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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘From the ground up': Iowa Hunger Summit explores local solutions to hunger
Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, from right, speaks with Patricia Montague, Kelly McMahon and Aaron Dworkin July 16, 2025 at the 2025 Iowa Hunger Summit at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Hunger fighting advocates gathered Wednesday at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates in Des Moines for the Iowa Hunger Summit, with a focus on the root causes and local solutions to hunger that can make big differences. Speakers focused not only on the ongoing challenges of providing food, which the World Food Prize Foundation calls a moral right, but also on the rippling effects the federal 'big beautiful' law will have on food programming. 'I would be seriously remiss if I did not acknowledge that government policy changes are significantly impacting our collective work right now,' said Ann McGlynn, recipient of the 2025 Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award. McGlynn was awarded for her work as founder and executive director of Tapestry Farms in Davenport. Her nonprofit reclaims underutilized land and uses it to grow fresh and culturally relevant produce to strengthen food systems for communities in need. It also provides social services to refugees from countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She highlighted recent 'slashing' to government-funded food assistance programs and the 'indefinite pause' to the resettlement program inspired by former Iowa Gov. Robert D. Ray, whose work inspired the SHARES award. Beyond policy changes, McGlynn encouraged participants to 'be a friend to an immigrant or refugee,' plant a garden, give produce to people in need, lend time to food assistance programs and call elected officials. 'If you would like some help, you can reach out to me and I'll be personally happy to help,' McGlynn added. According to Feeding America's latest Map the Meal Gap report, 1 in 8 Iowans, and 1 in 6 Iowa children are food insecure. A Food Bank of Iowa analysis of the data found that each of Iowa's 99 counties saw an increase in food insecurity rates in the past year. World Food Prize Foundation President Mashal Husain said while the meal gap can be 'measured in millions,' the 'shame, the isolation, the slow erosion of hope' that hunger brings cannot be measured. 'Yet we are not helpless,' Husain said. 'In fact, there is so much we can do, because in Iowa, we don't just talk about problems, we roll up our sleeves, we care, we show up and we choose to act … we make change, and that is what from the ground up, is all about.' Speakers and sessions at the summit focused on local solutions, the need for federal, local and community support and also on dreaming up new solutions. In a session about maternal hunger support, Lindsy Carroll, an Iowa-based nutrition educator for the Women, Infant and Children, or WIC, program, said her dream was for paid maternal and paternal leave in the country. Her call was met with applause in the packed presentation room. A breastfeeding coordinator for WIC, Yolanda Pina, said she dreamed of support for community gardens in WIC communities. The speakers also highlighted locally led solutions, like Hy-Vee's integration in its online shopping app that allows WIC users to shop online with their WIC cards. Alison Hard, the public policy director for the National WIC Association, said Iowa was one of the first states to launch this service that makes shopping with WIC less time consuming. Hard said this was the type of local solution that can drive national change. WIC is a discretionary budget program, meaning it wasn't affected by cuts in the 'big beautiful' law that made changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and Medicaid. Even so, Hard called for congressional support to fully fund the WIC program in their budget bills this year in order to 'avoid waitlists' and ensure every 'eligible family is able to benefit from WIC's critical services.' 'Participation in WIC is rising because of inflation, rising grocery costs and the expiration of other federal supports, and we anticipate that will be even more so after the passage of reconciliation,' Hard said. Hard also mentioned a proposed cut to WIC's Cash Value Benefit, which allows participants to purchase more fresh fruits and vegetables with their benefits. In 2021, the CVB amount increased from $9 a month for children, to more than $20 a month, and higher amounts depending on circumstances. The House budget for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the WIC program, notes a 10% reduction in funding for vouchers. Hard said these vouchers also need to be protected. Tom Vilsack, CEO of World Food Prize, led a session about the impacts of hunger and food funding cuts to schools, but started by emphasizing the importance of the WIC program and urging attendees to promote the program so 'those who qualify and could use WIC, know about the program.' Vilsack was joined by a number of education policy leaders, including Patricia Montague, who leads the School Nutrition Association. Montague said she fears the impacts federal action will have on school lunch programs. She said school feeding programs are already underfunded, meaning extra costs to cover the program typically come from the state's general budget. Montague said with the changes to SNAP in the federal reconciliation bill that mean the states have to pick up a bigger share of the program, she's concerned states will no longer be able to supplement school lunch budgets. These school lunch programs, other panelists said, are essential to students. Aaron Dworkin, CEO of the National Summer Learning Association, said schools give kids laptops, books, pencils, and all the tools they need to learn. 'Why would we not just give them meals?' Dworkin said. Vilsack ended the segment by quoting World Food Prize laureate Cary Fowler, who said, 'If you don't feed people, you fee conflict.' While he was U.S. secretary of Agriculture, Vilsack helped to champion the SUN BUCKS program, to help low income families receive a little bit of extra funding during the summer months, when schools aren't providing two meals, five days a week to students. Gov. Kim Reynolds has opted out of participating in the feeding program every year. This year, she spearheaded the Healthy Kids Iowa program as a cheaper alternative. Vilsack said that during Covid, food box programs fell short in catering to dietary needs, but added 'that's part of the challenge.' 'The SUN BUCKS program is a program that's pretty easy to administer and provides assistance and help to families. The food-box program is a little different but it's a start and we'll see how it goes,' Vilsack said. He also announced the relaunching of the Iowa Hunger Directory, an initiative to profile all organizations fighting hunger to provide insight into how Iowans can support their work around the state. 'I think basically, if you don't feed kids, you're not feeding your future,' Vilsack said. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
