We can almost always find the ‘Iowa angle’ to international stories—and this one hits close to home. Within minutes of announcing that Teresa Dunbar, a Des Moines-area resident with over 15 years of experience in food security, would join our Monday call, Potluck readers were eager to hear her insights on the global impact of USAID.
In this conversation, Dunbar shares her experiences working with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and highlights the critical role USAID plays in international development. From Uganda and Kenya to Haiti, she’s witnessed firsthand how U.S.-funded programs like PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) have provided lifesaving antiretroviral treatments, agricultural support, and educational opportunities. Dunbar recounts powerful stories, like meeting a Ugandan woman who nearly died from AIDS but was brought back to life—what locals call the "Lazarus effect"—thanks to access to antiretroviral therapy funded by these programs.
However, Dunbar expresses deep concern over a recent executive order pausing all foreign assistance for a 90-day review, effectively freezing USAID programs. This halt has stopped the delivery of essential supplies like medicines and food, disrupting humanitarian efforts and threatening the livelihoods of aid workers. Dunbar emphasizes both the humanitarian consequences and the damage to diplomatic relationships, noting that years of trust-building in vulnerable communities are being undone.
Participants echoed Dunbar’s concerns and shared their perspectives. Denise O'Brien, a former USDA agricultural advisor in Afghanistan, described her experience supporting agricultural development and women’s empowerment in rural areas. She noted that while corruption and inefficiencies exist, the benefits of these programs far outweigh the challenges. O’Brien stressed that cutting aid abruptly harms both the recipients abroad and the U.S.'s global reputation.
David Frederick, a retired USAID official with 28 years of experience, emphasized that the aid freeze feels like an experiment to dismantle U.S. government agencies. He highlighted that Iowa State University and other institutions have received millions of dollars in USAID funding for agricultural research and education. Frederick urged participants to contact their congressional representatives and to engage institutions like the World Food Prize to raise awareness, stressing that personal engagement with lawmakers is more effective than emails alone.
Nicki Schissel, a long-time volunteer and employee with the World Food Prize, added that USAID has played a key role in supporting the event’s focus on agricultural innovation and global food security. She mentioned that she had already contacted Iowa’s congressional offices, noting a sharp increase in calls to their offices, with some voicemails full for weeks. Schissel emphasized the importance of engaging key figures like Secretary Tom Vilsack and the agricultural community in Iowa, as the state’s economy is directly tied to USAID’s purchase of agricultural commodities.
Carol Guensberg, a former journalist with Voice of America, highlighted the soft power that USAID projects generate for the United States. She explained how humanitarian aid builds goodwill and trust in regions where the U.S. has strategic interests. She warned that withdrawing from these efforts leaves a vacuum that countries like China and Russia are eager to fill, undermining U.S. influence and stability in vulnerable regions.
The conversation concluded with a consensus that foreign aid saves lives abroad and supports the U.S. economy, particularly Iowa's agricultural sector. Participants stressed the need for collective action to protect humanitarian programs and maintain the U.S.’s role as a global leader in development. They also emphasized the geopolitical risks of withdrawing aid, noting that it creates opportunities for adversarial nations to expand their influence in regions where U.S. presence and goodwill have historically made a difference.
Below is a template letter to use when drafting a letter to your member of Congress, along with a list of House and Senate Foreign Relations Committee members.
Thanks to Chatgpt for assisting with the summary of our discussion.
What are you thinking and feeling these days? Is it time to start writing? Do you need inspiration, confidence, or a kick in the butt to get going? Come to the Okoboji Writers’ and Songwriters’ Retreat!
You’ll leave with ideas, confidence, and a new community.
https://okobojiwritersretreat.com
Check out our newest members of the Iowa Writers’ Collaborative:
How to contact members of Congress
U.S. Senators:
Senator Charles "Chuck" Grassley
135 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3744
Senator Joni Ernst
730 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-3254
U.S. Representatives:
Representative Ashley Hinson (1st District)
1717 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2911
Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (2nd District)
1716 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-6576
Representative Zach Nunn (3rd District)
1230 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-5476
Representative Randy Feenstra (4th District)
1440 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-4426
Suggested letter template to use in writing your member of Congress.
Personalize the template email below: Please update the yellow highlighted sections with the appropriate information.
Template
SUBJECT: Please urge the Administration to resume lifesaving foreign assistance while under review
Dear [elected official],
As your constituent and a supporter of Catholic Relief Services, I urge you to please engage with the Administration to allow emergency relief and critical foreign assistance programs to continue operations during the review process.
