As people of faith, we are called to raise our collective voices to ask Congress to invest in and protect key programs that help improve the lives of men, women, and children facing hunger and poverty in the United States and around the world.

What is the Offering of Letters?

Bread for the World’s annual Offering of Letters campaign engages churches, campuses, and other faith communities in writing letters to Congress. Each year, for the focus of the campaign, Bread for the World chooses specific legislation or a legislative emphasis that can make a real difference to people struggling with hunger and poverty.

People write letters, usually as a group, and present them as an offering to God before mailing them to Congress. Hundreds of Offerings of Letters are held each year, resulting in tens of thousands of letters to Congress. Supported with prayer, these letters are a bold witness to God’s justice and mercy. They have, and continue to have, a significant impact on the decisions made in Congress.

What is the 2023 Offering of Letters About?

Risen Savior and faith communities around the country are focusing on the Farm Bill this Spring 2023 for the Offering of Letters. The Farm Bill isn’t just about farms! It is a very large piece of legislation that includes some of the biggest nutrition funding, such as SNAP, in our country.

In particular we are asking you to join us in advocating for:

• Increased 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.

Click here to send an email to your Congress people that you can tailor and send your Senator and Representative!

The Farm Bill is a piece of legislation that is up for renewal about every 4-6 years, so this is a really critical time to use your voice on behalf of the hungry! Let’s work together to create a more effective, sustainable food system!

Visit Bread for the World’s Website to learn more about this and other work they are involved in!