SOCIAL JUSTICE

Dear St. Juan Diego Parishioner,

 

Each year St. Juan Diego works in partnership with Bread for the World to advocate for the elimination of hunger in our world by writing to our legislators. As a parish family, we are called to raise our voices for those in need.  This year we will be asking for a healthy, equitable, and sustainable food system via the farm bill. 

The farm bill is legislation that is critical to ending hunger in the U.S. and internationally.  It doesn’t just affect farmers.  It impacts every person in the U.S. as well as those facing hunger internationally.  The farm bill sets national policies for nutrition, agriculture, conservation, and forestry. It provides nutrition assistance to millions of Americans through programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program).  Programs included in the farm bill provide lifesaving assistance to millions of people facing dangerous levels of hunger and malnutrition, both in the U.S. and around the world.  To find out more about what the farm bill means for hunger see information at https://www.bread.org/article/what-is-the-farm-bill/. 

This year we are asking for the following to be included and or protected in the farm bill.

• Protect SNAP from funding cuts and further restrictions.

• Prioritize nutrition by cosponsoring the GusNIP Expansion Act, H.R.4856, and the GusNIP Improvement Act, S.2577.

• Reduce food waste by cosponsoring the Food Date Labeling Act, H.R.3159/S.1484.

• Strengthen food assistance for U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico by cosponsoring the Puerto Rico Nutrition Fairness Act, H.R.253/S.949.

• Protect and strengthen the Food for Peace global nutrition program and allow additional flexibility to provide the most effective form of assistance in each local context.

 

To accommodate everyone’s letter writing preference you have the choice of writing your letter in electronic form or paper form.  For those of you who choose the electronic form you will write just one letter that will be sent to Senator Merkely, Senator Wyden, and your state representative.  For those of you who choose the paper format we will ask you to write three letters; each letter can have the same text and will be delivered to the legislator’s office.

 

Instructions for writing your letters:

 

For electronic letters

 

1. Navigate to the website: https://go.bread.org/page/62469/action/1?_gl=1*1cym4uw*_gcl_au*NzYxOTA4NzkuMTcxNDMxMzk4OA..

2. Enter your name and address information.

3. Please check the box labeled ‘Yes, this is an Offering of Letters’

4. Please enter the name of our congregation as: St. Juan Diego Catholic Church, Portland, OR

5. Check the “I’m not a robot” checkbox and click the ‘WRITE YOUR MESSAGE’ button.

6. You will move to the ‘Step 2 – Personalize and Send Email to Congress’ page.  The text of the letter will already be filled in for you as well as your senators and representative. 

7. Please personalize your letter by adding your message or story explaining why you think we should end hunger.

8. Click the ‘SEND MESSAGE’ button.

 

For paper letters

1. After each Mass this weekend we will have paper letters available in the Narthex.  You may fill them out immediately after Mass or take them home to fill them in.  Please return them by June 16th.  There will be collection baskets in the Narthex until June 16th.