MA residents with lived expertise invited to Food Security Listening Session with Congressman Jim McGovern, June 27th, 10 - 11:30 AM

It has been more than 50 years since a White House Conference on food insecurity in the nation. Thanks to the amazing advocacy of our very own anti-hunger champ, MA Congressman Jim McGovern, the White House will convene a long overdue Conference on Hunger, Health,and Nutrition this coming September. The last conference of over 50 years ago helped elevate hungeras a national priority and sparked major improvements and expansions to the federal nutrition programs—food stamps (now SNAP), school meals, and WIC—paving the way to significant reductions in food insecurity for millions of individuals and families. But we still have a long way to go and food insecurity continues to rise in the nation. 

The White House has already hosted six regional Listening Sessions in June, some of which were oversubscribed. MLRI is joining forces with our colleagues at Equitable Spaces and the Coalition for a Healthy Greater Worcester to be sure persons directly impacted by federal food security policies have a voice and role in shaping those policies. 

Congressman Jim McGovern will be joining us for a remote/zoom listening session on Monday, June 27th starting at 10 AM. This listening session is for Massachusetts persons with lived expertise to share their views and policy priorities. Oral testimony will be transcribed and sent to the White House, there will be translators available for simultaneous translation. Please reach out to your communities and urge persons with lived expertise to join in this important discussion. 

• Attached is a flier announcing the June 27th Listening Session - please circulate broadly.
• Here is the Google Form for persons to pre-register, request translation and other support.

If you are not a person with lived expertise, there are still a number of ways for you to have input. For example, you can submit your stories and recommendations directly to the White House Conference staff HERE (scroll down to bottom of webpage) or send written testimony directly to the WH Conference staff.  And thanks to our friends at the Food Research and Action Center, here's a link to FRAC information and resources, including a tool kit, on the White House Conference.