How to participate in Offering of Letters

The Offering of Letters is a way for us to participate in resurrection—a way for us to be the hands, feet, and voice of Christ in the world.

Options for participation:
ONLINE
—Click HERE to access the link for emailing your letters

—Fill in your personal information 

— At the bottom where it reads, “Check here if you are emailing Congress as part of an Offering of Letters at your church, campus, or organization”, check Yes,

—After you check Yes, this pops up: “Please enter the NAME, CITY, and STATE of the church, campus, or organization hosting the Offering of Letters.” Enter: Minooka United Methodist, Minooka, IL

—Personalize your message with a reason or story and that motivates you to write. Consider adding in our church’s commitment to ending hunger, such as: “My church is doing what we can to alleviate hunger through our Helping Hands Food Pantry. But the problem of hunger is bigger than all our food pantries. I urge you to restore, protect, and strengthen our US nutrition programs, especially those providing food to families with children, seniors, veterans, refugees, and the disabled.” 

—Click “Send Message”


HAND-WRITTEN LETTER
—See below for a sample letter.
—Whatever you choose to write, be sure to ask for a specific action such as “I urge you to restore, protect, and strengthen our US nutrition programs, especially those providing food to families with children, seniors, veterans, refugees, and the disabled.”

—Share a personal reason or story that motivates you to write. Consider adding in our church’s commitment to ending hunger, such as: “My church is doing what we can to alleviate hunger through our Helping Hands Food Pantry. But the problem of hunger is bigger than all our food pantries. I urge you to restore, protect, and strengthen our US nutrition programs, especially those providing food to families with children, seniors, veterans, refugees, and the disabled.”

—Write your name and address at the end of your letter so your members of Congress know you are one of their constituents


SAMPLE LETTER

[Date] 
 
Rep.  
U.S. House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 


Sen.  
U.S. Senate Washington, DC 20510 
 
Dear Senator, / Dear Representative, 
Hunger is rising and children are at risk. It’s time to act.

As a person of faith, I believe every child is created in the image of God and deserving of dignity and opportunity. As your constituent, I urge you to make ending hunger a top priority. 

[Personalize here: I care about ending hunger because…]. 


Specifically, I ask you to: 
Restore, protect, and strengthen U.S. nutrition programs—including SNAP and WIC—that help families put food on the table;
Fully fund and strengthen global food, health, and development programs that promote human flourishing and help keep America safe, strong, and prosperous;
Pass a strong, bipartisan Farm Bill that supports farmers, strengthens communities, and helps end hunger at home and overseas.
Hunger is not inevitable. It’s a reflection of our priorities and policy choices. Cuts to SNAP and international assistance have already put millions at risk. We can and must do better.

In Matthew 14:16, when the disciples asked Jesus to send the hungry crowd away, He replied, “You give them something to eat.” Today, that same call comes to us. As hunger grows in our midst, we must act. I look forward to hearing how you will prioritize legislation and funding to help end hunger — for our children, our communities, and our world.


Sincerely,
 
[Your name]
[Your address]