Over 140 Faith Leaders call for action on Summer EBT

Re: Iowa Interfaith Leaders – feeding hungry children this summer the right thing to do

Dear Governor Reynolds, Lt. Governor Gregg, and Director Garcia,

Feeding the poor is a universal value shared by all major faith traditions and all cultures – this is especially true when it comes to feeding children.

These are the words shared in the summer of 2023 when faith leaders from across our state appealed to your offices to enroll in the Summer Pandemic EBT program. These words are still true now as we plead with you once again: please change course on your December 22nd statement that Iowa will not participate in the 2024 Summer EBT Program.

We were grateful and relieved that our state did the right thing in 2023. We saw how the $29 million dollars going directly to the families of over 244,000 Iowa children made a significant positive difference. The EBT cards gave parents an accessible way to provide for their families with dignity. Struggling families were able to purchase healthy groceries in the communities where they lived. These EBT cards provided relief to families with children in a very stressful time.

In the past several months food pantries across Iowa have been overwhelmed by record breaking need. Our faith communities are going above and beyond to help meet that need. But volunteers are exhausted, financial resources are running low, and yes, some pantries are running out of food. Our state is in a food insecurity state of emergency. Right now, we all need to work together and use every available resource to address this crisis.

Please do not reject such a huge opportunity to support our children, our families, and our communities. If Iowa is forced to go without the Summer EBT Program, summer feeding sites and private charities will not be able to make up the difference—and many kids will go without. We can already see the strain in our communities. We need more help to fight hunger, not less.

We, the undersigned Iowa leaders from all across the religious spectrum call on the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to immediately contact the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and work with our federal partners to provide summer nutrition benefits to children in our state through the Summer EBT program.

Feeding children is always the right thing to do. Show us that we can trust our Iowa leaders to do the right thing and make certain no child goes hungry.

 

