Philadelphia GROW Project Addresses State-wide Plan to End Hunger

Asst. Professor Mariana Chilton, MD, MPH, led a team of officials from the Drexel School of Public Health and the Philadelphia GROW Project to the state capital of Harrisburg on Thursday, January 18, to help create a blueprint to end hunger in Pennsylvania.

The experts were invited to appear before the Governor’s Inter-Agency Council on Food and Nutrition to provide their advice on the most important actions the state should take to improve access to food and develop a four year plan to end hunger in Pennsylvania.

“It’s not just a moral imperative to fight hunger, but our epidemiological research shows that hunger in infants and toddlers results in serious developmental and growth impacts,” said Dr. Chilton, who is the principal investigator for The Philadelphia GROW Project. “More than 12 million families in the United States live on the edge of hunger suffering from food insecurity, and 7,600 children under the age of three are at risk for hunger in Philadelphia. The Philadelphia GROW Project is making an investment to provide a brighter future for our community’s children.”

At the day-long hearing, Dr. Chilton was joined by Dr. Hans Kersten of St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, and Phyllita Bolden, both of whom work with the Philadelphia GROW Project. Operated by the Drexel School of Public Health, the Philadelphia GROW Project is an initiative that works to improve the growth and well-being of children, prevent hunger and food insecurity and promote the health of Philadelphia’s youngest children and their families.

“Fighting hunger is not just about providing food,” said Dr. Chilton. “It’s behavior change. It’s providing family resources. It’s ensuring food stamps and housing subsidies. It’s providing mental health for mothers. It’s providing clinical and medical help for children.”

The team of experts was invited to speak before the state’s Inter-Agency Council on Food and Nutrition, which is comprised of the secretaries of the departments of Agriculture, Aging, Community and Economic Development, Education, and Health and Public Welfare.

The council was previously inactive for a decade before Governor Ed Rendell reactivated it for this month’s panel.

Also appearing at the hearing were numerous non-profit leaders, faith-based organizations and other health and nutrition experts from other Pennsylvania-based universities.

At the hearing, the council looked for guidance from all panel members in preparing a four-year plan to end hunger in Pennsylvania.