Food First

February 13, 2022 - Food for Thought

February 13, 2022 - Monologue

The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts on our nation’s food systems and economy, forcing millions of Americans to turn to the emergency food network for aid. Food banks, food pantries, and other community organizations have stepped up to meet the increase in need.

Tune in for Food First Michigan on WJR Radio this Sunday at 9:00 PM to hear from Dr. Phil Knight, Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and Carrie Calvert, vice president of government relations for Feeding America, for the conversation focusing on agriculture and nutrition.

Carrie helps make sure Congress and the Administration understand what is happening among our food bank network and the support that we need. Dr. Phil, Gerry, and Carrie delve in to two impactful programs for our food bank network, the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program [LFPA] and The Emergency Food Assistance Program [TEFAP] Reach and Resiliency Initiative. Carrie helps us understand the intent of the programs, the opportunities, and what YOU can do to help us reach the next level of food security across Michigan.

The United States Department of Agriculture [USDA] has been provided $1 billion to invest in the nation’s emergency food network. At this time, $50 million in TEFAP Reach and Resiliency grants are being made available to TEFAP state agencies on a competitive basis. The LFPA program is part of the “Build Back Better” initiative, authorized by the American Rescue Plan. The purpose of this program is to maintain and improve food and agricultural supply chain resiliency. The program will award up to $400 million through non-competitive cooperative agreements with state and tribal governments to support local, regional, and socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers through the purchase of domestic local foods.

What does it mean to cancel a load of food for Michigan? It means that families and underserved communities do not receive much-needed food. This is unacceptable – we CAN do better!

Find this episode and all past Food First Michigan episodes at foodfirstmi.org, on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio.

Apple Podcasts --> https://apple.co/38UUpFk

iHeartRadio --> https://ihr.fm/38WJ2wN

#FOODFIRST

#FoodFirstMI

#FoodSecurity

#MoreFoodMoreOften2MorePeople

February 6, 2022 - Food for Thought

February 6, 2022 - Monologue

February 27, 2022 - Monologue

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” Anatole France

Pets are special. Economics play no role in the joy, comfort, and stability a pet brings to a home. Tune in this Sunday for Food First Michigan on WJR Radio at 9 PM to hear Dr. Phil Knight, Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and Matthew Pepper, president and CEO of Michigan Humane Society discuss how vitally important pets are to people’s mental, physical, and emotional health, especially throughout the public health crisis.

Matthew’s love for his work exudes through the microphone and his commitment to helping people where they are at is commendable. Often the families that we serve will feed their children and their pets before they feed themselves – but they should not have to make this choice. The Michigan Humane Society has partnered with Gleaners Community Food Bank to ensure this toxic stressor is removed from their lives. Pets are meeting the need emotionally and mentally for us humans, we should be able to meet their needs as well. This partnership will allow us to help meet the need in a unique way, an inspiring way, and with excellence.

Innovation, partnership, and a shared mission are values that we look for in new partnerships aimed at helping families achieve self-sufficiency. Pets are NOT a luxury, they are a critical component in helping families find normalcy, stability, and comfort.

Find this episode and all past Food First Michigan episodes at foodfirstmi.org, on Apple Podcasts, or iHeartRadio.

Apple Podcasts --> https://apple.co/38UUpFk

iHeartRadio --> https://ihr.fm/38WJ2wN

#FOODFIRST

#FoodFirstMI

#FoodSecurity

#MoreFoodMoreOften2MorePeople

January 23, 2022 - Food for Thought

January 23, 2022 - Monologue

“May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears.” - Nelson Mandela

Soon, Governor Gretchen Whitmer will share her take on the strength of our state and her hopes for the future in her State of the State Address. In one of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s speeches from 1941, he shared a desire to see everyone experience freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom of poverty, and freedom from fear. One of our network’s biggest hopes is that all families that come to us are free of fear. We hope that when they speak, they feel heard. We hope that our work is helping make a life that is good with a vision for a better tomorrow.

Tune in for Food First Michigan this Sunday at 9 PM on WJR Radio to hear Dr. Phil Knight and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, discuss the State of the State of food insecurity – the food supply chain challenges, the United States Department of Agriculture’s roles, and an extension to a no-wrong-door solution. The Food Bank Council of Michigan and our seven regional food banks make a statewide footprint for sourcing and distributing food – that’s powerful!

“Food is strength, and food is peace, and food is freedom, and food is a helping hand to people around the world whose good will and friendship we want.” - John F. Kennedy.

We have enough food to feed every man, woman, and child in the world. We have the ability, the means, and the capacity to eliminate hunger from the face of the Earth in OUR lifetime. We only need the WILL to make global food security a reality.

Find this episode and all past Food First Michigan episodes at foodfirstmi.org, on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio.

Apple Podcasts --> https://apple.co/38UUpFk

iHeartRadio --> https://ihr.fm/38WJ2wN

#FOODFIRST

#FoodFirstMI

#FoodSecurity

#MoreFoodMoreOften2MorePeople