CaliforniaBudget Project

June 8, 2007

Audio Call on Federal Food Stamp Reauthorization

On Wednesday, June 13, the California Budget Project (CBP) will hold an audio briefing for stakeholders on federal reauthorization of the Food Stamp Program, which provides nutritional assistance to 2 million low-income Californians, primarily families with children.

This call is designed for stakeholders with an interest in the food stamp reauthorization debate who are willing to act to ensure that federal food stamp funding and policies meet California's needs in the future.

Congress will soon consider whether to boost funding for the Food Stamp Program over the next five years. Food stamps provide an average benefit of $1.09 per person per meal in California, but their purchasing power has not kept pace with the cost of living, and the amount of food that families can buy is declining. To read more, see the CBP's recent Budget Brief, "Congress Can Strengthen the Food Stamp Program," at www.cbp.org, and the California Association of Food Banks' recent report, "California's Families and Economy Losing Out: Congress Must Stop Erosion of Food Stamp Benefits in 2007 Farm Bill," at http://www.cafoodbanks.org/may052307.pdf.

Wednesday's call will include a discussion of the importance of the Food Stamp Program to California's low-income families, how Congress can use food stamp reauthorization to improve the program, and the status of congressional debates on funding and key policy issues.

Please RSVP to cbp@cbp.org to receive call-in information. The call-in number is not toll-free and lines are limited. Please RSVP early and reserve only one line per organization if possible.

WHAT: Conference call on Food Stamp Program reauthorization

WHO:Scott Graves, senior policy analyst, California Budget Project

Kim McCoy Wade, executive director, California Association of Food Banks

WHEN: Wednesday, June 13 at 11 a.m.

TO RESERVE A SPOT: Please email cbp@cbp.org or call Alexandra Frankel at (916) 444-0500.