Freedom to Choose a Life Without Hunger
Aug 08, 2022
Center staff member Sherita shares her personal reflection and frustration around why one of the richest countries on earth can have so much abundance and also so many people experiencing hunger at the same time.
Read Full Post
Dignity, Respect and Accountability in Free Food Distribution
Jul 28, 2022
The COVID crisis has resulted in more people needing help with food. In response to the increased demand, it has been heartening to see well-meaning people setting up new free food options. However, some of those providing free food are doing so in a way that disrespects and demeans those to whom they are giving the food, as shared through the personal experiences of members of Witnesses to Hunger, New Haven.
Read Full Post
Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health Long Overdue
May 11, 2022
The White House announced that for the first time in 50 years, it will host a Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health in September. This is the beginning of a long overdue government commitment to the health and wellbeing of people in the U.S. who have suffered for generations due to government inaction on food insecurity and poverty.
The Center's Director Mariana Chilton lays out her perspective on what is necessary for the conference to truly impact hunger and create an effective national strategy to end hunger by 2030.
Read Full Post
College Student Food Insecurity: How to Make Real Change
Dec 21, 2021
Most people don’t think about college students when discussing hunger and food insecurity. Unfortunately, college student food insecurity is not as rare as most people think. According to numerous studies, 20 to 50 percent of college students in the U.S. experience food insecurity, which is consistently higher than that of the general population, but it is often an issue that is hidden below the surface of day-to-day interactions.
In this post, staff member Natalie shares her perspective on and possible solutions for the issue based on her personal work in higher education, the Center for Hunger-Free Communities’ research, and discussion from a recent Drexel panel on the topic.
Read Full Post
The Problem with Charitable Food: How to Really Address Food Insecurity
Aug 26, 2021
There are more than 15,000 food banks/pantries in the U.S. distributing emergency meals. That work has never been more needed than during the pandemic. But in reality, most charitable organizations addressing hunger are doing very little to truly solve the long-term issue of hunger and food insecurity.
As someone who has donated to and volunteered to support numerous charitable food organizations over the years, it wasn’t until Natalie joined the staff of the Center for Hunger-Free Communities that she realized how these "philanthropic activities" were more about making herself feel good than about actually addressing food insecurity. In this blog post, she shares what she has learned about the root causes of and possible solutions for food insecurity as well as alternative ways to make an impact on food insecurity as an advocate in your community.
Read Full Post