Catherine D’Amato Joins Task Force on White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

Catherine D’Amato, GBFB President and CEO, and Founder of the Hunger to Health Collaboratory, was invited to join a national convening to inform the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health.  This task force, initiated by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, Food Systems for the Future, the Friedman School of Nutrition Science & Policy at Tufts University, and World Central Kitchen, is an independent effort that aims to convene voices from across the nation to help solve the issues at the heart of the Conference. View opening remarks from the convening below.

“Anti-hunger advocates have to have a seat at the table here,” D’Amato says. “We need perspectives from people who understand how the policies will impact people facing food insecurity.”

D’Amato joined leaders from across the country at the Bipartisan Policy Center in Washington, D.C., in July to discuss federal policy and stakeholder solutions to improve nutrition, end hunger, and reduce diet-related chronic diseases in the United States. “I’m pleased that this is happening in my time and that we can have an effect at the federal level. It can be very slow, but small steps can be profound.”

On August 23rd, the Task Force published a report to inform the September conference. The policy recommendations propose a far-reaching, consensus-based strategy that reflects a diverse set of perspectives from leaders across academia, civil society, government, and the private sector, including, broadly: leveraging federal nutrition programs, public health and nutrition education, health care, research and science, business, and coordination of federal agencies, to reduce hunger, improve nutrition, reduce diet-related chronic conditions, and increase health equity. Read the full report.

“Leaders from the left and right and countries across the world must come together to ensure food is treated as a universal human right,” said José Andrés, Task Force Co-Chair, and World Central Kitchen and ThinkFoodGroup Founder. “We have the tools to make sure no children are hungry and that families can feed themselves—our government needs to support and guide our path forward…. the time for bold solutions is now.”

More about the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

This September, the Biden-Harris administration will host the first White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health since 1969.  The Conference brings together anti-hunger and nutrition advocates, food business leaders, the health care community, academic experts, and local, state, territory, and Tribal governments to develop a national, coordinated strategy to end hunger and reduce diet-related diseases and the disparities surrounding them. Leading up to the Conference, the White House encouraged stakeholders and organizations from across sectors to hold convenings and submit feedback and policy recommendations to inform the strategy that will be presented at the Conference.  Learn more about how GBFB is participating.