarios y agrícolas a través de la Ley Agrícola, lo insto a apoyar una legislación que construya sistemas alimentarios saludables, equitativos y sostenibles.
 
Específicamente, le pido:
  • Al aumentar el apoyo para los beneficios del Programa de Asistencia Nutricional Suplementaria (SNAP, por sus siglas en inglés) deberían mejorar el acceso a frutas y verduras frescas. El Programa de Incentivos Nutricionales Gus Schumacher (GusNIP), que proporciona recursos además de los beneficios mensuales de SNAP deberían apoyar algunos hogares para la compra de frutas y verduras frescas principalmente en los mercados de agricultores.
  • Mantener los alimentos fuera de los vertederos, aumentando el apoyo a los esfuerzos de recuperación de alimentos posteriores a la cosecha y abordar la amenaza a la seguridad alimentaria que representan los climas extremos.
  • Apoyar la financiación de programas internacionales de ayuda alimentaria como Food for Peace.
 
Como persona de fe, me siento movido en ayudar y abogar por las personas que sufren hambre y pobreza, sin tener en cuenta dónde vivan. Es por eso que le insto apoyar a una ley agrícola que construya sistemas alimentarios saludables, equitativos y sostenibles.
 
Atentamente,
 
[Su nombre] [Su dirección]
 
https://www.bread.org/es/nuestro-impacto/

​RESOURCES AND INFORMATION

FARM BILL INFOGRAPHIC

NC HUNGER AND POVERTY FACT SHEET

GLOBAL FOOD ASSISTANCE FACT SHEET

EQUITY

SUSTAINABILITY

NUTRITION

2023 EATER’S GUIDE TO THE FARM BILL
This comprehensive guide explains the bill in easy-to-understand pictures, details the current food and farming situation in the U.S., and includes questions for local, state, or federal candidates. ​
© All rights reserved.
If you have questions regarding our various JPIC ministries, please contact me directly.
Kennith M. Chiha, Director of Justice, Peace, and Integrity of Creation (JPIC)
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church - 901-A West Chapel Hill Street, Durham, NC 27701
(919) 682-3449 Ext. 293 - chihak@icdurham.org
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IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH   |  810 W CHAPEL HILL STREET, DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA 27701  |  919-682-3449


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