Congressional Hunger Center

Who were the Members of Congress advancing effective anti-hunger legislation in 2024? Who were the community leaders and corporate partners who built the movement to end hunger? And who in the Hunger Center's community of alums demonstrated excellence in leadership? Let us know—submit your nominations for the 2025 Hunger Leadership Awards! Submissions are due by Friday, March 21. Visit our website for details: https://buff.ly/49QQffY

?? College students in the U.S. face high levels of food insecurity. And yet, owing to confusing eligibility requirements, many students don't apply for SNAP, the first line of defense against hunger. ? In 2020 we partnered with Swipe Out Hunger to launch the College SNAP Project, with the goal of making it easier for college students to understand their eligibility and apply for benefits. ?? Now, thanks to #ZeroHunger Internship alum Paige Swanstein and the Student Basic Needs Coalition, we're happy to report that the project has found a new home! Take a look, try it out, and share with the students in your network.

Calling All Organizations! Become a Host for the Zero Hunger Internship Program! ?? Application Deadline: February 28, 2025 The Zero Hunger Internship program is still accepting host organization applications for the upcoming internship cycle! This is an incredible opportunity to partner with us in shaping the next generation of leaders in the fight against hunger and food insecurity. ?? Why Become a Host Organization? Develop Future Leaders: Interns bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your organization. Strengthen Your Impact: Contribute to a national movement addressing hunger and poverty. Support Workforce Development: Mentorship and hands-on learning experiences help interns grow professionally. If you're passionate about hunger alleviation, poverty reduction, and empowering young professionals, we want to hear from you! To learn more about the program and apply, visit https://buff.ly/4juMrFJ. ?? hashtag#ZeroHunger hashtag#InternshipOpportunity hashtag#FoodSecurity hashtag#LeadershipDevelopment hashtag#HungerAction hashtag#PublicPolicy hashtag#SocialGood hashtag#CommunityPartnerships

Have you enrolled for our online challenge? We list volunteer opportunities to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Day of Service on January 20, 2025. Join us as we celebrate his legacy of service. #endhunger #volunteer #service #MLKJr #linkinbio

Over the past two years, more than 800 people have volunteered their time with the Hunger Center to learn about food insecurity, the root causes of hunger, and effective solutions throughout the U.S. through the Martin Luther King Day of Service End Hunger Challenge. You can join them when we launch the latest version of the challenge on January 20, 2025.

Check your list of New Year's resolutions—does it include: ? Building professional skills and confidence as a leader? ? Joining the movement to end hunger? ? Making lasting relationships and lifelong friends? If so, it's time to apply for our leadership development programs! We're now accepting applications for the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship, the Mickey Leland International Hunger Fellowship, and the Zero Hunger Internship. Get started today at our website: https://buff.ly/41SOiOl Not sure which opportunity is right for you? We've got a quick five-question quiz to help you sort out which of our programs is the best fit for your interest and goals: https://buff.ly/4a6HLBB

Today, January 1, marks what would have been Rep. Bill Emerson’s 86th Birthday. Serving in Congress from 1980 until his death in 1996, Emerson’s career was marked by a lifelong calling to public service, fascination with government and politics, and an unswerving focus on fighting hunger. Emerson was named as ranking member of the House Select Committee on Hunger at its creation in 1984 and served in that role until it was allowed to expire in 1993. His strong professional and personal relationships with his fellow committee leaders Rep. Mickey Leland (D-Texas) and Rep. Tony Hall (D-Ohio) were emblematic of his dedication to solving the problem of hunger and reaching across the aisle to find constructive solutions. Longtime colleague and friend Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) remembered him as “a great bridge builder. Bill had that magnificence to reach out and be understood and trusted…he had a profound understanding of the basic good nature of man, and that was reflected in his every action.” During his time with the Select Committee, Emerson traveled across the United States and across the world to see how his country could be of service to people experiencing hunger. “Whether it be the oceanic shores of Africa or it be the river of Cape Girardeau, Bill Emerson pursued the fight to end hunger wherever he saw it,” said Rep. Steve Gunderson (R-Wis.). In one of the last legislative efforts of his career, he collaborated with Fellow Missourian Rep. Pat Danner, on a bill which made it easier to recover and donate food to food banks and pantries and reduced food waste. The bill was renamed the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act posthumously in his honor and signed into law on October 1, 1996. “[Bill] heard the voices of the hungry—not only in our Nation—but around the world,” remembered Rep. Danner, during debate on the bill. “He knew that the rich gift of fertile soil in his beloved Missouri carried with it a great responsibility, a responsibility to produce, provide, and share. Bill embraced that challenge in the way he did so much else in life—with an unrelenting desire to help others.” At the Hunger Center, we strive to keep alive Rep. Emerson's example of dedication and service to others through our leadership development programs, including our National Hunger Fellowship which bears his name.

#HungerFellow alums in the news: Angela W. Zhang, PhD student at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, co-authored this study of hunger in Los Angeles County. Food insecurity affects 1 in 4 households, higher than the national average; and rates of nutrition insecurity are higher still. Thanks to Angela and all our alums engaged in the work of helping us understand the scale of the problem of hunger. https://lnkd.in/gDavD_pT

?? We are now accepting nominations for the 2025 Hunger Leadership Awards. ? Who were the Members of Congress advancing effective anti-hunger legislation in 2024? ? Who were the community leaders and corporate partners who built the movement to end hunger? ? And who in the Hunger Center's community of alums demonstrated excellence in leadership? Let us know now—submit your nominations via the form at our website. https://buff.ly/49QQffY

Congratulations to Bill Emerson National #HungerFellow alum Lindsey Baker for being named one of Emory University's 40 Under 40 this year! We are grateful to have you in our network of exemplary leaders, and for all you do to help bring us closer to a world free from hunger.