Too Hungry to Learn: Food Insecurity in our Schools

Doylestown PA

09 March, 2021

3:07 PM

Description

The public is invited to a virtual presentation hosted by the League of Women Voters of Bucks County on Saturday, March 20, at 10:30 am. Speakers will share their perspectives on hunger and food insecurity and their impact on kindergarten through post-secondary education. Time will be allotted for audience questions. Those interested should register at https://bit.ly/HungerSeries and will then receive a confirmation email with participation information. Moderated by LWVBC members Liz Downing and Lydia Winderman, the discussion will focus on the widespread food insecurity problem in our student populations, both in Bucks County and nationally. Both retired educators and engaged public advocates, Liz and Lydia, will be joined by a panel bringing deep awareness of the issue through education, nonprofit, government, and personal experience. Panelists include Samantha Gross, Associate Dean for Academic Initiatives at Bucks County Community College; Jennifer Ritorto, Regional Director for Development at YMCA of Bucks County; and Wendy Ullman, Representative of the 143rd District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives during the 2019 and 2020 sessions and former English professor at the community colleges of Bucks and Montgomery Counties. A former community college student who struggled to begin post-graduate school after aging out of the foster care system, then was forced to put that schooling on hold due to financial hardships will also share his experience. Learn what advocacy is taking place, what resources there are, and how the response to food insecurity is coordinated here in Bucks County, in addition to the detailed look at impacts to the k-12 and post-secondary populations during this free presentation. Presenters will allow time for questions from the audience. The program will be live streamed to @LWVBucksCounty on Facebook, and a recording will be made available for viewing afterward. This virtual series on Hunger and Food Insecurity in Bucks County concludes on Saturday, April 10 at 10:30. Presenters Madelaine Burgess, Community Food Pantry Manager for Bucks County Housing Group; Kathy Fisher, Policy Director of Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger; and Cathy Snyder, Founder and Executive Director of Rolling Harvest Food Rescue will provide a look at what is being done and what more can be done to address the problem of hunger. Use the same confirmation email link from registration at https://bit.ly/HungerSeries to participate on April 10. Visit www.lwvbuckscounty.org for details.