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Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Blogging at Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Fighting hunger. Feeding hope.

Fighting hunger. Feeding hope.

Creating My Narrative: Lessons from the 2021 Anti-Hunger Policy Conference

April 12, 2021 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

I went into the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference to take many notes and hopefully use the knowledge I was receiving to benefit our Food Bank. I left with a community of over 200 people that wanted to come together with a clear common goal to fight against hunger.

I have a Ph.D. in Poverty

Jimmeka Mills

It is true what they say that everything comes to you right when you need for it to come to you. I needed to be in the session Beyond Focus Groups & Stories with Jimmeka Mills and Barbie Izquierdo. What I learned was valued beyond what they even know—the importance of respecting the work we do and realizing that our experience is of value. We have value in our “lived experiences,” and those experiences are a large part of what makes us eligible to receive equitable wages, equality in our living situations, and speak as an expert.

I used to be ashamed of the time that I spent living in poverty. I cried on cold nights and found myself finding ways to make meals out of nothing at all. I never knew about places like the food bank and was always made to feel ashamed that I could receive food, healthcare, and living at a reduced rate. I now know that those experiences make me a valuable resource for so many who are struggling and feel that same shame that I felt. “I kept seeing millionaires from organizations tell my story through their lens, and I was sitting there with no money, no food in my fridge, and it was because I wasn’t telling my story through my own lens” – Barbie Izquierdo. WOW! At the end of this session, I wanted to tell more of my story through my lens and create my narrative. 

I went into session two thinking that the first session was the message that I was to receive. However, I was in the right place at the right time because Passing the Mic: How Can Our Movement Be Anti-Hunger and Anti-Racist was just in line with the work that I see myself doing. I have farmers in my family, and I someday hope to own land and farm as well. I didn’t realize that Black Farmers in the U.S. were not visible because of the scale at which their farms produce.

We heard from Christopher Bradshaw from Dreaming Out Loud in Washington D.C. about how his organization built an urban farm and a network of urban farmers that, on a smaller scale, are giving food to communities but are not widely recognized. Here is the food bank; we are very familiar with the COVID relief boxes, but did you know the policies put in place for the COVID relief boxes excluded most black farmers because of their farms. The scale of requirements most urban farmers (meaning farming in the city rather than a rural area), which are primarily Black, Indigenous, Person of Color (BIPOC), did not get to participate in that during the pandemic’s height when food was in so much need. Bradshaw asked the question of “How do we make the policies more inclusive by allowing policies to meet the farmers where they are? Let’s write policies that allow for ‘farm to prison,’ ‘farm to hospital,’ and ‘farm to those that are unthought-of’ in the great fight for hunger.”

Meeting people where they are is a message that I believe resonates loudly within our community and culture here at Second Harvest. I get to see so many of us work daily, and at the end of the day, I get to go home knowing that the work here that we do genuinely makes a difference in the lives of the community. The last session that I went to was are a group of 100 on a zoom call. It was a titled African Americans Working in the Hunger World. The host Beverly Wheeler from D.C. Hunger Solutions was terrific at allowing us to network and be in a space where we were with other Black people working in the country’s hunger space.

I left day one proud and carried that over to day two. I didn’t feel heavy or like I was ashamed of my background and the things I have done to get to this moment. I felt empowered and eager to learn more about doing what I do here at Second Harvest but elevate that experience that much more.

