Statement attributable to Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America
“Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief network of food banks, state associations, food pantries and meal programs, applauds the Biden-Harris Administration for announcing a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health today that seeks to end hunger, reduce diet-related disease, and increase physical activity. The White House will host the conference in September during Hunger Action Month. We applaud the goal the Biden-Harris Administration has set of ending hunger and increasing healthy eating and physical activity in the U.S. by 2030.
“The enormous response across government and the American public to the pandemic has shown us what is possible when our society works together to address a crisis. In 2020, 60 million people turned to the charitable food sector for help. Thanks to the support of partners in the government and community, the Feeding America network has been able to provide 11 billion meals since the start of the pandemic to neighbors who need a helping hand. This is exactly the right time to double down on our work to end hunger. We have seen what works to provide food security to millions of our neighbors in need and must come together to take urgent action to continue the progress we have seen in 2021.
“Food insecurity is a complex issue that exists in every county, parish and borough of the United States. In addition, food insecurity has a disproportionate impact on certain communities, and so we must make sure our work is focused uniquely to address the disparities that many rural and communities of color experience. Feeding America has a bold aspiration that every community and each person within it has access to the food and resources that they say they desire and need to thrive. This should not be considered an audacious act. It should be a rallying cry and we are excited to partner with the White House on this conference to help achieve the goal of ending hunger by 2030.
“The conference builds on other seminal moments in U.S. history where government and society came together to address hunger – most notably the 1969 White House Conference on Food, Nutrition and Health that helped launch significant nutrition programs impacting the food security of millions of children nationwide. This is another moment where we must ensure our forward progress continues so that no one in America goes hungry.”
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About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 5.3 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on X.com.