Gen Z Food & Hunger Summit
People most affected by hunger and poverty should be at the center of finding solutions—and in the U.S., no generation of adults is more likely now to be affected by food insecurity than Gen Z. On July 14-15, 2026, the Congressional Hunger Center and Food Systems Collaborative will host the fourth annual Gen Z Food & Hunger Summit, where they will bring campus leaders to Washington, D.C., to advocate for food security. The purpose of this summit is to train and inspire the next generation of leaders to improve the food system at home and abroad.
About The Summit
Gen Z faces an alarming rate of food insecurity, with Purdue University reporting in 2024 that 29% experienced food insecurity in the last 30 days. More so, over 36% of Gen Z households had to rely on savings or borrow money to buy food over the past year.
The Hunger Center and Food Systems Collaborative believe that Gen Z is uniquely positioned to lead the movement to end food insecurity—and through our two-day Summit, we bring passionate Gen Z leaders to the heart of food and nutrition policy to gain first-hand advocacy experience. Now in its fourth year, the Summit provides participants an in-depth, insider’s look at the current food insecurity landscape and connects them with their lawmakers to share their experiences and perspectives.
We are the next generation, and we are going to be taking over soon. And I think it’s time that we understand what’s really going on, not just what we read but practically—that’s why we need to be here, to learn now.Khadija Rashid, 2023 Participant
What We're doinG in 2026
The Hunger Center and Food Systems Collaborative are inviting all interested young advocates to take part in the 2026 Gen Z Food & Hunger Summit as ambassadors. The deadline to apply was April 30, 2026.
To attend the Summit, ambassadors must be:
- Over 18 years old and a member of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2008)
- Able to travel to Washington, D.C., for the two-day event on July 14 & 15, 2026. (Summit organizers to provide lunch on July 14 and breakfast on July 15, but do not provide lodging, travel, or other meals.)
- Passionate about food security.
No prior advocacy experience is required! You will receive all the training and materials needed to thrive at the Summit—all you need to bring is your enthusiasm and a willingness to learn!
What to Expect at the Summit
Tuesday, July 14: Training Day
Ambassadors will receive a crash-course on the current state of food security: who’s impacted, what’s at stake, and how they can be a part of the solution. They’ll also hear directly from policy pros, current and former Congressional staffers, and advocacy leaders about what federal food policy work really looks like. Then, participants will receive hands-on training in topic-specific working groups, where experts will break down the federal advocacy process.
Wednesday, July 15: Advocacy Day
On day two, ambassadors will take everything they learned on day one and put it into practice. They’ll meet on Capitol Hill for breakfast and a final working-group session, then head out for a full day of meetings with Congressional offices where they'll advocate for their selected legislation.
Given the economic challenges facing Gen Z adults—from affordable housing and student loan debt to underemployment and food insecurity—they cannot afford to be absent from the halls of Congress where crucial decisions are being made about their lives and future. We want to make sure their voices are amplified when it comes to the economic and food insecurity they are experiencing right now.Shannon Maynard, Executive Director, Congressional Hunger Center
2026 Primary Partners
The Hunger Center and Food Systems Collaborative are partnering with the following organizations to host the Summit:
Our Sponsors
Thank you to our generous sponsor for making this year's event possible.
Special thanks to Sodexo Stop Hunger Foundation and Tyson Foods for supporting the Gen Z Food & Hunger Summit.
