{"id":414,"date":"2013-09-18T13:22:00","date_gmt":"2013-09-18T13:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/billykangas\/2013\/09\/urgent-request.html"},"modified":"2013-09-18T13:22:00","modified_gmt":"2013-09-18T13:22:00","slug":"urgent-request","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/billykangas\/2013\/09\/urgent-request.html","title":{"rendered":"Urgent Request"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>
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Hey Everyone,
I don\u2019t think I have ever <\/i>made a request like this, but I need you to stop what you\u2019re doing right now<\/b> and do three things.<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n

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1. Pray<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
2. Call<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
3. Share<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n

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Tomorrow <\/b>congress is voting on a bill (H.R. 3102)\u00a0<\/span>that would cut nearly $40 billion from the USA\u2019s\u00a0supplemental\u00a0nutrition assistance program, known as SNAP. Here are a few points to consider:<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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\u2022\u00a0Across the country, 2 to 4 million adults without dependents would lose benefits. SNAP already has strict work requirements but this proposal would require individuals to find work at times when jobs are scarce.<\/div>\n
\u2022\u00a0Nearly 2 million more people, primarily seniors and those in low-income working families, would lose benefits due to changes in eligibility rules.<\/div>\n
\u2022\u00a0In 2011, private churches and charities provided approximately $4 billion in food assistance, compared to $98 billion provided by federal nutrition programs. Churches and charities would have to nearly double their current food assistance to make up the difference.<\/div>\n
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These cuts are horrific. They have been condemned by religious leaders from across churches and traditions. Here a few\u00a0<\/span><\/span>snit-bits<\/span>\u00a0from some of the hundreds of faith communities that have stood up and decried these cuts as immoral.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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