WASHINGTON — Bread for the World, the World Bank and leaders of 30 faith groups and organizations issued a call to end hunger and extreme poverty by 2030.
“Now that it has become clear that it is feasible to end extreme poverty, faith communities are committing ourselves to ramp up our advocacy. We are building a movement that will translate this possibility into political commitment,” said David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World.
Since 1990 the number of people living in extreme poverty or on $1.25 a day has been halved to less than 1 billion.
Research conducted by Bread for the World and the World Bank shows that ending hunger and extreme poverty is no longer a dream, but a possibility in 15 years.
Many countries like Bangladesh, Brazil and the United Kingdom have made huge strides in cutting hunger and poverty. However, hunger and poverty has increased in the United States. Today 49 million Americans, including 15 million children, regularly go to bed hungry.
Powerful forces in the U.S. Congress have been pushing for deep cuts in anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs. The cuts to these programs have so far been minimal thanks in part to a coalition of faith groups working to end hunger.
“Now is the time for the United States to step up to the plate and make ending hunger and poverty a priority,” Beckmann said.
(Bread for the World)
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