Christian Leaders Release Letter on Hunger

As President Obama prepares to present his plan for his final two years in office in the annual State of the Union address next week, a group of Christian leaders is already looking ahead to what the next president may do to address hunger and poverty.

The group of 100 Christian leaders from around the country, including Dr. Steven Timmermans, executive director of the Christian Reformed Church, have released a letter, challenging the presidential candidates to appear on camera in a video stating how they propose to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in the United States and abroad.

These videos, the Christian leaders said, will be distributed widely to churches and other groups.

Several of the leaders spoke and released the letter at a press conference on Thursday in Washington, DC.

“We are praying for a president who will make ending hunger and poverty a top priority of his or her administration,” a statement from the group asks.

The full press statement and letter is available by visiting Circle of  Protection, which is a group that represents a diverse array of Christian denominations, churches, colleges, and agencies across the country.

According to the latest U.S. Census data, 49 million Americans are at risk of hunger, while 45 million live in poverty. One in five children lives in poverty. That is 15 million children, five million of them under age six.