During a workshop at a food bank conference held October 3-5, 2011 in Chicago, David Lee, Director of Government Relations and Advocacy with Feeding America , acknowledged a “perfect storm” is brewing that could have a devastating impact on poor and working families. He was referring to the combination of continued, high unemployment, a significant increase in the need for food assistance, and proposed cuts in Federal support for food assistance programs. David Lee (photo: Feeding America) The proposed cuts to TEFAP (The Emergency Food Assistance Program) in the agriculture appropriations bill for FY2012, which starts October 1, represent a 43% reduction from the previous year. “This is terrifying stuff,” mentioned Lee . The proposed House of Representatives version of the 2012 Farm Bill “slashed nutrition” by 20%, he said, adding that this includes a “terrible, terrible cut to WIC,” the popular program available to lower-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and child
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