From: Noel Rivera <nrivera@clevelandfoodbank.org>
Subject: Your help is urgently needed!
To: "Mary O'Shea" <moshea@clevelandfoodbank.org>
Cc: "Deborah Beckwith" <dbeckwith@clevelandfoodbank.org>
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2009, 3:50 PM
Late last week, Governor Strickland presented a new budget
framework to deal with declining revenues and the budget gap.
Cuts included $7 million for food for foodbanks!
Demand at your agencies is up, food prices are up, and the
unemployment rate is up. Needless to say, in this economy we
cannot afford to balance the budget on the backs of our poorest
citizens. Needless to say.... but we need for you to say it!
The legislators
must at least retain
the $12 million for food that was in the House and Senate
versions of the budget just so that we can maintain our current
level of service (let alone increase services)!
I know that we have asked you a number of times to speak up on the
budget, but the landscape has changed, and this may be your last
chance!
Please contact these members:
--
Thank them for their previous support!
--
Tell them about the need you are seeing at your program.
--
Urge them to fully fund the Ohio Association of Second Harvest
Foodbanks budget request
of $17 million per year/$34 million over
the biennium to support critical hunger relief programs.
--
The funding from the state of Ohio is essential to reducing hunger
in Ohio and represents
25% of all food distributed statewide.
--
Basic needs must be the highest priority in this time of economic
hardship!