World Food Prize Foundation honors Ann McGlynn of Tapestry Farms with humanitarian award
The World Food Prize Foundation announced that Ann McGlynn, founder and executive director of Tapestry Farms in Davenport, is the recipient of the 2025 Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award. The award recognizes her work to improve sustainable food access throughout the Quad Cities. Tapestry uses reclaimed, underutilized land to grow over 20,000 pounds and counting of fresh, culturally relevant produce. 'Ann McGlynn's work with Tapestry Farms is a powerful example of how a local initiative can turn untapped land into vital sources of fresh food,' said Mashal Husain, President, World Food Prize Foundation. 'Her commitment to expanding sustainable food access across the Quad Cities embodies the values of compassion, resilience and community the Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award proudly recognizes.' Tapestry Farms grew over 11,000 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables with the help of over a dozen staff members, interns and 300 volunteers in 2024. The farm has 12 locations across the Quad Cities from April to October and grows hydroponically year-round in a 320 square foot shipping container. This helps the nonprofit to grow an additional two to six tons of produce annually. Harvests are distributed through food pantries, nonprofits, a monthly subscription service and a farmers market stand. The Quad Cities Community Foundation awarded Tapestry Farms $300,000 over three years to allow them to nearly triple the pounds of food grown and more than double the families served by their culturally specific food pantry. Tapestry Farms also supports refugee families with housing, medical and mental healthcare, education, employment, transportation and community connections. They work with about 25 families at a time and have served over 130 families since their founding. McGlynn started Tapestry Farms after working at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Davenport, whose congregation welcomed a refugee mother and her six children from the Democratic Republic of Congo. 'When (then Iowa Governor) Robert Ray made the decision to welcome refugees to the state of Iowa in the mid-1970s, he did so to save lives,' McGlynn said. 'But he didn't stop there. He worked to feed and care for people forcibly displaced from their homes in Cambodia. Then, he forged a path for our entire nation to welcome refugees, as Iowa did with the Refugee Resettlement Act of 1980. Some of the most important people in my life are building their lives in Iowa because of Robert Ray's persistence, and our work at Tapestry Farms seeks to nourish people just as he did. I consider it one of the greatest honors of my life to receive an award named for Governor Ray.' McGlynn will receive the Iowa SHARES Award at the annual Iowa Hunger Summit on July 16 at the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates in Des Moines. Click here to register. Admission is free in person and an online option is available for a fee. The World Food Prize is an international award that honors individuals who have improved the quality, quantity or availability of food worldwide. The Prize was founded by Dr. Norman E. Borlaug, who received the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize for his work that led to increases in agricultural outputs, known as the 'Green Revolution.' The Prize has been awarded to 55 distinguished individuals during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, a week of events dedicated to addressing an issue related to food insecurity or hunger each year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tapestry Farms Spring Fling raises funds for refugee assistance, support
Tapestry Farms welcomes the community to its annual Spring Fling benefit, a fundraiser and celebration of the new growing season, on Friday, May 2 from 6 – 9 p.m. at the Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State Street in Bettendorf. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the evening will feature live music, food and drink and a silent auction. Lanon Baccam, a combat veteran, public servant and Iowan whose family arrived in Mount Pleasant as Tai Dam refugees from Laos in 1980, will be the keynote speaker. Funds raised will support Tapestry Farms' work with refugees who resettle in the Quad Cities, focusing on access to housing, education, healthcare, food and employment. The 14 urban farm plots throughout the Quad Cities reclaim underutilized land to grow fresh, nutritious produce. 'We are so very thankful for the community of support that surrounds our work, growing fresh produce and walking alongside refugees from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo and Haiti,' said Ann McGlynn, founder and executive director of Tapestry Farms. 'We are looking forward to an evening with hundreds of our friends, celebrating our work together and raising vital funding to continue on into our eighth year of refugees and neighbors, flourishing together.' Lanon Baccam's parents came to the U.S. as part of a wave of resettlement by Iowa's governor at the time, Robert D. Ray. His administration was known for welcoming refugees. The Baccams built their life in Mount Pleasant, where his parents worked in the Mackay Envelope factory. Baccam enlisted in the Iowa National Guard at 17 and was later deployed to Afghanistan as a combat engineer. He worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, advancing policies that supported fellow veterans, opened access to jobs in agriculture and expanded rural broadband access. 'We're honored to welcome Lanon to this year's Spring Fling,' McGlynn said. 'His lived experience and lifelong service to others reflects the heart of our work—accompanying our refugee neighbors with dignity, trust, and practical support.' Tapestry Farms helps refugee neighbors navigate healthcare and education systems and access housing, jobs and food. It has a small legal clinic and has helped over 20 refugees become U.S. citizens over the past seven years. Worldwide, there are over 43.4 million refugees who have fled their home countries because of conflict, persecution, violence and climate disasters. The Spring Fling is a way for Quad Citians to action on behalf of those who have fled to find homes in the community. Attendees will learn about Tapestry Farms' impact and how their support can make an impact on area refugee families. 'If you've ever wondered how to show up for refugees in our community, come to Spring Fling,' McGlynn said. 'It's a joyful evening that ushers in the growing season here in the Quad-Cities and will leave you full of hope and a deep sense of connection. We would love to have you there.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
