MAZON: “Needless Delays For Critical $900 Million Puerto Rico Disaster Aid Extended Human Suffering”

MAZON Staff

June 6, 2019

Back

MAZON: “Needless Delays For Critical $900 Million Puerto Rico Disaster Aid Extended Human Suffering”

National Food Crisis Still Keeping Millions of Americans Hungry

WASHINGTON, DC (June 6, 2019) — MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger today expressed gratitude that the President signed into law a $19.1 billion disaster relief package, which includes $900 million in critical funding for Puerto Rico’s nutrition assistance and community development block grants. Passage of this disaster aid package was an advocacy priority for MAZON.

“While we are heartened that the funds will now be available for Puerto Rico, the needless delays for critical disaster aid is shameful,” said Abby J. Leibman, President & CEO of MAZON. “It is unconscionable that Puerto Rico has been denied life-saving nutrition benefits because of a lack of political will. All individuals must have access to the resources they need to put food on the table. While MAZON applauds this moment, it is long overdue and is but one step forward in addressing widespread food insecurity nationwide and the unfair treatment of Puerto Rico. It is unfortunate that the enactment of this legislation was delayed while certain individuals chose politics over people, and human suffering for millions of Americans was extended as a result.”

MAZON has been advocating tirelessly on behalf of hungry families in Puerto Rico and, working shoulder-to-shoulder with lawmakers and partners to ensure that urgently needed nutrition benefits were included in the final funding package. The uphill and lengthy legislative battle underscores the critical need to advocate on behalf of hungry and poor Americans everywhere.

Instrumental to MAZON’s successful advocacy push was the timely persistence of two national delegations in Washington, DC: the Jewish Clergy Justice Mission in April and the Emerging Advocacy Fund Convening in May. Together, over 50 rabbis and cantors representing multiple denominations, anti-hunger experts from 16 organizations in 9 states, MAZON’s board of directors and senior leadership met with more than 75 congressional offices to discuss urgent anti-hunger priorities, chiefly Puerto Rico’s escalating hunger crisis.

Stay up to date on our news.
Subscribe to our Newsletter.

News & Events

All News

Historic Cuts to SNAP Deepen the War on Women (Ms. Magazine)

The last few months in Washington, D.C., have been consumed with political theatrics around the budget reconciliation process. Republicans in the House and Senate scrambled to pass legislation that will cut $184 billion from SNAP through 2034—by far the largest cut to SNAP in the program’s history—to finance tax cuts for the wealthy big businesses. They also hope to increase funding for pursuit of immigrants. Read more.

House Ag Dems: OBBBA will allow states to end SNAP (The Fence Post)

States will be allowed to opt out of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program if state officials decide they cannot or will not pay the increased cost share under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Democratic members of the House Agriculture Nutrition and Foreign Agriculture Subcommittee repeatedly pointed out at a hearing today. The three witnesses all agreed. Read more.

Partnering with MAZON: Fighting Hunger and Nourishing the Jewish Soul (TC Jewfolk)

TC Jewfolk is proud to partner with MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger – a national organization inspired by Jewish values – to fight to end hunger among people of all faiths and backgrounds in the United States and Israel.

“We need committed advocates who do the work to move legislation aimed at ending hunger forward, as well as to fight harmful policies that would erode the safety net that enables so many people to put food on the table,” Haviv explained. “That work must happen at every level, and we are committed to a strong effort in statehouses nationwide.” Read more.