Food First

Food waste is an often overlooked issue that has implications for food access and security - it takes months to produce, but we can waste it an instant.

Hear from the influential and knowledgeable, Sheril Kirshenbaum, Host of Food at MSU. Sheril, Phil and Gerry discuss the newest findings of the MSU Food Literacy and Engagement Poll: Wave IV (https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/msu-food-literacy-and-engagement-poll-wave-iv), food waste and local food effort.

88% of people are taking steps to reduce food waste at home - are YOU?!

'A small group of people can change the world - indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.' - Margaret Mead

Tune in to hear from Sharon Toth, CEO of Milk Means More and Kara Ross, President and CEO of Food Bank of Eastern Michigan on how they are choosing to use their one handful of life. Kara and Sharon discuss the large impact that milk played during the Flint Water Crisis by being a significant lead-mitigating beverage.

In the past 3 years, Milk Means More has been responsible for helping FBCM and the 7 member Feeding America food banks distributed over 5 million servings of milk!

Have you noticed that doing nothing worth doing is easy? The more meaningful the dream/vision, the longer and harder it takes.

We often get asked 'why do you think food security is solvable and/or why isn't it fixed yet?' We understand that maximizing one's potential outside of a food secure environment is at best challenging and in many instances - impossible! Tune in to hear from Phil and Gerry unpack the 5 reasons as to why we have not solved food security YET!

Interested in learning more about the Hunger Report? - http://hungerreport.org/costofhunger/

"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." - Albert Einstein

We believe that food security can be solved by knowing who's hungry and where they're living. The mad reality that a zip code is a predictor of success is the driving force behind the Opportunity Index. The Opportunity Index is a web-based annual composite measurement of economic, educational, health and civic factors that foster the economic ability at the county and state level.

Tune in to hear from Michelle Maisie, Director of Opportunity Nation. Michelle has dedicated her life to social justice, community organizing, and giving people a voice who have been overlooked.

Learn more about the Opportunity Index at https://opportunityindex.org/

Get caught up at https://foodsecuremichigan.org/

"I do not waste any time. If you're not working on important things, then you are wasting your time." - Dean Kamen

Hear how newly elect State Representative Angela Witwer and Rob Collier, Consultant and Senior Advisor to the President of Council of Michigan Foundations are combating the senselessness of hunger fueled by waste. House Bill 4038 is Representative Witwer's first bill to co-sign - it encourages farmers and food processors to give surplus product to those in need, which in turn provide them with a tax incentive.

Margaret Mead states is so true and clear - "never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world - indeed it's the only that has." Representative Witwer and many others are here to represent and serve the people of Michigan.

As the famous saying goes - teamwork makes the dream work. As the partial government shutdown challenge escalates, the need for teamwork elevates.

Hear from Phil, Gerry and Kate Leone, Chief Government Relations Officer with Feeding America. Kate is standing in the gap for all of the people we serve and provides an eye-opening perspective as to how this shutdown affects EVERYONE.

With this being the 3rd shutdown within this administration, let's choose to humanize this issue, stop fixing the blame and start fixing the problem! Did you know that every week this government shutdown persists, the U.S. economy loses $1.2 billion dollars/week - this is unacceptable and it must stop now!

Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future. - JFK

The government shutdowns are a clear result of poor leadership on both sides - with this being the 3rd time during this presidency, who’s to say it won't happen again?

Hear from Phil, Gerry and Diane Golzynski, Director of the Office of Health and Nutritional Services of Michigan Department of Education discuss the affects the shutdown has on the food banks, the people we serve as well as Michigan's food programs. Diane shares the well thought out plan and where we will go from here.

"Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible and before you know it, you will be doing the impossible." St. Francis

Hear from Dawn Opel, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University. Dawn is one of those people that makes you feel passionate about whatever she is talking about - she is beyond brilliant and we are so thankful she is walking alongside us!

Dawn, Phil and Gerry delve coordinate care, 'Food is Medicine' legislation, public policy and so much more. We all think solving food insecurity is possible - do YOU?

Opportunity knocks once, but temptation bangs on your door for years.

Tune in to hear Phil and Gerry discuss federal and state programs (Farm Bill, Trade Mitigation and evidence-based process) and how they affect the food bank network.

We as leaders must see before, beyond and better than anyone else.

In 2050, there are going to be 9-10 billion people living on this planet - there will be less land available and climate change will become even more pronounced. How are we going to feed everyone?

Hear from Sheril Kirshenbaum, Academic Specialist and Host of Our Table with Food at MSU as well as host of Serving of Science on NPR Podcast. Sheril, Phil and Gerry discuss how policy-making should be SCIENCE / EVIDENCE based as well as how strongly food and health are connected.