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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Erin Maye Quade (DFL)

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Reps. Maye Quade and Hamilton Form Business-Nonprofit Coalition, Announce Child Hunger Caucus

Thursday, February 22, 2018

SAINT PAUL, MN – Organizing a unique coalition among government, nonprofit and business partners, today Representative Erin Maye Quade (DFL-Apple Valley) and Representative Rod Hamilton (GOP-Mountain Lake) announced the bipartisan Child Hunger Caucus, which will work to end childhood hunger in Minnesota. The Representatives were joined by Rob Zeaske, CEO, Second Harvest Heartland; Colleen Moriarty, Executive Director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota; and Janelle Waldock, Vice President of Community Health and Health Equity, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota.

 

We cannot allow childhood hunger to continue to be a silent issue,” said Rep. Maye Quade. “One in six children in Minnesota don’t know if they will have enough food today, and that is unacceptable. That’s why I’m proud we are putting children before politics and finding solutions.”

 
Ten percent of Minnesotans struggle to provide enough food for their family, resulting in food insecurity. Any person experiencing food insecurity does not have reliable or sufficient access to affordable and nutritious food.
 
“Children shouldn't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” said Rep. Hamilton. “Let the adults find solutions for that - so our kids can simply focus on being kids.”
 
Advocates will work with the Child Hunger Caucus to help identify gaps between current programs to address child hunger, raising public awareness of the child hunger epidemic that touches every community in Minnesota, and assisting legislators find legislative solutions when laws need to be changed.
 
“Child hunger is Minnesota’s most solvable problem,” said Rob Zeaske, CEO of Second Harvest Heartland. “We know that one in six Minnesota kids don’t have enough food to eat, which is impacting them when they’re most vulnerable—developing physically, emotionally and psychologically—and preventing our kids from reaching their full potential. This is an issue that transcends politics and we’re appreciative of our legislators coming together to help us eliminate child hunger in Minnesota.”
 
"One in every three visits to Minnesota food shelves are by children,” said Colleen Moriarty, Executive Director of Hunger Solutions Minnesota. “That means far too many children and families are struggling to figure out where their next meal is coming from. We are excited to work with the child hunger caucus to create real solutions and end child hunger in Minnesota for good."
 
“Minnesota continues to be touted as one of the healthiest states in the nation,” said Janelle Waldock, Vice President of Community Health and Health Equity at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota. “Yet still there are over 200,000 food insecure children in Minnesota—one of the most basic of needs, which is why Blue Cross is committed to working together to tackle childhood hunger. The creation of a bipartisan coalition of policymakers, ready to tackle such a core issue head-on, can be a powerful catalyst to end childhood hunger, and create healthier communities for all Minnesotans.”
 
A House Resolution will be introduced later in session officially establishing the Child Hunger Caucus.
 
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