Updated 06/09/2022 at 9:03 am
In recent years, the United States has made great strides in reducing hunger for its residents. By 2019 national averages of food insecurity were finally approaching lows last seen before the financial crisis of 2008. But the coronavirus pandemic scrambled our economy and threatened to upend all the progress we had seen in the previous decade. Assistance from federal and local government was crucial in responding to increased need, and prevented an even greater calamity. But after all that, tens of millions of people across the country are still experiencing food insecurity. What can we learn from the last two years—and what else must we do to ensure a hunger-free future for all?
Join us June 10 at 2 p.m. EDT as we kick off the 2022 Zero Hunger Summer Seminars with a virtual panel discussion on food insecurity in the United States. In this session, participants will learn about:
- Hunger and poverty in the US including recent changes as a result of the pandemic;
- How public policy is being used to end food insecurity and poverty;
- How people can advocate for policies that address hunger and poverty; and
- How they might pursue a career in the anti-hunger space
College students and summer interns are especially encouraged to tune in. The session includes several short articles for pre-reading, which can be accessed when you enroll in the course via our Zero Hunger Academy platform.
Panelists
Eric Mitchell
Eric Mitchell is the Executive Director of the Alliance to End Hunger. In his role, Eric actively builds the Alliance’s advocacy capacity on Capitol Hill and in local communities, with the goal of enhancing the coalition’s impact around building the public and political will to end hunger in the U.S. and around the world. Prior to the Alliance to End Hunger, Eric served as Director of Government Relations for Adtalem Global Education and also served for six years as the Director of Government Relations at Bread for the World. Earlier in his career, Eric was the youngest and the first African American Vice President of Government Relations at Russ Reid. Eric began his political career on Capitol Hill, serving as Policy Advisor to civil rights icon, U.S. Congressman John Lewis, and Legislative Assistant to U.S. Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. In 2014, Eric was included in The Root 100 Most Influential African Americans under the age of 40.
Ellen S. Teller
Ellen is the Chief Government Affairs Officer at the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). She directs the development and implementation of FRAC’s legislative agenda, working with the Congress, national organizations, and FRAC’s state and local grassroots network. Ellen joined FRAC in 1986 as a Staff Attorney. She previously worked at the American Bar Association’s Section on Individual Rights and Responsibilities, Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), and Consumer Federation of America (CFA). Ellen majored in Political Science and English Literature from the State University of New York at Oneonta and holds a J.D. from Western New England University School of Law. She is a Member of the DC Bar and serves on a variety of Boards, including the Coalition on Human Needs (Board Chair). Ellen has been honored by the National WIC Association, National Commodity Supplemental Food Program Association, Congressional Hunger Center Emerson Fellows’ Fairy Godmother Award, Manna Food Center Hero Against Hunger Award, and the State University of New York at Oneonta Alumni of Distinction.
Michael Wilson
Michael joined Maryland Hunger Solutions in July 2013 as Director. In this role, he is helping to lead Maryland’s premier hunger advocacy, education, and outreach organization as it works to end hunger and improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income families in Maryland. Michael serves in a leadership role in many statewide coalitions including the Maryland State Food Resilience Council, the Montgomery County Food Council, and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government’s Food Agriculture Regional Member (FARM) Policy Committee. For more than three decades, Michael has been a leading advocate for economic and social justice. He worked on Capitol Hill as a legislative and press assistant for the late U.S. Representative Charles Hayes (Ill.). He also served in numerous positions at the U.S. Department of Labor, culminating as Chief of Staff in the Employment Standards Administration where he coordinated legislative, regulatory, communications, and policy development. Michael also was an international officer and director at the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union where he headed the legislative and political department and led the union’s efforts in food policy and worker advocacy. Michael served as a FRAC Board Member for more than a decade, as well as a Board Member for the Consumer Federation of America and Americans for Democratic Action, where he also served as National Director. Michael lives and votes in Baltimore, Maryland.
Thank You
