America?s Second Harvest and Harvesters co-host The Politics of Hunger: A Town Hall Meeting in Kansas City

Kansas City, MO --- September 30, 2004 --- Seeking a dialogue with political leaders as the 2004 elections draw near, Harvesters hosted the first in a national series of America's Second Harvest's, The Politics of Hunger: A Town Hall Meeting in Kansas City last night. The event raised awareness of the prevalence of hunger in communities throughout America and stimulated a discussion on the politics of hunger and the viability of a specific plan to eliminate it.

Hunger is a persistent and pervasive problem and perhaps the most "solvable" of all social and economic problems we face, yet politicians and voters rarely focus on it as an election issue.  The National Anti-Hunger Organizations (NAHO) recently released "A Blueprint to End Hunger" describing the steps that communities across the country can take to greatly reduce and ultimately end hunger in America. The Politics of Hunger: A Town Hall Meeting is an opportunity to discuss this landmark document and for policy makers and their constituents to engage in solution-oriented discussion.

Laura Scott, assistant editor of the Kansas City Star's editorial page moderated a panel of hunger experts, including national leaders Judy Carter, Board Chair of America's Second Harvest, The Nation's Food Bank Network and Anita Wheeler, president of the ConAgra Foods Foundation. They were joined by Mary Ragland, USDA's Officer in Charge of the Kansas City Field Office and Karen Haren, Harvesters' executive director who painted the picture of hunger in Kansas City and began a dialogue about the role of government, charity, business and the individual in ending hunger relief.

Panelist Judy Carter outlined a comprehensive solution to hunger set forth in NAHO's "A Blueprint to End Hunger."  "The United States is the only industrialized nation in the world that permits hunger to exist within its borders," said Carter. "We elect policy makers and we must hold them accountable."  Carter went on to outline roles for individuals, businesses and charities in reducing hunger, but said that the government should play the primary role in solutions to end hunger.

The Politics of Hunger: A Town Hall Meeting provided an opportunity for those who care about their hungry neighbors to elevate discussion on the problem of hunger during this election season. By visiting www.harvesters.org and www.secondharvest.org, individuals, corporations, community groups, and organizations can learn more about how to get involved with The Politics of Hunger: A Town Hall Meeting at both the national and local levels.

The next forum on the national agenda will be held in Phoenix on October 6, 2004 and the final town hall meeting is scheduled for Pittsburgh on October 20.  

About Harvesters
The Community Food Network Harvesters is celebrating 25 years of service in 2004. As Kansas City's only food bank, Harvesters is a clearinghouse for the collection and distribution of food and related household products. Covering a 13-county metropolitan area, Harvesters serves more than 550 not-for-profit agencies including emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, children's homes, homes for the mentally disabled and shelters for battered persons.  Agencies in Harvesters' network provide food assistance to more than 50,000 different people each week. Harvesters is a certified member of America's Second Harvest, a nationwide network of 200 food banks, serving all 50 states. For more information, visit www.harvesters.org.