The 49 member organizations of the Food and Beverage Issue Alliance, which ABA co-chairs with AFFI, welcomed Members of Congress and staff to a Congressional Reception on March 7, 2019. For this year’s reception, the FBIA partnered with three key groups that work tirelessly to combat hunger (more information below): Feeding America, Congressional Hunger Center, and the Food Research and Action Center.
"It is vital that we recognize the tremendous work of these organizations to daily combat hunger and feed those in need," said Robb MacKie, President and CEO of the American Bakers Association. "We applaud the work of these great organizations to support those in need in our communities."
"It is also important to recognize the agriculture and food sectors who have long supported these organizations and their work in our local communities," MacKie added. "While they don't trumpet their efforts, they are critical to supporting their communities and those in need."
The Food and Beverage Issue Alliance (FBIA) is in its fifth year of existence. The Alliance serves as a resource and conduit for ongoing dialogue with federal agencies including FDA and USDA as well as Congress on key issues impacting nutrition and food safety policy, and ultimately, the American consumer.
FBIA represents a broad array of food industry sectors and meets quarterly with senior FDA officials to discuss hot topics, opportunities for partnership and practical solutions to improve consumer understanding and public health policy as it pertains to food.
Some key statistics:
- Each $1 in federal SNAP benefits generates $1.79 in economic activity.
- On an average school day during the 2017–2018 school year, nearly 12.5 million low-income students participated in the national School Breakfast Program, 4 million more than on average day in the 2007–2008 school year.
- Each month, WIC provided nutritious food to approximately: 3.5 million children, 1.7 million infants, and 1.6 million women. (2018)
Feeding America - Their mission is to feed America’s hungry through a nationwide network of member food banks and engage our country in the fight to end hunger. Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the US. Through a network of 200 food banks and 60,000 food pantries and meal programs, they provide meals to more than 46 million people each year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people they serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger.
The Congressional Hunger Center - The mission of the Congressional Hunger Center is to develop, inspire, and connect leaders, and advocate for public policies that create a food secure world. CHC envisions a world without hunger and poverty where every person can achieve their full potential because equitable systems exist to achieve financial freedom and full access to healthful, affordable, and culturally appropriate foods. The Hunger Center is a leader in the movement to ensure access to food as a basic human right for all people. Creating and nurturing a community of innovative and inspiring leaders who act as change agents, bridging the gap between grassroots efforts and national and international public policy to create a food secure world. The Hunger Center prioritizes putting the people most affected by hunger at the center of their work through leadership development, network building, and advocacy.
During the past 25 years, the Hunger Center has successfully graduated 595 alums from its Emerson National Hunger Fellowship and Leland International Hunger Fellowship Programs, which have collectively built the capacity of nearly 250 frontline poverty organizations in 47 states and U.S. territories and more than 40 countries. The power of the Hunger Center’s alum network is boundless, with 75% of Hunger Fellowship alums continuing to work for the social good at leading organizations in the US and abroad. This year, the Hunger Center launched its new program, Zero Hunger Initiative. The initiative engages current college students with an online learning experience, paid summer internship program, and campus network, all backed by our decades of content knowledge and experience from our flagship Hunger Fellowships.
The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) - is a leading national nonprofit organization working to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the US. FRAC leads efforts to identify and communicate the connections among poverty, hunger, and obesity among low-income people; conducts research to document the extent of hunger, its impact, and effective solutions; seeks stronger federal, state and local public policies that will reduce hunger, undernutrition, and obesity; monitors the implementation of laws and serve as a watchdog of programs; providing coordination, training, technical assistance, and support on nutrition and anti-poverty issues to a nationwide network of advocates, service providers, food banks, program administrators and participants, and policymakers; FRAC conducts public information campaigns to help promote changes in attitude and policies.
FBIA Reception Sponsors:
The following 26 FBIA sponsors support this year's event: American Bakers Association, American Frozen Food Institute, American Beverage Association, American Spice Trade Association, Beer Institute, Calorie Control Council, Corn Refiners Association, Council for Responsible Nutrition, Distilled Spirits Council, Food Marketing Institute, Grocery Manufacturers Association, Healthcare Nutrition Council, Independent Bakers Association, Infant Nutrition Council of America, International Dairy Foods Association, International Flight Services Association, International Foods Additives Council, Juice Products Association, National Automatic Merchandising Association, National Confectioners Association, National Grocers Association, National Pasta Association, North American Millers Association, Peanut & Tree Nut Processors Association, SNAC International, United Fresh Produce Association
