REPRESENTATIVES JOE MORELLE AND GRACE MENG INTRODUCE LEGISLATION TO INCREASE ACCESS TO CRITICAL FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

(Washington, DC) - Today, Congressman Joe Morelle (D-NY) and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-NY) announced introduction of the Hunger Clearinghouse Enhancement Act of 2023 to reduce food insecurity for families across the nation. The legislation would increase funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Hunger Clearinghouse Hotline to improve access to food assistance, nutrition, and social services information for families in need. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has introduced the Senate companion bill.

"More than 44 million people will experience hunger this year due to limited access to food assistance—including 7.3 million children,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “We have a moral obligation to address these staggering statistics and ensure no family goes without a warm meal. This legislation will better connect people to the resources they need, reduce food insecurity, and uplift families in crisis. I’m grateful to Senator Gillibrand and Congresswoman Meng for their support and look forward to our continued work together creating solutions to the hunger crisis.” 

"Fighting food insecurity has long been a focus of mine in Congress. Millions of people in New York and throughout the nation experience hunger each year, and as the world’s richest nation, there is no reason that needs to be the case,” said Congresswoman Grace Meng. “That is why introducing legislation like the Hunger Clearinghouse Enhancement Act will increase the amount of money this program can use to address hunger prevention and education. I thank Congressman Morelle and Senator Gillibrand for sharing my passion for combatting the hunger crisis.”   

Over 49 million people turned to food programs last year. The Hunger Clearinghouse Enhancement Act will increase funding levels from $250,000 to $750,000 and better assist families navigating their options. Representatives Morelle and Meng introduced this legislation to enhance hunger prevention education and highlight the critical need to connect struggling families with healthy food options.

The Hunger Clearinghouse is accessible two ways:

By Phone: Call the USDA National Hunger Hotline, which operates from 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM Eastern Time. If you need food assistance, call 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE to speak with a representative who will find food resources such as meal sites, food banks, and other social services available near your location.

By Text: Text to the automated service at 914-342-7744. with a question that may contain a keyword such as “food," “summer,” “meals,” etc. to receive an automated response to resources located near an address and/or zip code.

For information on USDA’s Hunger Clearinghouse, click here.

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