Elder Amgad Beblawi	Presbytery of Des Moines
Harkirat CHuMber	Sikh Community
Jean Davis
Gale Francione	Liturgical Design Consultant
Jacob Guckenberger	Christ Community Church
Glenda M Hughes
Dr. Laurie Iudin-Nelson
Bishop Kevin T Jones	Northeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA
David Judisch	Path to Citizenship
DiAnn Walls Kipper	Corinthian Baptist Church-Evangelism Ministry
Jon Krieg	AFSC Midwest Region
Dennis and Sharon Littlejohn
Amy Mellies
Rev. Andrea J. Myers	St. Stephen Lutheran Church, Urbandale
Bonnie K. Pruett	First Congregational Church
Heidi Swets	NE Iowa Peace and Justice Center
Rev. Mara Bailey	United Methodist Church
Rev Dan Baldwin	Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. Susan Bantz
Rabbi Emily Barton	Tifereth Israel Synagogue
Rev. Elizabeth A Bell	Adel and Dallas Center UMC
Rev. Dr. Mary L Bellon, Ph.D.	Collegiate/Wesley United Methodist Church
Rev.Dr. Mary L Bellon, Ph.D.	Collegiate/Wesley United Methodist Church
Rev. William Bernau	Saint James Lutheran Church
Rabbi Linda Bertenthal	Temple Emanuel and Congregation Beth Israel
Bishop Kennetha Bigham-Tsai	United Methodist Church, Iowa Annual Conference
Carol Birkland	First Lutheran Church, Decorah
Rev. Robyn Bles	Wakonda Christian Church
Rev. Candice K. Brown	Retired Clergy, Highland Park Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Des Moines,IA
Pastor Eric Carlson	Faith Lutheran Church, Clive
Rev. Kyle Carswell	St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Brian Edward Carter	Aldersgate United Methodist Church, Urbandale
Rev Owen A Cayton	Ankeny Christian Church
Rev. John Chaplin
Tom Chapman	Iowa Catholic Conference
Deacon Larry A. Christensen	ELCA
Reverend Megan Clausen	Faith Lutheran Church ELCA
Rev. Denny Coon	United Methodist Church
Pastor Jonathan Cox	Island United Methodist Church
Rev. Lewis Cox	Collegiate United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation
Debora Crowley	Community of Christ
Bishop Amy Current	Southeastern Iowa Synod, ELCA
Nicola Damce	St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
Rev. Katie Z. Dawson	Iowa Conference United Methodist Church
Kanwarpal S. Dhugga	Sikhs of Iowa Khalsa Heritage, Incorporated (SIKH, INC.)
John Doherty	St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral
Len & Diane Eberhart
Rev. Dr. Jennifer E. Edinger
Karen Fausch
Julie Feldman
Rev. Dr. Frederick K. Gaddy	St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church Des Moines
Rev. Laura Gentry	Our Savior’s Lutheran Church
Ratwinder Gill	Sikhs Of Iowa Khalsa Heritage
The Rev. Elizabeth Gillman	St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Rev. Lisa Grace
Rev, Debra Griffin	Downtown Disciples
Pastor Kelsey Guckenberger	Christ community church
Cindy Hickman	United Methodist
Rev. Jodi Hinrichs	Peace Lutheran Church, Adel
Pastor Mark J. Holmes	Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Jeffrey D. Jacobs	St Paul Lutheran-Lime Springs
Rev. Tim Jacobsen
Rev. Mike Janes
Rev. Heecheon H. Jeon	First United Methodist Church and Wesley Foundation of Iowa City
Rev. Patricia Johnson	St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Rev. Dr. Kristin Johnston Largen	Wartburg Theological Seminary
Cantor Gail Karp, Emerita	One Human Family Quad Cities
Rev. Aleese M. Kenitzer	Shepherd of the Cross Lutheran Church
Rev. Kirsten Klepfer	Presbyterian Church (USA)
The Rev. Peter R. Kowitz	Decorah Lutheran Church
Very Reverend Kenneth Kuntz	Diocesan Administrator for the Diocese of Davenport
Rev Carmen Lampe Zeitler	Wellspring Community Church
Pastor Dave L. Lenth	Upper Iowa Conference of Pastors
Rev. Kathleen Lotz	Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rev. Dr. Sharin Mahood Rev. LeAnn Stubbs	Episcopal priest, retired Plymouth Church, Des Moines
Karen Martin-Schramm	First Lutheran Church, Decorah
Rev. Dr. James B. Martin-Schramm	Luther College
Rev. Peter W. Marty	St. Paul Lutheran Church
The Reverend Jean McCarthy	St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, Des Moines IA
Monique McDonald	Iowa Episcopalians
Kathi Mitchell Lay Servant	Burr Oak United Methodist Church
Barb Callaghan Mitchell
Mary Moermond	Walnut Hills United Methodist Church
Rev. Betsey Monnot, Bishop	Retired, Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
Rev. McIver Mullins	St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport, IA
Rev. Karen Nichols Dungan	United Methodist Church
Rev. Cathy Nutting	United Methodist Church
Rev. Bill O’Connell	St. Paul Presbyterian Church
Rev. Del Olivier	First Congregational United Church of Christ
Rev Virginia Olson
Rev. Dr. Timothy V. Olson	Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Rev. Sara Olson-Smith	St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport
Pastor Paul Ostrem	ELCA
Rev. Eric Pasanchin	Ankeny Presbyterian Church
Odesa Peake
The Rev. Peter A. Pettit, Ph.D.	St. Paul Lutheran Church
Rev. Robert L. Pickerell	Disciples of Christ
Lynn Pleggenkuhle	Decorah UU
Michelle Plymale
Kristin Propson	Congregational Decorah United Church of Christ
Rev. Marion Pruitt- Jefferson	Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. Dr. Catherine Quehl-Engel
Rev. David Kebschull	St Mark Lutheran Church, Storm Lake
Sarai Rice	Retired, Presbyterian Minister
Rev Laurie Riley	Hudson and Janesville United Methodist Church
Rev. LeAnn Robine	Corning United Methodist Church
Rev. Lee Roorda Schott	Valley United Methodist Church, West Des Moines
Rev. Matthew W.G. Rossler	Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
Jodi Rushing	First United Methodist Church
Tracy Sabus	St. Stephen Lutheran Church
Rev. Dr. Pamela S. Saturnia
Rev. Holly Scherff	St. John’s Episcopal Church
The Rev Mel Schlachter	The Episcopal Church
Rev. Mark Schlenker	ELCA
Rev. Travis Segar	Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Rev. David Severtson	First Lutheran Church, Decorah
Parvinder Singh	Sikhs of Iowa khalsa heritage
Clare Smith-Larson	Capitol Hill Christian Church
Imam Nermin Spahic	Islamic and Cultural Center “Bosniak” of Des Moines
Greg & Julie Stokke
Matt Tapscott	Decorah Community Food Pantry
Rev. Daryl J. Thompson	Calmar & Springfield Lutheran Churches
Rev Rachel Thorson Mithelman
John Tyson	Des Moines Mennonite Church
Rev. April Ulring Larson	ELCA clergy
Rev. Trevor Vaughn	Immanuel United Methodist Church
Rev. Heather Wachendorf	New Beginnings Christian Church
The Reverend Canon Meg Wagner	The Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
Rev. Katy Warren	St. Paul Lutheran Church, Davenport
Rev. Beth Wartick
Kit J. Whan	Madison Market
Rev. Paris White
Rev. Michael Wilker	First Lutheran Church
Rev. Nathan Williams	Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines
Edythe Williams
Rev. Kathleen Wohlers	ELCA
Lance Wood	Decorah Community Food Pantry
Rev. Dr. Jared Wortman	Plymouth Congregational Church
Rev. David Wrightsman	Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Rev. Carmen Lampe Zeitler	Wellspring Community Church
Steven Zittergruen	Board President, Decorah Community Food Pantry

 

 

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