Among cuts in federal budget proposal: Funds for poor seniors' food

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Al Lubrano is at it again with a new piece on hunger.

The Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) is on the chopping block, with a proposed cut of 22%. This small program is aimed at filling a hunger gap - seniors who are living on very low fixed incomes, but have chosen not to receive SNAP (food stamp) benefits. One small box a month - 12 meals worth - can really make a difference.

Many seniors are eligible for SNAP but do not apply. They often find the application daunting (which it is!) and are also weary of receiving "welfare" - and thus feel more comfortable receiving this box from their local food pantry, even though it too is government funded. But this phenomenon is often missed by policymakers, who see SNAP and the CSFP only as a duplication of efforts.

Thank you Al for helping us see the full story. Stories such as these are exactly what we all need to pass on to our elected officials.