MAZON Says White House Hunger Conference Must Lead to Policy and Social Change
Yesterday, President Biden hosted the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, outlining his Administration’s vision for ending hunger in America by 2030. Following the Conference, MAZON said the summit must lead to real policy solutions and transformational social change.
MAZON’s President & CEO Abby J. Leibman said:
“We are pleased that the conference highlighted vital short-term changes to provide better support for people facing hunger, especially increasing benefits and eliminating barriers to key federal anti-hunger programs including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).”
“But beyond that, I hope the conference prompted conversations about the complex causes of hunger, the interrelated systems that offer opportunities for novel approaches to addressing those causes, and the unique and persistent experiences of those who struggle with hunger. We must accept that our current systems are mired in deep social inequities including gender, racial, and anti-immigrant discrimination, and then pursue systemic change that moves us beyond the current approach.
“President Biden is a man of history, a true leader who inspired us to take this moment to ask the big questions that can lead us to innovative and meaningful strategies for ending hunger in America. As my friend Congressman Jim McGovern said, the conference yesterday was just the beginning — now we must find the political will to overcome our differences and create real change. If we stop short of that, I fear that it will have been a missed opportunity.”