But hunger is not just a phenomenon across the globe.  There are hungry people, men, women and children in the United States, and also in our five county area, the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod. There are public and private safety nets in place, and most of our congregations participate in such feeding ministries.  But still there are people who fall between the cracks.  Many of them are children, our country's future.  Children are more vulnerable to the effects of hunger than adults, especially young children.  Their brains are still forming.  Serious deprivation of essential nutrition can affect them forever, as surely as fetal alcohol syndrome, disease or genetic mutations. 

Hunger does not just impact a hidden few in our region. Here are the 2009 statistics for the percent of children enrolled in the public schools in our Delaware Valley who are eligible for free or reduced lunch:  Chester County 17%, Montgomery County 18%, Bucks County 19%, Delaware County 32% and Philadelphia County 76%. The needs of these children do not go away when the school year ends. For example, summer is the hungriest season in Philadelphia as it is elsewhere, because an estimated 150,000 public, charter, and Catholic schoolchildren who eat free or reduced-price breakfasts and lunches during the school year are cut off.

The City and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia are hosting feeding sites this summer, but these sites cannot serve all in need.  Estimates by the state Department of Education and others show that the meals at summer city sites will feed around 80,000 young people. That leaves around 70,000 children without free or subsidized meals.

The Obama administration is asking for $10 billion over the next ten years, to raise meal reimbursements by 6 cents, and to incorporate more eligible children into the school lunch and supplemental feeding programs.  The House version of the bill requests just $8 billion dollars.  And the Senate bill trims it down to $4.5 billion. 

Southeastern Pennsylvania Lutherans care about our children.  We care about all children.  Along with other leaders of faith communities, I encourage Lutheran leaders to make the elimination of childhood hunger a high priority.  Give generously and volunteer with charities that feed the hungry, and help to establish summer feeding sites for the children who are not served.  You can host a site for as little as one week.  (In Philadelphia, call the Catholic Archdiocese Nutritional Services Office, (215) 895-3470 x727 and ask for Qia.  Congregations in the surrounding counties can contact Sue Still at sstill@state.pa.us or call (717) 787-7698.) 

Most of all, contact Senators Casey and Specter and your local representative in Congress and encourage them to support funding of the Childhood Nutrition Reauthorization Act at the $10 billion level that the administration has asked for.  Use the addresses and/or phone numbers below or visit Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pennsylvania's online campaign at http://ga6.org/campaign/Child_Nutrition to send an electronic letter.