Here are this week’s letters to the editor of the Oshkosh Northwestern. See our letters policy below for details about how to share your views.
Join the fight against hunger in Oshkosh
Our Oshkosh food pantries cannot make up for the loss of federally funded food programs without your help. Please give generously both money (Feeding America can by more than five times more food) and food.
Hunger is a significant issue in Wisconsin, affecting an estimated 694,710 people, including 202,600 children. There is rising food insecurity and a sharp increase in demand. Wisconsin offers food assistance programs like FoodShare (SNAP) and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).
In Wisconsin, food insecurity continues to affect approximately 1 in 10 Wisconsin households. One in 8 children are facing hunger in Wisconsin.
By supporting and advocating for robust federal nutrition programs and implementing local initiatives, we can work toward ensuring all individuals have access to the nutritious food they need to lead healthy lives.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP)/FoodShare is the first line of defense against hunger. FoodShare benefits are funded 100% by the federal government.
The Women Infants & Children (WIC) Program is a federal nutrition program that aims to promote the health of nutritionally at-risk pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, infants and children.
The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) is a federal program that offers a simplified way to serve all students breakfast and lunch, all during school, at no charge.
The School Breakfast Program is a federally funded program through the Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA and is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Call and email our senators and representatives: https://www.congress.gov/members.
Deb Martin
Oshkosh
Families can’t shut down. Why can government?
When our children with disabilities each turned 18, we became their guardians. We had to stand up in court and take an oath to fulfill promises, much like our elected officials.
I would love to shut down right now. We lost one of our adult children to an epileptic seizure two weeks ago on Oct. 17. On Oct. 18, we got up and met every promise we made in that courtroom to our other adult children with disabilities. It’s my job to do what is best for them, and if I choose to shut down, the courts can rightfully fire me from my position.
My expectation for elected officials is no different than those I expect for myself. We are both paid by the government. What happens if I decided to pay myself but not provide my adult children with basic needs? I would be fired.
My question to elected officials: “How long must we, as your constituents, watch critical programs fall apart while you suffer no consequences?” Please stop and get back to work. If you do not, then you may know a true “shutdown” when your term is over. We both have people to answer to.
Shannon Walter
Oshkosh
Our letters policy
Letters to the editor are published in the order in which they are received and letter-writers are limited to having one letter published per month. Letters can be emailed to oshkoshnews@thenorthwestern.com and Editor Brandon Reid at breid@gannett.com. Letters must meet specific guidelines, including being no more than 250 words and be from local authors or on topics of local interest. All submissions must include the name of the person who wrote the letter, their city of residence and a contact phone number. Letters are edited as needed for style, grammar, length, fairness, accuracy and libel.
This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Oshkosh letter-writers call for joining fight against hunger, ending government shutdown
Reporting by Oshkosh Northwestern / Oshkosh Northwestern
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