Today, Share Our Strength sent the following letter, signed by 72 chefs and culinary professionals from 35 states, to the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, opposing the Administration’s proposed Public Charge Rule.
Chefs and culinary professionals are important advocates fighting childhood hunger in the U.S. and stand against this proposal which puts children in America at greater risk of hunger.
Share Our Strength is the nonprofit that runs the No Kid Hungry campaign.
Dear Secretary Nielsen,
As chefs and culinary professionals, we stand in opposition to the Department of Homeland Security’s proposed Public Charge Rule that would increase childhood hunger and put the health and well-being of millions of children across America at risk.
As culinary leaders who are at the intersection of food and community, we know that investing in our nation’s children makes us a stronger country. Forcing legal immigrant families to choose between ensuring their children get the nutrition, health care and stable housing they need and their legal status doesn’t reflect the values that make America strong.
If enacted, the proposed Public Charge Rule will make it harder, not easier, for the civic leaders, innovators, and even chefs of tomorrow to reach their full potential.
Please join Share Our Strength and all of us in asking the Administration to withdraw this deeply flawed proposal.
Sincerely,
Chef José Andrés & the undersigned chefs
Alexis Jones, Alabama
Drew Robinson, Alabama
Matthew Bell, Arkansas
Matthew McClure, Arkansas
Chris Cosentino, California
Traci Des Jardins, California
Tanya Holland, California
Bruce Kalman, California
Michael Voltaggio, California
Carrie Baird, Colorado
Jeremy Kittelson, Colorado
Paul Reilly, Colorado
Dana Rodriguez, Colorado
Alex Seidel, Colorado
Tyler Anderson, Connecticut
Tiffany MacIsaac, District of Columbia
Kevin Tien, District of Columbia
Timon Balloo, Florida
Zach Bell, Florida
Cesar Zapata, Florida
Hugh Acheson, Georgia
Adam Hegsted, Idaho
Sieger Bayer, Illinois
Jason Vincent, Illinois
Phoebe Charles, Iowa
Samuel Charles, Iowa
Annie Pettry, Kentucky
Jonathan Searle, Kentucky
Ryan Prewitt, Louisiana
Arlin Smith, Maine
Zachary Mills, Maryland
Louis DiBiccari, Massachusetts
Andy Husbands, Massachusetts
Matthew Jennings, Massachusetts
Michael P. Scelfo, Massachusetts
Andrew Zimmern, Minnesota
John Currence, Mississippi
Gerard Craft, Missouri
Joe West, Missouri
Tiffany Newman, Montana
Carlos Guia, Nevada
Matt Louis, New Hampshire
Christopher Cannon, New Jersey
Dale Talde, New Jersey
Michael Anthony, New York
Amanda Cohen, New York
Leah Cohen, New York
Chris Jaeckle, New York
Joseph Johnson, New York
Anita Lo, New York
Seamus Mullen, New York
Bill Telepan, New York
Cheetie Kumar, North Carolina
Jason Campbell, Oklahoma
Chris DiMinno, Oregon
Jason French, Oregon
Sarah Schafer, Oregon
Nicholas Elmi, Pennsylvania
Matthew Varga, Rhode Island
Sanaa Abourezk, South Dakota
Lisa Donovan, Tennessee
Kelly English, Tennessee
Julia Sullivan, Tennessee
John Brand, Texas
Michael Fojtasek, Texas
Bryce Gilmore, Texas
Justin Nelson, Utah
Jason Alley, Virginia
Joy Crump, Virginia
Tom Douglas, Washington
Sparrow Huffman, West Virginia
Juan Coronado, Wyoming
