Help vets fight hunger

As a military veteran, Julio was trained to prepare for battle. Now, he's facing a different battle - a fight against hunger.

More than 90,000 men and women in uniform are struggling to feed their families, according to Feeding America. Military members face unique challenges that can lead to food insecurity, like low salaries, high costs of living and child care, high unemployment rates and ineligibility for benefits like SNAP (food stamps). While the charitable food network will always be here to help families like Julio's, we thoroughly believe that our veterans and our active duty military members should never have to worry about where their next meal will come from.

This Veterans Day, we joined the fight to feed our neighbors in uniform. We're urging Congress to include the Military Family Basic Needs Allowance in this year's National Defense Authorization Act - providing thousands of military members living below the poverty line a stipend to buy the nutritious foods they need to feed their families. Not only will this allowance help keep our service members healthy and military-ready, but it is our civic duty to ensure that we are taking care of them in return for defending our freedom.

Today, we're reminded of the bravery, patriotism and sacrifice that neighbors like Julio make - and that hunger remains a reality for all too many veterans and active duty military members. No one who serves our country should ever have to face hunger. We urge our lawmakers to pass legislation that will help feed the brave individuals selflessly serving our nation - we must fight for them as they fight for us every day.

Julie Yurko, President and CEO

Northern Illinois Food Bank

Geneva