WASHINGTON - February 16 - A national poll, conducted by McLaughlin and Associates, found that 84 percent of likely voters want to prevent cuts and to protect the Food Stamp Program, 84 percent also support the passage of the Hunger Free Communities Act, and 59 percent approve of increasing funding to fight hunger, poverty and disease world-wide by an additional one percent of the federal budget.

“This poll makes it clear that Americans want to see our political leaders protect the Food Stamp Program, and pass legislation strengthening our efforts to end hunger in our nation and around the world,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of The Alliance to End Hunger and Bread for the World. “Overcoming hunger is central to all of our faith traditions. Americans understand the morality on this issue and now is the time for us to do our part.”

The poll’s findings showed that 84 percent of likely voters said it was important (61 percent said it was strongly important) to protect the Food Stamp Program from cuts that would hurt low-income working mothers. This vulnerable group was unsuccessfully targeted by the administration and Congress in the budget reconciliation bill for FY 2006. The president’s FY 2007 budget request again proposes changes to the Food Stamp Program aimed primarily at the same group.

The Alliance, along with Bread for the World and America’s Second Harvest, has been working to have Congress approve the Hunger Free Communities Act (S. 1120 in the Senate and H.R. 2717 in the House). Likely voters overwhelming support (84 percent support, with 57 percent strongly supporting) this legislation. It would commit Congress to the goal of reducing hunger in America and provide funding for grass roots groups to overcome hunger in our communities.

Bread for the World is a partner in the ONE Campaign, spearheaded by U2’s Bono. The ONE Campaign is proposing to increase our nation’s commitment to fight hunger poverty and disease around the world by an additional one percent of the budget. This proposal was supported by 59 percent of likely voters.

This poll of 1,000 likely voters (84 percent very likely) with evenly divided political party affiliation was conducted from February 12-14 via telephone by professional interviewers. The sample included 1,000 likely voters with a margin of error of 3.1 percent at the 95 percent confidence interval.