In the United States, 42 million people struggle to put food on the table every year, including 13 million children and 5.7 million seniors. This October, anti-hunger organizations, advocates, and volunteers are coming together for the 2019 Sunshine Summit to End Hunger, a two-day summit, on Thursday, October 24, and Friday, October 25 at the Center for Nutrition and Culinary Services (9036 Brittany Way, Ste. 300, Tampa, FL 33619) in Tampa, FL, aimed at changing that reality.
The 2019 Sunshine Summit to End Hunger is presented by the area’s Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger, in partnership with Bread for the World and Florida Impact to End Hunger. This high-impact event, which is free to register, focuses attention and expertise on a local and national problem that is the lived experience of families across our communities.
The summit will provide a forum for the anti-hunger community to learn, share, and network. In panel discussions and lectures from keynote speakers, presenters will discuss collaboration and advocacy techniques, identifying and maximizing resources and implementing best practices in day-to-day anti-hunger work. Panel topics include childhood and senior hunger, healthy food access, and food waste and recovery.
The 2019 SSEH will welcome Feeding India’s Founder, Ankit Kawatra, and Co-founder, Srishti Jain, as keynote speakers! Ankit, who started Feeding India, a not-for-profit organization after quitting his corporate job in 2014, is helping end hunger and poverty in India in a unique way. Through over 8,000 volunteers across 60 cities, Feeding India collects excess ‘unused’ food from parties, restaurants and social events and donates it to the needy. Since then, Feeding India has served over 25 million meals through their many missions such as food recovery efforts, education, youth empowerment, nutrition, environmental preservation, as well as peace and love. Ankit is one of the 17 young world leaders selected by the United Nations as part of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Co-founder Srishti Jain, who holds a bachelor’s degree in business studies from Delhi University, joined his mission and helped grow the team from two people to the national movement it is now. Together, they are changing the way India deals with wasted food.
Opening session keynote presentations will also include Jeremy Everett, Executive Director of the Texas Hunger Initiative, who will provide a state level perspective of food insecurity. Later in the day, John Miller, CEO and President of Denny’s Restaurant Group, will offer his perspective of how a national corporation is addressing hunger. Day 2 will feature Craig Gundersen, Professor and Director of Undergrad Studies at the University of Illinois, who will share his research and program developments addressing food insecurity.
“We’re excited to be working with Bread for the World and Florida Impact to promote not only an end to hunger, but to food insecurity and food insufficiency for a healthy lifestyle,” said Caitlyn Peacock, Executive Director for the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger. “The network works to build a hunger-free community with access to nutritious food for all. This summit will engage people from every corner of communities in our sunshine state to increase awareness, promote health and create a lasting, positive impact.”
Bread for the World is a national advocacy agency that seeks to encourage our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By working through churches, campuses, and other organizations, they provide help and opportunity locally and abroad by changing policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist.
“Bread for the World is honored to be partnered with the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger and FL Impact to collaborate for this year’s Sunshine Summit,” said Florence French, Regional Organizer with Bread for the World. “Being a part of local engagement, education and advocacy is one of the most important things we can do in our mission to end hunger by 2030.”
Florida Impact’s mission for the last four decades has been dedicated to securing economic justice in Florida by reducing hunger and poverty. They mobilize communities and non-profits to increase access to federal food, nutrition, and other economic support programs through strategic program outreach, technical assistance and advocacy. Florida Impact also has a history of successfully advocating for policy changes, including the mandate for statewide School Breakfast Programs and changes to Summer Nutrition programs to locate food sites closer to kids in need.
The 2019 Sunshine Summit to End Hunger is seeking sponsors and accepting registration. Registration is free for individuals, though a donation of $20 is suggested. Registration, including donations, and sponsorship opportunities are available online at www.SummitToEndHunger.com.
About Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger:
Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger is committed to ending hunger in Tampa Bay by bringing people together to find solutions that eliminate barriers, increase access and knowledge, and expand the amount of nutritious food available. TBNEH has over 350 members and serves a tri-county area, Hillsborough, Pasco, and PInellas counties. TBNEH is a 501(c)3 non-profit agency and relies on its community for support. www.NetworktoEndHunger.org
About Bread for the World:
Bread for the World is a collective Christian voice urging our nation’s decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad. By changing policies, programs, and conditions that allow hunger and poverty to persist, we provide help and opportunity at home and far beyond where we live. Bread equips people to write personal letters and emails, meet with their members of Congress, and to work with others to end hunger. Working through churches, campuses, and other organizations, we engage people in organized advocacy. www.Bread.org
About Florida Impact:
Florida Impact’s mission for the last four decades has been dedicated to securing economic justice in Florida by reducing hunger and poverty. We mobilize communities to increase access to federal food, nutrition, and other economic support programs through strategic program outreach, technical assistance and advocacy. We work to optimize these resources in the hands of community-based nonprofits serving at-risk children. Florida Impact also has a history of successfully advocating for policy changes, including the mandate for statewide School Breakfast Programs and changes to Summer Nutrition programs to locate food sites closer to kids in need. www.FloridaImpact.org