FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2016
Contacts:
Chris Ford, Bread for the World, (202) 688-1077, cford@bread.org
Michael Mershon, Sojourners, (202) 745-4625, mmershon@sojo.net
Sarah Kropp, National Association of Evangelicals, skropp@nae.net
Steven Martin, National Council of Churches (USA), 202.481.6929, steven.martin@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
Washington, D.C., January 13, 2016 – Today, a group of Christian leaders released additional videos by two Republican presidential candidates: Ohio Governor John Kasich and Florida Senator Marco Rubio. The videos explain how they would work address hunger and poverty both in the United States and around the world if elected U.S. president.
With the addition of Gov. Kasich and Sen. Rubio, the Circle of Protection has now released ten videos by presidential candidates. The other candidates include Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton, Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Martin O’Malley, and Bernie Sanders. The videos can be watched at www.circleofprotection.us.
All 2016 presidential candidates were invited to send a video, and additional videos will be posted as they are received. Transcripts of the videos are also available on the website.
More than 100 Christian leaders, as part of the Circle of Protection, sent each presidential candidate a letter asking him or her to produce a video stating how they proposed to provide help and opportunity to hungry and poor people in the United States and abroad.
The videos are being disseminated among the Christian leaders’ wide networks and members in order to raise hunger and poverty as an election issue. They can also be seen on YouTube.
"We are praying for a president who will make ending hunger and poverty a top priority of his or her administration. Are you that leader?" the letter asked. The letter is available at www.circleofprotection.us.
The Circle of Protection represents a diverse array of Christian denominations, churches, colleges, and agencies across the country. They will not publicly evaluate the policy positions or endorse any candidate.
According to the latest U.S. Census data, 1 in 6 Ohio households (16.9 percent) struggles to put food on the table, compared to 1 in 7 nationwide. Almost 1.8 million Ohioans live in poverty, including 1 in 4 children.
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The Circle of Protection is a coalition of many and diverse Christian leaders
working together for help and opportunity for hungry and poor people in the United States
and around the world. www.circleofprotection.us