By bringing together non-profit organizations, universities, and private companies, the Alliance to End Hunger is working to break down silos to end hunger in the U.S. and abroad.

“The diversity of our membership allows us to go to policymakers and show that the full community of advocates and organizations are committed to this effort,” Eric Mitchell, Executive Director of the Alliance, tells Food Tank.

The Alliance’s current legislative priorities include increasing investment towards the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), authorizing a permanent and nationwide Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) program, and extending the federal Child Tax Credit.

The Alliance also supports Hunger Free Communities (HFC). HFCs are multi-sector coalitions that work to end hunger in their communities. Every year, The Alliance convenes all 70 HFCs across 33 U.S. states in an annual conference where these actors can share best practices and make strategic connections.

Mitchell tells Food Tank that throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alliance witnessed HFCs demonstrate leadership and initiative by finding innovative ways to alleviate hunger in their communities. In Texas, The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty launched Meals-to-You, a pilot program to provide nourishing meals to rural families. And in Florida, the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger created Meals on Wheels for Kids to alleviate child hunger after schools’ closures.

Members of the Alliance range from private companies including Instacart and Doordash to nonprofit organizations including Feeding America and the Global FoodBanking Network. Members also represent faith-based organizations, universities, foundations, and individuals. “The Alliance is the conduit that allows all our members, regardless of their size or resources, to engage in advocacy and policy,” Mitchell tells Food Tank.

Read the full article about ending hunger by Elizabeth Rhoads at Food Tank.