Bread For The World
“Our bowl and table logo represents what we do. We gather people, at many tables, to provide Bread for the World. We sit, together, at tables of power and influence with lawmakers to enact policies that help ensure everyone has access to nutritious food.” ~ CEO Rev. Eugene Cho
Bread for the World is a Christian advocacy organization urging U.S. decision makers to do all they can to pursue a world without hunger. Our mission is to educate and equip people to advocate for policies and programs that can help end hunger in the U.S. and around the world.
Federal nutrition programs provide roughly 10 times as much food assistance as private churches and charities combined. That’s why ending hunger requires the collective efforts of churches, charities, food banks, and federal programs.
The Problem
1 in 10 people go to bed hungry - 1 in 4 children are malnourished
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure
It is estimated 1 in 10 families are food insecure
Read more about what is meant by the terms “malnourished” and “food insecure.”
Give us this day our daily bread . . .
Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.
Galatians 6:2
Advocacy in Nebraska
Early each spring, the First Plymouth chapter of Bread for the World works with Nebraska Appleseed to identify current year bills affecting implementation and funding of nutrition programs across Nebraska.
Watch a zoom workshop on 2023 State Advocacy and a tour of the Unicameral website as a tool for State Advocacy.
Federal Advocacy
Bread’s recent legislative victories are impacting millions of people experiencing hunger. We’ve pushed to secure billions of dollars in humanitarian aid for Ukraine, Ethiopia, and other countries. Read about bipartisan federal legislative victories in 2022 addressing global hunger.
Through nonpartisan political engagement, we’ve worked to strengthen national nutrition programs as well. Learn about the White House Roadmap to ending hunger in the U. S. by 2030.
The U.S. Farm Bill
The U.S. farm bill sets policies and allocates funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to respond to hunger in the United States and globally. The U.S. flagship nutrition program and the main vehicle for reducing hunger under the bill is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which currently serves more than 41 million people.
The Farm Bill is renewed every 5 years and comes up for renewal in 2023. Read more about issues Bread For The World analysts consider crucial opportunities for advocacy below:
Bread For The World’s Farm Bill Policy Platform
Farm Bill International Fact Sheet
Building a Healthy, Equitable, and Sustainable Food System
The Farm Bill Impact for Nebraska
Bread for the World’s farm bill priorities include a focus on nutrition, equity, and sustainability. We believe Nebraska has a lot to gain from a farm bill legislated with these priorities in mind. Read more about how the U.S. Farm Bill affects Nebraska below:
Nebraska: A Hunger and Poverty Snapshot
Offering of Letters
Bread for the World’s successful annual strategy to influence Federal legislation revolves around an Offering of Letters held each year in local congregations, coordinated nation-wide through the various regions, and yielding some 300,000 letters to U.S. Senators from all states.
Bread for the World Organization
Bread for the World – First Plymouth is a member of Bread for the World’s Midwest Region, reporting to the national organization.
Spotlight on Action
Take Action on State Legislation
The 109th Legislature, First Session will convene January 8, 2025. We will post the new bills we are following and sample letters after the bills have been introduced.
Take Action on Federal Legislation
Use Bread for the World webpages to email your U. S. senator or send a letter. Sample Letter | Addresses
If you would like to participate in local direct food assistance programs, explore these opportunities:
Lincoln facilities and programs providing direct aid to hungry adults and children in Southeast Nebraska include Matt Talbot Kitchen, various school programs, and the Lincoln Food Bank. First Plymouth has volunteers serving at Matt Talbot. Contact the church office to connect with the coordinator for Matt Talbot.
First Plymouth serves as a drive-up distribution site for the Lincoln Food Bank once a month. To find out how you can get involved, contact Ron Ramsey.
First Plymouth also has a Little Food Pantry on the west lawn of the church. You can help us keep the pantry stocked here.
