A national dialogue is developing around America’s relationship with food. As it moves forward, there is a need to recognize that far too many low-income children simply do not have enough nutritious food to eat. More than 16 million of them live in food insecure households. This threatens the health and well-being of children and generally places great strain on their families.
The Obama administration, with the leadership of Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, has made a commitment to address the problem while Congress is in the process of reauthorizing the Child Nutrition Act. These circumstances provide a genuine opportunity for meaningful change. Charitable efforts and other policies aimed at reducing poverty also play an important role in finally achieving the goal of ending childhood hunger in America. This event will mark the release of a new Half In Ten/CAP paper, "Feeding Opportunity: Ending Child Hunger Furthers the Goal of Cutting U.S. Poverty in Half Over the Next Decade."
Introduction by:
Winnie Stachelberg, Senior Vice President of External Affairs, Center for American Progress
Keynote Speaker:
Secretary Tom Vilsack, Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture
Featured Panelists:
Joel Berg, Executive Director, New York City Coalition Against Hunger
Tianna Gaines, Parent Advocate, Witnesses to Hunger
Michelle Gilliard, Senior Director, Walmart Foundation
Jim Weill, President, Food Research and Action Center
Moderated by:
Joy Moses, Senior Policy Analyst, Center for American Progress