Declaring support and gratitude by the House of Representatives to food banks, food pantries, and other community-based organizations working to end food insecurity and providing other essential services in the United States.

[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 882 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 882

Declaring support and gratitude by the House of Representatives to food 
 banks, food pantries, and other community-based organizations working 
 to end food insecurity and providing other essential services in the 
                             United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 21, 2023

    Mr. Correa (for himself, Mrs. Steel, Mr. Levin, Ms. Porter, Ms. 
     Sanchez, and Mrs. Kim of California) submitted the following 
     resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Declaring support and gratitude by the House of Representatives to food 
 banks, food pantries, and other community-based organizations working 
 to end food insecurity and providing other essential services in the 
                             United States.

Whereas there are hundreds of food banks and over 60,000 of their partners, 
        including food pantries and meal programs, that help address the 
        persistent problem of food insecurity, which exists in all counties 
        across the United States;
Whereas food banks collect, sort, and store millions of pounds of food 
        donations, as well as distribute food to local food pantries, shelters, 
        senior centers, and schools, and deliver food to people experiencing 
        food insecurity in our communities, serving over 5,000,000,000 meals 
        annually;
Whereas food banks are an integral part of antihunger programs in the United 
        States through their involvement in Federal, State, and local programs, 
        as well as privately funded programs;
Whereas many food banks manage and support programs that provide food to 
        children after school, on the weekends, and during the summer to make 
        sure children in the United States have sufficient food to thrive;
Whereas food bank employees and volunteers also step up to provide critical and 
        immediate assistance during disasters;
Whereas, in 2022, 49,000,000 people in the United States turned to food banks, 
        food pantries, and meal programs for assistance and food;
Whereas, in the United States in 2022, nearly 13 percent of all households, over 
        17 percent of households with children, and nearly 15 percent of rural 
        households experienced food insecurity, an increase from 2021;
Whereas, in 2021, local rates of food insecurity among the overall population 
        were as high as 26 percent in some counties, and more than 40 percent 
        among children;
Whereas, in 2022, 44,200,000 people living in households across the United 
        States, including 13,400,000 children lived in food-insecure households;
Whereas, in the United States in 2021, 1 in 14 seniors over the age of 60 
        experienced food insecurity;
Whereas, as many as 1 in 6 military and veteran families in the United States 
        experience food insecurity, and many military and veteran households 
        seek supplemental food assistance provided through food banks, food 
        pantries, and other private sources;
Whereas Federal food assistance programs are essential and provide the bulk of 
        all food assistance, but they often do not cover the full cost of a 
        monthly food budget for households, including military and veteran 
        households, leaving many recipients to rely on food banks to access the 
        food they and their families need;
Whereas food banks depend on donated foods, private donors, volunteers, and 
        United States agricultural producers and communities, in addition to 
        local, State, and Federal support, to provide their services;
Whereas corporate donors, such as grocery stores, retailers, shippers, packers, 
        and growers are essential team partners for food banks to enable them to 
        carry out their important work;
Whereas continued demand is straining food banks' ability to meet the needs of 
        individuals and families experiencing food insecurity;
Whereas food bank employees and volunteers, and community partners work 
        tirelessly and constantly innovate to provide and distribute as much 
        food as possible;
Whereas, in 2022, only about 55 percent of food-insecure households participated 
        in one or more of the largest Federal nutrition assistance programs from 
        the Department of Agriculture, meaning many eligible people are not 
        enrolled to receive assistance under such programs, making education 
        about these programs by food banks and other community-based 
        organizations an essential service;
Whereas many food banks and their partners provide nutrition education so people 
        in the United States can enhance their health;
Whereas food insecurity leads to chronic health problems and costs the United 
        States economy at least $160,000,000,000 each year in additional health 
        costs and poor health outcomes;
Whereas, in the United States, where nearly 40 percent, or over 118,000,000,000 
        pounds, of food is wasted annually, an equivalent to 159,000,000,000 
        meals valued at $444,000,000,000 food banks and other community-based 
        organizations increasingly rescue and distribute high-quality foods that 
        would have otherwise been wasted; and
Whereas food banks collect, store, and distribute healthy foods, advocate for 
        people who are experiencing food insecurity, aim to rescue food from 
        going to waste and increase food donations, and provide education about 
        healthy eating: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) declares support and gratitude to food banks and all 
        other community-based organizations working to end food 
        insecurity in the United States for tirelessly providing food 
        assistance; and
            (2) confirms that food bank and community-based 
        organization employees and volunteers, private donors, as well 
        as United States agricultural producers, serve an essential 
        role in working to end food insecurity, rescuing food from 
        going to waste, and improving our general health, welfare, and 
        the economy.
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