Food Should Not Be a Political Battleground
Crossfire Ministries Executive Director Rene Beebe recently traveled to Washington, D.C. with partners from Care and Share and Feeding Colorado for the Feeding America Fly-In, where she met with members of Congress and their staff to discuss food insecurity and the importance of programs like The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Drawing from what Crossfire sees each week in El Paso County, Beebe shared how rising costs are affecting teachers, working families, seniors, and military households—and why ensuring access to food should never be a political issue.
Editor’s Note:
This Op-Ed was written by Rene Beebe, Executive Director of Crossfire Ministries in Colorado Springs. The piece may be reprinted with permission. For inquiries, contact Crossfire Ministries at contact@crossfireministries.org.
Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Washington, D.C. for the Feeding America Fly-In alongside partners from Care and Share and Feeding Colorado. During our time there, we participated in several meetings with members of Congress and their staff. In each conversation, I had the privilege of sharing about Crossfire Ministries, the neighbors we serve in El Paso County, and the increasing needs we are seeing every day.
One of the key topics we discussed was the importance of the TEFAP program (The Emergency Food Assistance Program). TEFAP provides a significant portion of the food that organizations like Crossfire distribute to families. I was able to share what a decrease in funding would mean — not only for Crossfire, but for many agencies working tirelessly to ensure that families have enough food on their tables.
One belief I carried with me into these conversations — and one that was strengthened during the trip — is that food should never be a political issue. Hunger affects real people and real families, no matter where someone stands politically. Every office we visited listened carefully as we shared stories of teachers, working families, and even military households who are quietly struggling to make ends meet.
This opportunity also reminded me how important it is for organizations like Crossfire to have a voice in these spaces. The work we do everyday matters, and sharing the realities we see on the ground helps ensure that those making decisions understand the impact those decisions have on our communities.
At the same time, I carried a bit of heaviness in my heart during the trip. Washington was filled with thousands of people advocating for the issues they care deeply about. Everyone was speaking passionately about their causes: food insecurity, homelessness, banking and finance, animal welfare, healthcare, and so many others.
Being in the middle of that was both inspiring and sobering. It reminded me just how many needs and voices exist in our country right now. I also felt a sadness at times about the level of division we see across our nation. In the midst of strong opinions and competing priorities, it can sometimes feel like we have lost small but important pieces of our shared humanity—simple kindness, patience, and understanding for one another.
In moments like that, I found myself wondering if my voice was just a drop of water in a very large bucket.
But I was reminded why showing up matters. Every voice represents real people and real lives. I was there to represent Crossfire and the neighbors we serve, and I left confident that those stories were heard. If even one conversation helped someone better understand the realities facing families in our community, then it mattered.
Sometimes change begins with something as simple as telling the truth about what we see every day.