Aryiel Everette

Agency Relations & Programs Administrative Assistant and First -Time Conference Attendee
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Filed Under: Advocacy, Hunger News Tagged With: diversity, feeding america, inclusion, policy conference, public policy, racial equity

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You can help make sure kids have a hunger-free sum You can help make sure kids have a hunger-free summer with a Virtual Food Drive. This online tool makes it easy to become a Hunger Hero and raise funds to provide nutritious meals for kids and their families. Learn more and get started at Virtual Food Drive #linkinbio.
It's blueberry season! For a limited time, enjoy l It's blueberry season! For a limited time, enjoy locally sourced Blueberry Honey, fresh from Dundee, Florida. This earthy and bold fruity flavor is pairs wells with ice cream, waffles or a warm biscuit. Available in 2 oz. & 2 lbs. from @aspoonfullofhope. Each purchase helps support Second Harvest's Culinary Training Program and its students in their pursuit of a new, sustainable career in food service. #blueberries #localhoney #aspoonfullofhope
It's almost here! The first-ever Ultimate Garden P It's almost here! The first-ever Ultimate Garden Party is just days away! There are still plenty of ways to get involved and support this mission of fighting hunger. 🎟️ Purchase tickets⏳  Bid on fabulous items in the Silent Auction🎁 Enter to win the Full Bloom Chance DrawingDetails at link in bio. #ultimategardenparty #orlandoevents #charityevents
Three cheers for volunteers! This group from @topg Three cheers for volunteers! This group from @topgolf Orlando built a record-setting 1530 COVID-relief boxes filled with nonperishable food during a recent volunteer shift. 🙌 📦 These boxes will be distributed to neighbors facing hunger in Central Florida.Learn more about group volunteer activities at #linkinbio. #volunteer #orlandogivesback #feedhopenow
"When my family moved from Poland to America, we w "When my family moved from Poland to America, we were very fortunate to come across food pantries assisted by special places like Second Harvest Food Bank. Since then, we’ve been trying our very best to give back in any way. You never know what kind of hardship you’ll run into in the future, regardless of your social stature. But knowing Second Harvest  is around means the world to so many." - Susie, @1031thewolforlando Morning WolfpackHear more from @SusieOnAir this weekend as she hosts the Ultimate Garden Party red carpet and shares glimpses of the event with you.
@Aspoonfullofhope has baked up a Limited-Edition B @Aspoonfullofhope has baked up a Limited-Edition Blueberry Lemonade Shortbread Cookie! . Each bite pops with the tartness of #blueberry and lemonade, complementing the butter and crumbly texture that give the cookie a subtle complexity your taste buds will love! #cookiesforgood #instacookies #feedhopenow
"Do I pay rent, or do I put food on the table? Do "Do I pay rent, or do I put food on the table? Do I fill the car [to get to work], or do I feed my kids?" These are the questions facing families across Central Florida.Second Harvest is still distributing about 60% more food daily than pre-pandemic. Find help if you need it, or learn how to get involved in the fight against hunger, at #linkinbio.
Today, inflation, skyrocketing grocery bills, and Today, inflation, skyrocketing grocery bills, and drastic rent hikes are forcing families to make difficult choices. With limited resources, too many parents skip meals so their kids can eat.But you can help. As a monthly donor - see link in bio - your support will provide twice as many meals to families this summer, thanks to a generous matching gift from Health First. #summer #match #feedhopenow
Ready, set, bid! The Ultimate Garden Party silent Ready, set, bid!  The Ultimate Garden Party silent auction is now open! Place your bids on travel packages, theme park tickets, dining experiences, gift baskets, and much more! 🏨 🍽️ 🏖️ Every dollar raised through the silent auction can help provide four meals to our neighbors facing hunger this summer. Bid now at link in bio. #ultimategardenparty #silentauction #bidearly #feedhopenow
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Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a member of Feeding America – the largest charitable domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Second Harvest secures and distributes food and grocery products to approximately 550 local nonprofit feeding programs throughout Central Florida. Last year, with the help of food and financial donors, volunteers and a caring, committed community, the food bank distributed more than 63 million meals to partner programs such as food pantries, soup kitchens, women’s shelters, senior centers, daycare centers and Kids Cafes. On average, Second Harvest is distributing enough food to feed 58,000 people a day.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit recognized by the IRS. Tax ID Number: 59-2142315 Email: info@feedhopenow.org

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