Act Now to End Hunger
Nearly one in eight District households is hungry or living on the edge of hunger.
Here are ways you can take action:
Get Involved with Defeat Poverty DC
D.C. Hunger Solutions has teamed up with several other organizations to form Defeat Poverty DC. Defeat Poverty DC is a coalition of organizations and residents in the District of Columbia working to bring greater focus to the 2010 election season and beyond to the damaging effects of poverty on our entire city. The coalition believes that any serious effort to defeat poverty in DC must make work possible for low-skilled residents; make work pay enough to support a family; and make basic needs like food, housing, and health care affordable for all. Visit Defeat Poverty DC's website for more information.
Stay Alert and Informed
Stay informed with our alerts.
Click on the "Sign Up" box and add yourself to our mailing list to receive D.C. Hunger Solutions' action alerts. By signing up, you will receive monthly alerts on how you can act to end hunger and promote nutrition.
Speak Up, Shout Out
Join one of our action groups.
We invite you to participate in any of the following groups hosted by D.C. Hunger Solutions - click on the following links to send us a message requesting more information:
- Healthy Affordable Food for All (HAFA) – a coalition of advocates and service providers working to ensure access to healthy, affordable food in all D.C. neighborhoods.
- Farmers’ Market Collaborative – a group of farmers’ markets, anti-hunger organizations, and nutrition specialists that seeks to promote the benefits of farmers’ markets and implement strategies to increase market capacity to serve low-income communities.
- Early Childhood Nutrition Collaborative - promotes the use of federal nutrition programs designed to help get healthy food to children in child care settings.
- Food Stamp Outreach and Advocacy Collaborative - connects low-income residents to the Food Stamp Program, widely considered our nation’s first defense against hunger.
- The Healthy Corner Store Program – an initiative funded by the D.C. Department of Health, Community Health Administration that seeks to engage neighborhood groups, civic associations, Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, and other community stakeholders in encouraging small grocers to stock healthy foods and beverages.
Join D.C. Hunger Solutions as an active participant of:
- Action for Healthy Kids, D.C. team – seeks to improve the health and wellness of children in the District by facilitating the creation and promoting the use of policy improvements for District public and public charter schools.
- School Wellness Work Group - promotes awareness of D.C. Public Schools’ and District public charter schools’ Local Wellness Policies and provides input and guidance on plans for Local Wellness Policy implementation and enforcement.
- The Fair Budget Coalition- fights for a just and inclusive District of Columbia through advocacy and organizing and by advancing budget and public policy initiatives which reflect the interdependency of the District's community and economic development systems.
- D.C. Obesity Work Group – a group comprised of city agencies and representatives of the District’s business, health, and non-profit communities that is charged with creating the District’s State Obesity Plan by September 2009.
Register to vote.
You can register to vote via the Internet through D.C.'s Online Voter Registration. Voting gets your voice heard, from issues affecting your neighborhood, to national issues, like hunger and nutrition. Take advantage of your right to vote.
Contact D.C.'s elected officials.
Tell the Mayor that food and nutrition should be a priority for the District.
Let D.C.'s congressional representative know that federal nutrition programs are important for all District families, schools and nonprofit organizations.
The effectiveness of the federal food programs depends on continued support and monitoring from lawmakers and concerned citizens like you. Let D.C.'s congressional representative, Mayor and City Council know that food and nutrition give everyone, from children to seniors, the strength they need to learn, be healthy, and be successful.
Share Your Skills
Volunteer with D.C. Hunger Solutions.
Contact us to get involved by volunteering. Opportunities include conducting food stamp outreach, interning with D.C. Hunger Solutions, teaching our healthy snack lessons, staffing a booth at a community event, researching policy issues, or creating a project tailored to your skills and interests.
Distribute our "How to Get Food in The District of Columbia" Guide.
Download the guide in the Publications section and give it to anyone who could benefit from the federal nutrition programs. Make sure copies of the guide are available at any organization you know that serves low-income families and individuals. This guide can help people get healthy food for free on a consistent basis.
Get your school involved in the Federal Meal Programs.
Learn how your school can ensure more needy children receive school breakfasts and lunches - two of the most successful and cost-effective means to ensure children get healthy nutrition in their diets. Only a portion of eligible children take advantage of school meal programs.
Host a summer food site.
Find out how to become a summer food site. When school is out, many D.C. children go hungry because school meal programs are not available. The federally sponsored Summer Food Service Program bridges the gap in the summer months for these children. Public or private nonprofit schools; units of local, municipal, county, tribal, or state government; private nonprofit organizations; public or private nonprofit camps and public or private nonprofit universities or colleges may host a Summer Food Service Program site.
Get funding to provide meals to additional populations and programs.
Receive federal funds to provide meals at your afterschool program, child care center or adult day care facility.
Share Your Story
Sharing your personal experience with hunger or food insecurity with D.C. Hunger Solutions - as an advocate, service provider, or concerned resident - is an effective way to focus attention on the issue and support solutions to the problem. D.C. Hunger Solutions can share your story with media and lawmakers while protecting your privacy.
