Bread March-April 2013

Laura Elizabeth Pohl/Bread for the World bread Marvin Garcia Salas eats breakfast with his son Jesus, 4, in Chiapas, Mexico. Marvin was once an undocumented immigrant in the United States, where he had moved without his family to better support them. Hunger and a lack of economic opportunity are at the root of much of the undocumented immigration from Mexico. Exodus From Hunger & Poverty An exodus from hunger can be metaphorical or literal. Metaphorically, it occurs when economic assistance or development lifts people out of poverty in the places where they live. But poor and hungry people can’t always count on economic development and relief coming to them when they need it. Sometimes they venture out in search of a life beyond their circumstances. Immigration and Bread for the World Hunger has long been a potent force behind emigration to the United States. In the 1840s, the Irish potato famine killed a million people and drove a million more to our shores. Over the past two centuries, tens of millions of people have come to the United States to escape famine and poverty. The countries of origin have changed over time, but the basic motivation for much immigration has not changed: For many of the 11 million unauthorized immigrants now in the United States, immigration has been a literal exodus from hunger and poverty. As Christians, we know that immigration, like all issues, is best understood (See Immigration on page 2) in this issue | On Faith 3 Bread Slices 4 Member Profile 6 Advocacy in Action 7 Contact Us 8 Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad March-April 2013 | www.bread.org Act Now! Join us in launching this year’s Offering of Letters Campaign: 1. Petition the President to set a goal and work with Congress on a plan to end hunger (www.bread.org/go/OL). 2. Call your members of Congress at 202-224-3121. Urge them to ensure a place at the table for all God’s children by providing adequate funding for anti-hunger and antipoverty programs: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps); the EarnedIncome and Child Tax Credits; Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and poverty-focused development assistance. 3. Watch A Place at the Table. Help spark a national conversation about ending hunger by watching the new documentary about hunger and discussing it with those around you (www.bread.org/go/OL).