By Patricia Rojas
I’m arriving at Washington D.C to amazing weather, something that has not happened for me since I started attending the FRAC conference a few years ago. It matches the mood of the conference goers, bright and hopeful. I came to the conference on the first day it began (I don’t suggest that to anyone -- you are exhausted from the trip alone) jumping into the first workshop of the day. After that it was non-stop workshops and plenaries for me. It was an opportunity to hear what that new outreach plan for the SNAP program involves (make note for Disney fans -- a classic character is lending his nose for the cause).
During lunch we heard from Representative Donna Edward (D-Maryland) who told her own heartbreaking story of going to food pantries so she could feed her son and how she refused to use food stamps because she was too ashamed. She gave us the mission to remind our state representative about the hidden faces of hunger and how we need to remove the stigma of using these important programs.
The afternoon reinforced the theme of this year’s FRAC conference – Ending Childhood Hunger by 2015. Perennial food advocate Joel Berg reminded us that we’re willing to spend so much on two wars without blinking an eye, but programs that can help people get balked at. The idea of Universal School Food was brought up, reminding everyone that it would remove the stigma and the paperwork that the school lunch program has now. (Honestly anything that cuts down on paperwork is a plus for me.)
The highlight of the night was a reception where we were able to view the Witness to Hunger exhibit. It was a project about the participation and action of the mother and caregivers who knows firsthand the experience of raising a child on a limited budget. It was heartbreaking and the impetus to keep working to make sure that we do end childhood hunger in 2015.
