E81: Time for Universal Free School Meals

July 28, 2020

This podcast is part of series focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our food system. When the pandemic forced schools to close, school districts and states scrambled to keep a nutritional safety net working for vulnerable students. Millions of US students rely on school meals and summer feeding programs to get food each day. I am delighted to welcome Janet Poppendieck from the City University of New York Urban Food Policy Institute to this podcast. She is the author of “Free for All: Fixing School Lunch in America.”

Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Food | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Insecurity | Food Policy | School Meals |

 

E79: Andy Fisher on Exploring the Connection Between Industry and Food Banks

July 20, 2020

This podcast is part of a series focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is exposing a deep flaw in the country’s food system, namely stunning levels of food insecurity, but also the transformation of emergency food assistance into what some have characterized as an industry as food charity become big business. Andy Fisher, our guest today is a leader in the Food Security and Food Justice Movement. He founded and led The National Community Food Security Coalition and led Federal Legislation campaigns to gain more than $200 million for community-based food security and farm to school projects.

Related podcasts: COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Food | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Banks, Food Pantries & Soup Kitchens | Food Industry Behavior & Marketing | Food Policy | Philanthropy & Food Systems |

 

E78: How NC School Nutrition Programs are Grappling with Covid

June 16, 2020

On March 14th of this year when Governor Cooper issued his Executive Order and closed North Carolina public schools statewide, the first challenge was how do we continue to offer this essential service and feed our students? This podcast is part of a series focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our food system. Today we’re looking at how North Carolina’s School Meal Programs have adapted during the pandemic and how some school children are continuing to get the nutrition that they need.

Related podcasts: Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Food | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Policy | North Carolina | School Meals |

 

E77: School Meals During a Pandemic – What Works with Katie Wilson

June 3, 2020

About 33 million children access school meals every day across the country. Today, we’re exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on young students: children who receive much needed nutrition through their school. We interviewed Dr. Katie Wilson, executive director of the Urban School Food Alliance. The Urban School Food Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of the largest school districts in the U.S, including New York, LA, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Boston.

Related podcasts: Advocacy & Food | Child Development & Nutrition | Childhood Obesity | Children Food Preferences | COVID-19 Pandemic Impacts on Food | Diet & Nutrition | Equity, Race & Food Justice | Food Insecurity | Food Policy | School Meals |