White House Announces Challenge to End Hunger

The Biden-Harris Administration has launched the White House Challenge to End Hunger as a follow-up to its historic Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Conference from last September. The Challenge endeavors to end hunger and diet-related diseases by 2030. FoodCorps has partnered with this Administration in these efforts since day one, and we applaud the continued momentum toward this goal.

“FoodCorps was an early supporter of and leader within this initiative, underscoring our commitment to all students across this nation deserving nourishing meals in school. We will continue to support the White House’s goals of advancing a food system centered on equity and justice,” said Dr. Robert S. Harvey, FoodCorps President.

There are five pillars to this new national strategy:

• Improve food access and affordability;
• Integrate nutrition and health;
• Empower all consumers to make and have access to healthier choices;
• Support physical activity for all; and
• Enhance nutrition and food security research.

With the announcement of our Nourishing Futures initiative and anchor funding partners last fall, FoodCorps has committed $250 million to increase access to free and nourishing meals and to expand hands-on nutrition education in schools. Through this initiative, rooted in school and district partnerships, FoodCorps programming will expand to reach 500,000 students a year by 2030. 

We have also committed to training 1,000 emerging leaders of color for careers in food education and school nutrition through our Food Operators and Leaders of Color (FOLCS) program. FoodCorps’ FOLCS community provides opportunities for AmeriCorps service members, alumni, and school nutrition professionals, as well as those aspiring to careers in this field, to connect around leadership development, mentorship, and networking. 

During Friday’s event announcing multifaceted support for the Challenge to End Hunger, Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, stated: “One in eight households with children cannot adequately feed their families. This is completely unacceptable…Government cannot solve this problem on our own, we need the private sector, we need non-profits, health and nutrition advocates, and faith leaders to have a seat at the table…You can count on me to continue to be a champion for nutrition programs.” FoodCorps is proud to have a seat at the table in these efforts, and we’re grateful to partners across sectors who join us in advocating for child nutrition and a more just food system.

Finally, we would like to thank U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack for his unwavering support of free school meals for all and his dedication to eradicating hunger and diet-related disease by 2030. We would also like to thank White House Challenge Co-Chairman Chef José Andrés for his leadership and support of FoodCorps’ work. We look forward to continuing our work in partnership with the White House until every child, in every school, can experience the joy and power of food.