Give me an L! Give me a T! Give me an E!

What's that spell?  Media activism!

Or in other words, have you written a letter to the editor (LTE) of your local newspaper or college newspaper today?  A couple weeks ago, our office here in Texas, with the help of the Sustainable Food Center, had an Op-Ed published in the Austin American-Statesman titled "Keep Farm Bill Reform on the Table."  You can read it here.  While it was definitely exciting to have something of that length and substance run in the paper during such a crucial time, what was even more energizing was having Bread for the World activists write LTEs as follow-up, especially since two of them were published! (you can read both letters at the bottom of the page here).

And believe you me, not only were the Statesman's 200,000 readers absorbing the affirmation, passion, and knowledge in those letters, but Congressional members see them too.  Every time an article or letter or Op-Ed is published in their district/state with their name on it, they see it, and they take notice.  Because they work for you!

As already mentioned, now is a crucial time for letters like this.  The Senate will most likely be taking up the farm bill in October, and we have high hopes that broad reform that will benefit farmers of modest means and poor and hungry people domestically and internationally is a good possibility.  You don't need an Op-Ed to write a letter in response to, either.  If you're unsure of what to say, you can contact us for talking points for an LTE and/or a sample letter to write to your senators today!  The timing will work out great for when the bill comes up in a month or so.  Also, if you're a member of the Bread for the World Facebook group, the sample letter is posted in the discussion board there.

So - you're done reading this...take 5 minutes NOW and write a letter to both of your senators!  Submit a letter to your local paper!  Your voice counts, and it matters - Thank you in advance!