Capitol Hill Summit to Address Connections between Hunger and Health
Washington, D.C. – On Thursday, Feb. 27, the Alliance to End Hunger and healthcare industry leader ProMedica will host a summit in Washington, D.C., to address hunger as a health issue. Titled “Come to the Table,” the event will draw 200 registrants, including more than 30 members of Congress, to Capitol Hill to strategize actionable, effective ways to end hunger.
“In one of the world’s wealthiest nations, hunger is not only preventable and morally unacceptable; it is expensive, resulting in hundreds of billions of dollars in healthcare costs each year,” said Rev. David Beckmann, president of Bread for the World. “We applaud ProMedica and the Alliance to End Hunger for bringing this issue to the forefront and holding lawmakers and private industry responsible for finding solutions.”
Nearly one in six U.S. households faces hunger, and studies have shown long-term health consequences from hunger. Healthcare reform has motivated healthcare providers to place more of an emphasis on prevention and wellness, and preventing hunger is tantamount. As featured in Bread for the World Institute’s 2014 Hunger Report: Ending Hunger in America, ProMedica has set out to recast hunger as a healthcare priority, on par with fighting illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.
The purpose of Thursday’s event is to persuade more lawmakers and healthcare industry leaders to champion anti-hunger initiatives by making connections among reducing hunger, improving health outcomes, and lowering healthcare costs. In an effort to form creative, effective collaborations and encourage federal legislation to protect anti-hunger programs, Beckmann will join other experts in speaking on hunger and health, including Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture; Deborah Frank, M.D., Professor of Child Health and Well-Being, Boston University School of Medicine, and Founder of Children’s Health Watch; Ken Thorpe, Chairman, Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease; and Ravi Sachdev, Managing Director, Healthcare Coverage, J.P. Morgan.
“U.S. hunger is a far-reaching problem that we believe must be confronted from multiple angles, with healthcare organizations, social service agencies, and government leaders all working together,” said Randy Oostra, D.M., FACHE, President and Chief Executive Officer of ProMedica. “This summit, part of our Come to the Table advocacy initiative, is the next of many steps in achieving this collaborative effort nationally.”
Tools
from our Resource Library
For Education
U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Bill Analysis: Raise the Wage Act (H.R.582 & S.150)
We cannot end hunger in the U.S. without raising the minimum wage.
Briefing Paper: A Multi-Sectoral Approach to Nutrition. Assessing USAID's Progress.
Better nutrition is a necessary component of a country’s capacity to achieve development goals such as economic growth and improved public health.
For Faith
Unity Declaration on Racism and Poverty
A diverse body of Christian leaders calls on the churches and Congress to focus on the integral connection.
Dear Members of Congress,
As the president and Congress are preparing their plans for this year, almost 100 church leaders—from all the families of U.S. Christianity—are...
In Times Like These … A Pan-African Christian Devotional for Public Policy Engagement
This devotional guide invites deepened relationship with and among Pan-African people and elected leaders in the mission to end hunger and poverty.
Sermon by David Beckmann at Duke University Chapel
Remarks delivered October 1, 2017 at Duke University Chapel in Chapel Hill in North Carolina.
Thank you for inviting me to preach here at Duke University Chapel. And I especially want to thank the Bread for the World members who have come this morning.
Bruce Puckett urged...
For Advocacy
Fact Sheet: Why We Need $150 Million for Global Nutrition Programs
Bread for the World and its partners are asking Congress to provide $150 million for global nutrition in the fiscal year 2020 budget.
U.S. Hunger and Poverty State Fact Sheets
These fact sheets provide a snapshot of hunger and poverty in the United States and in each state plus Washington, D.C.
Fact Sheet: Hunger by the Numbers
In 2017, 11.8 percent of households in the U.S.—40 million people—were food-insecure, meaning that they were unsure at some point during the year about how they would provide for their next meal.