CHICAGO, Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Statement Attributable to Bob Aiken, President and CEO of Feeding America:

"Last evening, President Obama delivered his State of the Union Address to Congress and the nation. The President called for building new ladders of opportunity into the middle class and recognized that while the economy is adding jobs, too many people still cannot find full-time employment and are struggling to make ends meet.  We appreciate President Obama's acknowledgment of the challenges facing low-income families and of the importance of jobs and opportunity.

"Feeding America food banks are on the front lines, serving 37 million Americans struggling with food insecurity in communities across the nation. Every day, we see the heart-wrenching tradeoffs that low-income families are forced to make. Our research study, Hunger in America 2010, found that 46 percent of client households within our nationwide network of food banks report having to choose between food and utilities or heating fuel and 39 percent of client households are forced to choose between food and rent or a mortgage.

"More than 50 million people in our nation live in homes classified as food insecure, meaning they do not always have access to adequate amounts of food to maintain an active, healthy lifestyle. While Feeding America agrees that a good-paying job and a strong economy is the best solution to poverty, we also believe that we have a responsibility to protect families from hunger when they fall on hard times.

"Federal nutrition programs, like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly referred to as food stamps), TEFAP, WIC and CSFP are crucial to helping families put food on the table so they do not have to choose between filling their cupboards or paying their rent. 76 percent of the households enrolled in SNAP include a child, a senior, or someone who is disabled.

"We call on government leaders from both parties to work together to provide economic opportunity for all Americans, and to support vulnerable families on the path to self-sufficiency.  We urge the President and Congress to maintain the historic bipartisan commitment to protect federal hunger-relief programs that help our most vulnerable citizens as they make decisions on spending and deficit reduction measures."

Contact:
Feeding America
Shannon Traeger
312.641.5717

About Feeding America
Feeding America provides low-income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hunger-relief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,000 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/FeedingAmerica or follow our news on Twitter at www.twitter.com/FeedingAmerica.

SOURCE Feeding America