E-mail info@thehungercoalition.org to join us in our advocacy efforts.

• Find Your Polling Place & Review Your Ballot

• Click here to read our voter support newsletter for important dates and information

• Follow our friends at Blaine County Young Voters on Instagram

• Click here to support the FEED Act to encourage representatives to provide food relief in this time of crisis  

• Call up three of your friends or neighbors and ask how they’re doing. Loneliness tends to deepen as the holidays approach, making these times of isolation that much harder.

Below is our response to the national outcry for justice and how we are working to challenge racism and discrimination in our community.

UNITED FOR JUSTICE

June 2, 2020, Hailey, Idaho
photos by Deborah Knapp 

The Hunger Coalition was proud to take a knee this week alongside our neighbors, local police, and hundreds of engaged youth in a peaceful demonstration against injustice. The protest, organized by our friends at The Alliance, honored the lives lost by police brutality and deepened our commitment to doing better by communities of color. 

Speaking out against systemic racism with people across the nation and across the political spectrum aligns with our values, but we must also act on our words. To that end, The Hunger Coalition supports peaceful nonviolent protest and advocacy to: 

• Stand up for fundamental American principles of fairness and justice.
• Affect change at the system level.
• Raise awareness around issues that affect the people we serve.
• Honor our values of equity and inclusiveness.
• Speak out against discrimination suffered by people of color, including police brutality.
• Ensure The Hunger Coalition is seen as a safe place for all people to access food, regardless of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, citizenship, disability, or religion.

Please consider joining us in the following actions:

Educate: read, read, and read more about how racial injustice is rampant in every corner of our country. Share what you learn with others.
Demonstrate: peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy and how we can shine a light on discrimination.
Donate: make a donation to organizations working to heal our nation and bring us all together.
Organize: join forces with people on a shared mission. Petition, canvass, campaign, and put pressure on our leadership to enact change.
Vote: vote for candidates at the local, state, and national level who support policies that make life better for people of color. There is an election on November 3, 2020. Research the candidates and vote.  

There are so many ways racial injustice leads to food insecurity and so much more we need to do. Even today, people of color experience hunger at two to three times the rate of the white population. This is incredibly hard, incredibly important work, so our actions need to endure long after the most recent tragedies and protests fade from the headlines. The diversity of our staff, board, participants, partners, donors, and volunteers makes us strong as an organization and we will continue to challenge our systems for a more just and compassionate world. Thank you for joining us.

In Gratitude,

Jeanne Liston & The Hunger Coalition Family

FOOD JUSTICE LIBRARY 

Racism and oppression are root causes of hunger and it is our responsibility to address the reasons people experience hunger to begin with. In pursuit of a world where the color of your skin doesn’t limit what’s on your plate, we’ve compiled several resources for more on the food justice movement.

Food First: Dismantling Racism in the Food System

Feeding America: Addressing Root Causes of Food Insecurity in the U.S. — Discrimination and Disparities

The Nation: Want to Eradicate Hunger in America? Take on Racism

Jessica Powers: A History of Emergency Food in the US

Bread.org: Racial Wealth Gap Learning Simulation

Bread.org: Applying a Racial Equity Lens to End Hunger

Yes Magazine: 4 Not So Easy Ways to Dismantle Racism in the Food System

The Two Hundred — A Legacy Housing Discrimination

PBS NewsHour — Struggle for black and Latino mortgage applicants suggests modern day redlining part I

PBS NewsHour — Struggle for black and Latino mortgage applicants suggests modern day redlining part II

If you are interested in learning more or want to join in our advocacy work, call us at 208-788-0121 or email us at info@thehungercoalition.org.

GRATITUDE

Thank you to everyone who is joining in this movement to improve food access for people of every class, creed, and color. Whether you have given to support our work or want to aid in future advocacy efforts, individual action is essential to making racial progress. To help ensure that good food is a right for all people of Blaine County, click here to make a donation.

Special thanks to Deborah Knapp for the amazing photos used in this email.

Click here to read about past advocacy efforts and email us at info@thehungercoalition.org to add your name to the letter in support of the local LatinX community.