Members of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities staff and its programs regularly provide expert testimony in front of local and national policy makers and submit statements on topics related to hunger and economic insecurity. Below is an overview of some of this testimony.

Bridges to Success: Keystones of Health (1115 Federal Waiver)

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (December 2023)

Mariana Chilton, PhD (Director, Center for Hunger-Free Communities) and Emily Brown Weida (Research Associate, Center for Hunger-Free Communities)
In response to Bridges to Success: Keystones for Health for Pennsylvania Medicaid 1115 Demonstration draft application
1115 Waiver Comment [PDF]

Statement on Right to Food in the U.S.

United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Michael Fakhri (December 1, 2022)

University of Miami School of Law Human Rights Clinic with support from the Center for Hunger-Free Communities (Mariana Chilton, PhD), National Right to Food Community of Practice, and WhyHunger
Violence and the Right to Food in the U.S. [PDF]

Testimony for Public Hearing on Philadelphia Fiscal Year 2021 Budget

Philadelphia City Council (June 9, 2020)

Mariana Chilton, PhD (Director, Center for Hunger-Free Communities)
Reparations for the health and wellbeing of Black and brown people of Philadelphia [PDF]

Shyaine Betha, Leslie McCrea Washington, and Jessica Seigle (Building Wealth and Health Network members)
A Message to City Council on the proposed Philadelphia Fiscal Year 2021 Budget [PDF]

Testimony for Public Hearing on the Unbanked and Underbanked in Philadelphia

Philadelphia City Council (October 21, 2019)

Kevin Thomas Jr. (Associate Director of Operations and Asset Building, Building Wealth and Health Network)
Testimony for public hearing on the Unbanked and Underbanked in Philadelphia [PDF]

Make a Citywide Plan to End Hunger that Promotes Economic Security and Prevents Violence

Hearing on Child Hunger, Philadelphia City Council (March 5, 2019)

Mariana Chilton, PhD (Director, Center for Hunger-Free Communities)
Make a Citywide Plan to End Hunger that Promotes Economic Security and Prevents Violence [PDF]

Cashless Business is Discriminatory, and Prepaid Cards Are Not a Solution

Public Hearing on Bill No. 180943 - Cashless Store Ban, Philadelphia City Council (February 5, 2019)

Kevin Thomas Jr. (Associate Director of Operations and Asset Building, Building Wealth and Health Network)
Testimony for public hearing on BILL NO. 180943 Ban of Cashless Business [PDF]

Discrimination and Racism in Philadelphia  

An Open Letter to Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney (January 15, 2019)

Sherita Mouzon (Witnesses to Hunger member)
A Note to the Mayor's Office: Discrimination and Racism in Philadelphia [PDF]

Forum on 50 Years After the Kerner Report

Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity and the Congressional Black Caucus (May 17, 2018)

Tianna Gaines-Turner (Witnesses to Hunger member)
Testimony of Tianna CGaines-Turner [PDF]

Poverty Does Not Discriminate

Women's March Philadelphia (January 21, 2017)

Angela Nike Sutton (Witnesses to Hunger member)
Testimony by Angela Sutton [PDF]

Public Hearing: Emergency School Meals

Philadelphia City Council Joint Committees on Education and Housing (March 14, 2016)

Tianna Gaines-Turner (Witnesses to Hunger member)
Testimony by Tianna Gaines-Turner [PDF]

Kate Scully (Policy Director, Center for Hunger-Free Communities)
Testimony before Philadelphia City Council [PDF]

Public Hearing: Water Department Rate Increases

Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Library (March 1, 2016)

Mariana Chilton (Director, Center for Hunger-Free Communities)
Testimony for Public Hearing on Philadelphia Water Department Proposed Rate Increase [PDF]

National Commission on Hunger

Washington, D.C. (July 14, 2015)

Joanna Cruz (Witnesses to Hunger member)
Testimony of Joanna Cruz before the National Commission on Hunger [PDF]

Tangela Frederick (Witnesses to Hunger member)
Testimony of Tangela Fredrick before the National Commission on Hunger [PDF]

Sarah Palmer
Hunger Commission Testimony [PDF]

Witnesses to Hunger
Testimony of Witnesses to Hunger before the National Commission on Hunger [PDF]

War on Poverty: Working With Families

House Budget Committee (July 9, 2014)

Tianna Gaines-Turner (Witnesses to Hunger Member)
Testimony of Tianna Gaines Turner on Hunger and Poverty in America [PDF]
View C-SPAN video of testimony: Video 1 / Video 2

A Progress Report on the War on Poverty: Lessons from the Frontlines

Committee on the Budget United States House of Representatives (April 30, 2014)

Barbie Izquierdo (Witnesses to Hunger member)
Testimony of Barbie Izquierdo to the Committee on the Budget United States House of Representatives [PDF]

The War on Poverty: A Progress Report

Committee on the Budget United States House of Representatives (July 31, 2013)

Tianna Gaines-Turner (Witnesses to Hunger member)
Testimony of Tianna Gaines-Turner before the Committee on the Budget United States House of Representatives [PDF]