SR0675 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0675 LRB094 19897 RSP 57090 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It is with deep concern for the hundreds of thousands of citizens nationwide who face increasing difficulties feeding their families that this body joins with the Illinois Interagency Nutrition Council, the Illinois Food Bank Association, and its individual Food Bank members as they support America's Second Harvest's National Hunger Awareness campaign to provide food assistance to hungry children; and

WHEREAS, Because of the sharp downturn in the economy, numerous families on a daily basis are relying on food banks to secure food for their families; and

WHEREAS, In Illinois, 8 food banks provide food assistance to needy families and their children with a variety of feeding programs including Kid's Cafes, Summertime Food Service, and After School Snack programs throughout the year that are all designed to reduce childhood hunger; and

WHEREAS, America's Second Harvest, the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States, has seen an increase in demand for food, particularly among families with children, and it has launched a national campaign to secure additional resources to help ease child hunger; and

WHEREAS, The date of June 6, 2006, has been designated "National Hunger Awareness Day" and the Illinois Food Bank Association members: the Central Illinois Food Bank in Springfield; the Eastern Illinois Food Bank in Urbana; the Greater Chicago Food Depository in Chicago; the Northern Illinois Food Bank in St. Charles, Rockford, and Park City; the Peoria Area Food Bank in Peoria; the River Bend Food Bank in Moline; the St. Louis Food Bank in St. Louis, Missouri; and the Tri-State Food Bank in Evansville, Indiana in partnership with over 2,000 emergency food providers, have committed their support for America's Second Harvest's national campaign to provide additional resources from our communities to combat child hunger; and

WHEREAS, The additional attention generated by this National Hunger Awareness Day will benefit the more than one million adults and children who are at or below the poverty level and likely in need of food assistance within Illinois; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we proclaim June 6, 2006, as "National Hunger Awareness Day" in Illinois to help secure additional resources to help end child hunger; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to the Illinois Food Bank Association members.