July 25, 2021 - Food for Thought

July 25, 2021 - Monologue

This weekend on Food First Michigan Dr. Phil Knight and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, are doing a 2nd round of myth busting surrounding hunger and food insecurity. Tune in on Saturday at 5:00 AM or Sunday at 9:00 PM on WJR Radio or Newstalk 760 AM.

Myths can be true, but are often less accurate and can lead to a mischaracterization of the subject. [To get caught up on last week’s episode discussing myths #1 - #4 – listen here  https://soundcloud.com/foodfirstmi/myth-busting]

Myth #5 is that hunger is in America is not a real crisis [this is clearly a myth believed by someone who is not hungry]. On average, 10.5% of the American population [relatively 35,000,000 people] struggles with food insecurity. Out of the top 12 jobs in Michigan, only one of them paid a living wage – this is unacceptable! To learn more about what it truly takes to be self-sufficient, check out our Self-Sufficiency Standard: https://bit.ly/3hYyt1K.

Myth #6 is that hunger may exist somewhere else, but it does not exist in my community. People often do not admit that they are food insecure, they WANT to be self-sufficient. On average, a food insecure person misses 5 meals a week. Hunger IS in our community and we have to take care of the people who are going through it.

Myth #7 is that food from food banks is a “stop a gap” and it never really changes anything. Clients having access to healthy and nutritious food enables and empowers them to manage their monthly trade-offs better. Feeding people today does more than “stop a gap,” it helps them overcome the immediate crisis in their lives.

The biggest commodity that the Food Bank Council of Michigan and our 7 member food banks trade in on is not t food, it is HOPE and TRUST! People trust that food from our food banks will be highly nutritious and safe. Food has a tremendous ability to communicate value.

Creating generalizations based on assumptions is dangerous, it creates misinformation and produces one of the biggest challenges facing us as we strive to create a hunger-free community.

It is hard to solve a problem if you are denying the truth.

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

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

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

#FoodFirstMI

#FoodSecurity

#MoreFoodMoreOften2MorePeople

#FoodFirst

July 11, 2021 - Food for Thought

July 11, 2021 - Monologue

This weekend Dr. Phil Knight and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, are busting myths surrounding hunger and food insecurity. Tune in for Food First Michigan Saturday at 11:00 PM or Sunday at 9:00 PM on WJR Radio to hear common myths…busted!

Myth #1 is that most people who are food insecure are also experiencing homelessness. According to Feeding America, of those who utilize the food bank network, 49% are employed, 24% are children, 19% are seniors, and only 6% are experiencing homelessness. The solution to food insecurity changes when we understand who exactly we are serving.

Myth #2 is that providing food does not address the root cause of hunger. When you are hungry, you only have ONE problem. Providing food to meet the immediate need provides the foundation for further successes. Providing food is a critical piece of addressing the root causes of hunger.

Myth #3 is that SNAP (the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is the best solution to food insecurity, for everyone. SNAP is important, effective, and has been proven to reduce poverty. However, many eligible for SNAP choose not to enroll, for a variety of reasons. We need a multifaceted solution to food insecurity that works for everyone.

Myth #4 is about parents in need and their children. According to Michigan Self Sufficiency Standard data, of the 10 jobs in Michigan that employ the most people, only 1 pays a living wage. Many parents work hard at multiple jobs without benefits and are still unable to feed their children after paying for rent, utilities, and other living expenses. The issue is not a lack of responsibility or care from parents, it is a lack of FOOD.

We must listen to learn, not simply to respond. Aristotle reportedly said, “It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it.” A developed mind is able to listen and learn from someone with whom they disagree.

Tune in to hear myths and misunderstandings surrounding food insecurity… BUSTED. 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

#FoodSecurity

#MoreFoodMoreOften2MorePeople

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For indeed, that’s all who ever have.” -Margaret Mead

Food insecurity is in YOUR neighborhood. It is everywhere. Sometimes it is plainly evident, but sometimes it is not so easily seen. NO ONE deserves to be food insecure, or to wonder what they will feed their children tomorrow. Not in America, certainly not in Michigan, and especially not in House District 40 served by State Representative Mari Manoogian. Tune in for Food First Michigan on WJR Radio this Sunday at 12 AM or 9 PM to hear Dr. Phil Knight Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, and Representative Manoogian discuss how she is investing her “one handful of life.”

Representative Manoogian is serving her second term in the Michigan House of Representatives and cares deeply about food security - particularly for children, seniors, and working families. It is a passion born in her out of compassion for people. Representative Manoogian discusses “the last mile,” – which is typically a phrase only food bankers understand. Our food bank network is comprised of almost 3,000 agencies, most being local food pantries, which are essential to “last mile” efforts. The “last mile” are often volunteers doing the right thing because it’s the right thing. They are providing dignified experiences to the people we serve and we owe them a huge debt of gratitude for that service.

Food brings HOPE, stability, empowerment, health, and economic value to a home. It is delivered with hands, hands that bring HOPE.

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

#FoodFirstMI

#FoodSecurity

#MoreFoodMoreOften2MorePeople

June 20, 2021 - Food for Thought

June 20, 2021 - Monologue

Do you believe that food security is solvable?

Food security is not just a Michigan challenge, it is a global one. Global estimates state that by 2050, there will be 9.7 billion people in the world, and we will require approximately 70% more food than what we consume now. The SOLUTION to meet these needs requires a cross-sector approach with an emphasis on food loss and waste; including analyzing consumption of food purchased and distributed, and agriculture productivity with metrics of the impact on global climate and the environment.

There is NO other way; the challenge both locally and globally is too big to overcome without cross-sector collaboration.

This week we are accompanied by the famous author, NPR podcast host of “Serving up Science” and instiller of positive change, Sheril Kirshenbaum. Sheril’s work focuses on addressing food security challenges while looking at how climate change impacts food availability. To hear more about the work, be sure to watch “Power Trip: The Story of Energy” on PBS {https://amzn.to/3qJIbG8}.

Be mindful of our future.

We are not doing enough in terms of how we produce and use food. However, there is hope. There are signs that technologies and attitudes are evolving to address these challenges, which warrants optimism for where food is headed.

The challenges we face, though daunting, should not prevent us from optimism for the future!

The Michigan food bank network’s challenge is to CREATE positive change in the world of the families who deal with the toxic stress of food insecurity. More people are rallying around the cause, and we are gaining momentum to overcome this challenge. Join us by keeping #FOODFIRST!