Making our country the great land it can be
By Rick Steves
Over the last few months, millions of Americans, including myself, have been inspired to celebrate and defend what they believe makes our country so...American.
Last Wednesday, I announced that I’d donate a dollar to Bread for the World for every dollar spent at my online shop. An impressive 627 of you responded, spending a total of $17,274 on my Rick Steves guidebooks, DVDs, travel accessories, and travel bags. That’s more than double my normal sales!
As promised, I’m giving an amount to Bread for the World equal to your collective shopping spree. And — further motivated by our government’s threat to drastically cut domestic and foreign aid programs — I’m tripling the amount and upping my gift to $50,000.
Thinking about how this money will help advocate for poor and hungry people in our nation and around the world brings me (and, I hope, all of us) real joy.
Industrialists pay for lobbyists to defend the interests of the extremely wealthy - often at the expense of the poor. But who lobbies for the hungry? With this small fundraiser, collectively we are funding lobbyists to explain to our government what we believe America should be. That’s what advocacy is.
And, while I wish our leaders could simply do what they know in their hearts to be right, the reality is that they tend to do what lobbyists encourage them to do. With this $50,000, we are giving hungry people a chance to have their needs heard in Washington D.C. That’s why, now more than ever, I prefer advocacy to charity.
I’m thankful for your support in this small, but exciting initiative. To me, this is helping to make our country the great land we know it can be. Thanks again and happy travels!
Rick Steves is host of public television's most-watched, longest-running travel series, "Rick Steves' Europe," and the author of more than 50 travel guidebooks.
With this $50,000, we are giving hungry people a chance to have their needs heard in Washington D.C.
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
FAQ: Hunger Crisis in Afghanistan
Afghanistan would be considered likely to have high rates of hunger because at least two of the major causes of global hunger affect it—armed conflict and fragile governmental institutions.
Global Malnutrition Fact Sheet 2021
Malnutrition is responsible for nearly half of all preventable deaths among children under 5. Every year, the world loses hundreds of thousands of young children and babies to hunger-related causes.
MEMO ON THE HIGH RETURNS OF INVESTING IN A 1,000 DAYS INFRASTRUCTURE
Bread for the World is calling on the Biden-Harris administration and Congress to build a better 1,000-Days infrastructure in the United States.
For Faith
Finding Hope, Ending Hunger on Both Sides of the Border: A Bilingual Latino Devotional
Devotional writers challenge us to feel the Spirit of God within us and to hear God’s urgent call to demand justice so all can put food on the table.The Bible on Health as a Hunger Issue
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him and established in faith.” These words from Colossians 2:6 remind us of the faith that is active in love for our neighbors.
The Bible on...
Faith Leaders' Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Coronavirus (COVID-19) and SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is designed to respond to changes in need, making it well suited to respond to crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $200 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $200 million for global nutrition.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.