[IMPORTANT: Add a personalized message to share why this is important to you as a constituent]
I appreciate that Secretary of State Rubio issued an exception for lifesaving humanitarian assistance, but that has still not allowed any assistance or funding to move so lifesaving work can continue.
Halting these programs is impacting millions of people. In Ethiopia, the Joint Emergency Operation Program, funded by USAID, uses US-grown food commodities (sorghum, yellow split peas and vegetable oil) and other assistance to provide emergency food aid to around 2 million people a month, including pregnant and lactating women needing lifesaving nutritional support and children under age 5 facing acute malnutrition. Hunger-related deaths could increase in the hardest-hit areas, including those still recovering from the recent conflict in Tigray. Families may migrate in search of food, leading to more displacement.
The Resilience Food Security Activity in Haiti provides more than 65,000 individuals with food assistance through US-grown commodities and fresh and animal source foods. The food assistance is critical in ensuring that vulnerable households in the communities can meet their food needs without resorting to coping strategies like migration.
U.S. farmers, shippers, and research institutions play a key role in delivering aid while earning revenue, creating a win-win situation that stimulates both the U.S. economy and global markets. Through aid, America strengthens trade ties and expands the global reach of its companies.
Foreign assistance is not a handout. It is an essential investment to protect life, uphold human dignity, and pursue sustainable solutions to the world’s toughest challenges. When societies thrive, they contribute to greater global stability, reduce the risk of conflict and create safer, more prosperous environments that benefit everyone, including Americans.
Please engage with the Administration to allow foreign assistance programs to operate during the review process.Let’s work for a world where all people can live with dignity in a peaceful and prosperous world.
Thank you for your time, consideration and leadership.
Majority Members (Republican):
Jim Risch (Idaho), Chairman
Pete Ricketts (Nebraska)
Dave McCormick (Pennsylvania)
Steve Daines (Montana)
Bill Hagerty (Tennessee)
John Barrasso (Wyoming)
Mike Lee (Utah)
Rand Paul (Kentucky)
Ted Cruz (Texas)
Rick Scott (Florida)
John Curtis (Utah)
John Cornyn (Texas)
Minority Members (Democrat):
Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire), Ranking Member
Chris Coons (Delaware)
Chris Murphy (Connecticut)
Tim Kaine (Virginia)
Jeff Merkley (Oregon)
Cory Booker (New Jersey)
Brian Schatz (Hawaii)
Chris Van Hollen (Maryland)
Tammy Duckworth (Illinois)
Jacky Rosen (Nevada)
foreign.senate.gov
In the U.S. House of Representatives, the Foreign Affairs Committee members for the 119th Congress are:
Majority Members (Republican):
Brian Mast (Florida), Chair
Chris Smith (New Jersey)
Joe Wilson (South Carolina)
Michael McCaul (Texas)
Scott Perry (Pennsylvania)
Darrell Issa (California), Vice Chair
Ann Wagner (Missouri)
Tim Burchett (Tennessee)
Mark Green (Tennessee)
Andy Barr (Kentucky)
Ronny Jackson (Texas)
Young Kim (California)
Maria Elvira Salazar (Florida)
Bill Huizenga (Michigan)
Amata Coleman Radewagen (American Samoa)
Warren Davidson (Ohio)
Jim Baird (Indiana)
Thomas Kean Jr. (New Jersey)
Mike Lawler (New York)
Cory Mills (Florida)
Keith Self (Texas)
Ryan Zinke (Montana)
James Moylan (Guam)
Anna Paulina Luna (Florida)
Jefferson Shreve (Indiana)
Sheri Biggs (South Carolina)
Michael Baumgartner (Washington)
Ryan Mackenzie (Pennsylvania)
Minority Members (Democrat):
Gregory Meeks (New York), Ranking Member
Brad Sherman (California)
Gerry Connolly (Virginia)
Bill Keating (Massachusetts)
Ami Bera (California)
Joaquin Castro (Texas)
Dina Titus (Nevada)
Ted Lieu (California)
Sara Jacobs (California)
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (Florida)
Greg Stanton (Arizona)
Jared Moskowitz (Florida)
Jonathan Jackson (Illinois)
Sydney Kamlager-Dove (California)
Jim Costa (California)
Gabe Amo (Rhode Island), Vice Ranking Member
Kweisi Mfume (Maryland)
Pramila Jayapal (Washington)
George Latimer (New York)
Johnny Olszewski (Maryland)
Julie Johnson (Texas)
Sources
Share this post