The Fight for a Hunger Free America this January


** JANUARY NEWSLETTER
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In this month's newsletter:
1. Sign Up for the MLK Serve-A-Thon!
2. Join Us for a Great Virtual Opportunity
3. HFA Hunger Report Featured Nationwide
4. Become an AmeriCorps VISTA Host Site
5. Advocacy Corner: Fight for SNAP
6. Hunger Fighter Resources



** Sign Up for the MLK Serve-A-Thon!
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** For more than 20 years, Hunger Free America has honored MLK's life's work with service and action. Working with partners across the country, we have meaningful opportunities to serve, both in-person and virtually, through volunteer events, panels, and workshops, from January 17-20, 2025.
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Sign Up for a Serve-A-Thon Event ([link removed])


** Join Us for a Great Virtual Opportunity
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** In this virtual session you'll receive background information, training and support to verify and update listings of food pantries, soup kitchens and SNAP/WIC offices around the country. This information is used to direct callers to our Hunger Hotline to resources.

This is crucial, especially during the winter months when we are making critical referrals to those in need of services. Accurate referrals are a vital part of our work. You'll need a computer, phone and pen and paper for the task.
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Sign Up Here ([link removed])


** Hunger Report Featured Nationwide
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** Last November, Hunger Free America released our annual Hunger Report which showed massive increases in hunger nationwide. News organizations from around the country shared our report and its findings.
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** The number of Americans who didn’t have enough to eat over two one-week periods increased by 55.2% between August/September 2021 and August/September 2024. Hunger Free America attributes that surge to the expiration the federal rollback of expanded Child Tax Credits, the end of expanded SNAP (food stamps allotments), and the termination of universal school meals, coupled with the impact of inflation.
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Watch KTVB’s Story Here ([link removed])


** Apply to be a Potential AmeriCorps VISTA Organizational Host Site
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** Hunger Free America is pleased to be starting its preliminary review process for organizational and governmental/tribal agency host sites for our upcoming AmeriCorps VISTA service year, August 2025-August 2026 – in case the federal government again awards Hunger Free America new AmeriCorps VISTA positions nationwide. The future fate of both the VISTA program, and the overall AmeriCorps program, are currently being considered by Congress and the President-Elect. This year, HFA is particularly interested in identifying potential host sites that serve in rural communities, the Mid-South Delta/the Mississippi Deta Region, and/or on tribal lands or serving communities with a high populations of Native American/American Indians.

If your organization, governmental or tribal anti-poverty agency is interested in potentially partnering with HFA on AmeriCorps VISTA, please fill out the form below. If you have any questions, you can email Amy Bonn, Director of Hunger Free America’s AmeriCorps VISTA program:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])
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Learn More about the HFA AmeriCorps Program ([link removed])


** Advocacy Corner: Fight for SNAP
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** Last year, the House Agriculture Committee advanced a Farm Bill proposal that would, according to the Congressional Budget Office, take away $30 billion in SNAP funding. Hunger Free America fiercely opposes this proposal, which would take away life-saving nutrition assistance from tens of millions of food insecure children, working people, veterans, people with disabilities, and older Americans.
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** We urge you to contact your House Representative and US Senator and implore them to reject any Farm Bill that cuts SNAP funding!
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Find Your Reps ([link removed])


** Hunger Fighter Resources
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** Share the contact information for our Benefits Access ([link removed]) team in your community. Anyone looking for help applying for SNAP or WIC, or applying for SNAP recertification can email us at [email protected] ([link removed]) or call (646) 355-1475.
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** Do you run a food pantry or other feeding program? Make sure you're in our online database ([link removed]) ! Contact our Data Director, Angelica, at [email protected] ([link removed]) for more information.
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Donate to Hunger Free America ([link removed])

Are you a Federal employee or retiree? Then you can contribute to Hunger Free America through the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) using charity code 31291: [link removed] ([link removed])
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