US must continue its progress on global development

Last month, President Obama held a White House Summit on Global Development to discuss the successes of the United States’ global development programs and make sure our country keeps the progress going.

I have witnessed firsthand the good work our investments in global development have accomplished. And I can attest that while we have had a significant effect on the lives — and future livelihoods — of millions of kids around the world, there is still much more that needs to be done.

Working with partners, the U.S. government’s global development programs have made a tremendous impact. We have combated chronic hunger and malnutrition, addressed an ongoing refugee crisis, and mitigated the impact of devastating droughts, while at the same time spurring entrepreneurship and economic growth in many of the countries our government works in.

{mosads}We all know that kids need the proper nutrition in order to reach their God-given potential. You cannot expect a kid to learn when they haven’t had enough to eat — or anything to eat at all. Growing up there were times when my family had enough, and times when we struggled. Fortunately, through programs like food stamps and a strong support system through my faith and my family, I never missed a meal. But millions of kids around the world are not so lucky.

Last year alone, the U.S. government and its partners helped improve the nutrition of 18 million children. And since 2008, support from the U.S. Government and its partners has helped save the lives of 4.6 million children and 200,000 mothers. In addition, U.S. development programs like Feed the Future have spawned new innovations and improvements in agriculture, boosting the harvests of rural farmers and producing economic growth.

Since joining the NFL, God saw it fit for me to do things I have never done before, like advocate on behalf of hungry children. Working with groups like Bread for the World, World Vision, and Feeding America, I have personally advocated for programs and policies that will help kids and others in need, both in the United States and around the world. I’ve spoken with White House officials and members of Congress to let them know what I’ve witnessed, and how important these development programs are to millions of people around the world.

So I was proud when I heard that Congress had overwhelmingly passed, and on the day of the summit the president signed, the Global Food Security Act. This was a bill I personally asked my members of Congress to support. The bipartisan legislation reaffirms the U.S.’s commitment to alleviate hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. It builds on the success of Feed the Future and puts in place a strategy for the U.S. government to help hungry countries develop smart, long-term agriculture programs so they are able to meet the nutrition needs of their people.

While nearly a billion people still confront poverty on a daily basis, we are now at a point where we could see the end of hunger and poverty in our lifetimes. Bipartisan efforts like the Global Food Security Act put us one step closer to reaching this goal.

Moving forward, we need to make sure that the next president and Congress will work to build on the progress we have made. We still have a long way to go before we live in a world where no kid goes hungry again. But God-willing, I believe we can make it happen.

Kelvin Beachum Jr.is a husband, father and offensive lineman with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.