We here, at the Greater Chicago Food Depository,
are seeing a 35% increase in the number of individuals
who are turning to pantries in this community.
They go to a neighborhood pantry where they can get a bag of groceries,
fresh produce, perishable food, and they can make ends meet
until that next paycheck comes.
Hunger isn't something that only happens the day before Thanksgiving,
or the week before Christmas,
when we're thinking of sitting down with our families
and we're struck with the tragic thought of a family that doesn't have food.
While it certainly is rampant in November and December,
Hunger is something that we see every week
in this community.
And frankly, summer presents some real obstacles for families.
When school's out, so are the summer food programs.
School breakfast, school lunch,
for far too many people in this community,
that's the only nutritious meal they get.
We know that working families cannot work
without the childcare that they need.
We know that working families are strong families.
We know that working families are powerful families.
And shame on the General Assembly
for jerking low income families around
and frightening low income families.
We will be communicating with every member of the General Assembly
and saying shame on you, not on our watch
are we going to pick this side of the room or that side of the room.
We're not going to do it, we've got your back Governor Quinn,
We will go forth and we will be successful in this campaign
to save Illinois's greatest resource,
its support for working families
and their precious, wonderful children,
who at the end of the day are our collective future.
A lot of people would say, "well it doesn't affect me that greatly."
This is the mental health system, and people that don't have to deal
with these issues feel it doesn't affect them so what's the problem?
The problem is that mental illness affects one in four people.
So eventually someone is going to have a family member,
a son, a daughter, a husband, a wife, who is going to need
some kind of service.
And when they go to reach out for that service,
it's not going to be there.
Governor, can you promise me
that you will do everything you can to prohibit this program's funding
from being cut?
Everybody in America believes that once in a while, when you stumble,
you get back up on your feet and get a second chance.
And I think that's what's happened here for Linda,
and for lots of other people, we believe in making sure
that we help our neighbor.
Linda, the reason I'm here is to try to make sure
we have the money for this program. Adequate money.
and we're going to fight as hard as we can,
down in Springfield, to get a good budget for you
and a lot of other people like you who're the heart and soul of Illinois.
Thank you very much.
