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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. John Myers |
State Rep. Rosita
Youngblood |
Myers, Youngblood to rally public to help food pantries
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 25 – State Reps. John Myers and Rosita Youngblood, both D-Phila., will mark the close of Hunger Action Month and the continuing effort to bolster food bank reserves for the coming winter months with a rally at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 at Vernon Park, 5800 Germantown Ave.
The rally will include a giveaway of fresh fruit and vegetables by Philabundance, the primary food bank distribution operation in the Delaware Valley, including Philadelphia.
According to the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, 58 percent of community feeding programs report that they generally don't have enough food on hand to be able to meet current demands, up from 42 percent last year. At the same time, more than three-quarters of the feeding programs report more people coming for assistance than last year.
Still more ominous, two-thirds of feeding programs have had to reduce the amount of food they can provide to individuals, and one-third reported having to turn people away. Lack of money, food, equipment and volunteers are cited as the causes.
Myers sponsored a resolution adopted by the House that designated September as "Hunger Action Month" in Pennsylvania. Youngblood co-sponsored the measure.
"The resolution helps us draw public attention to the fact that for one out of eight Americans, hunger, or the risk of hunger, is a reality," Myers said. "And with Philadelphia having one of the highest child poverty rates in the nation, with one out of three of our children living at or below the federal poverty line, that's a red flag and we must ensure that they do not go hungry. The same goes for the elderly, handicapped and others who may be at risk of going hungry during the most challenging time of the year."
"I am so proud of the residents and volunteers who are helping to eliminate hunger by distributing food to the needy in my legislative district," Youngblood said. "As we mark the end of Hunger Action Month, I want to recognize and personally thank Tony Moore, who runs Veterans United Community Free Food Program. The program, which Mr. Moore started on his front porch in 1991, operates five distribution locations in the area and serves about 200 local residents Monday through Friday each week."
People benefiting from the availability of donated food range from infants and toddlers, school-age children and adolescents to single mothers, single fathers, two-parent families, veterans and their families, and seniors – in other words, hunger cuts across every population group in the community.
"You can take donations of non-perishable food items to drop-off points you may know or, if you don't know of a place, my office at 5847 Germantown Avenue will accept food donations," Myers added.
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