In 1988, by Executive Order by then Governor Casey, the State of Pennsylvania created an Inter-Agency Panel to address food and nutrition issues within the Commonwealth. This year's public hearing took place in Harrisburg, PA where members of The Philadelphia GROW Project testified on how inadequate nutrition impacts child health and development. Many other people were there to testify as well.
Our policy brief for the summit may be downloaded here.
Others in attendance were from The Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, The Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, Philabundance, Nutritional Development Services (NDS) of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and many different anti-hunger groups from faith based, community based and university based organizations from around Pennsylvania.
GROW Project members. From left to right: Dr. Hans Kersten, Emily DePaul, Ravi Kalwani, Jennifer Breaux, Ian Peters, Michelle Chyatte, Phyllita Bolden, Dr. Mariana Chilton.
Professor Mariana Chilton testified first in the GROW lineup and redefined not just the debate on hunger but also emphasized the cyclical and often hidden nature of hunger and its link to poverty. Chilton says 'hunger' includes more than just a lack of food. Children have a right to food in order to grow and thrive as successful human beings and it is the government's obligation to ensure that children have appropriate access to food and good nutrition. Chilton's testimony may be read here.
Phyllita Bolden spoke passionately about her experience working with at-risk families at St. Christopher's Hospital for Children in Northeast Philadelphia, and of the need to include in discussion those people who are directly affected by hunger, inviting them to participate in the blueprint to end hunger. Her statement is summarized here. You may also watch her testimony above by clicking the 'play' button.
here.
Some GROW project members relax after the testimonies. From left to right: Ravi Kalwani, Michelle Chyatte, and Phyllita Bolden.
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Authors:
Michelle Renee Chyatte, MPH
Mariana Chilton, PhD, MPH
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