Arizona Hunger Policy Retreat Recap

More than 50 Arizona hunger leaders gathered on August 17, 2022 at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center.

The rules of engagement.

From L: Melanie Hobden, GCS Hunger Leaders Network.; Paula and Donnell Knight, Azcend Food Bank; Vasu Bandhu, Arizona Faith Network; Geraldine Miranda, Arizona Center for Economic Progress listening to Jessie Gruner, Arizona Food Systems Network.

Small group discussing “what brought us here today?”

Ashley St. Thomas (second from R) clarifies her position in front of the Group Glossary, the Idea Garden and the Welcome Wall.

Lupe Conchas (Bread for the World) (L) shares his team’s findings. Solveig Muus (center) and Tamera Zivic (R) assist.

What are the root causes of hunger, and the barriers to ending hunger?

Gail Turner (Faith Lutheran, Phoenix) (L) engages her shall group.

Jessie Gruner, Arizona Food Systems Network, makes a point.

Small groups at work!

L to R: Somlynn Rorie, Local First Arizona; Joan McGregor, ASU Slow Food Phoenix; and Sara El-Sayed, Swette Center for Sustainable Development

Angie Rodgers, President/CEO of Arizona Food Bank Network, updates the group on the current state legislature and how the election in November could change things.

Angie Rodgers (AzFBN) and and former board chair of AzFBN Kim Larkin lead the discussion on the current state of the legislature.

Facilitator Kim Larkin of MXD Arts (L) and Angie Rodgers, President/CEO of Arizona Food Bank Network (R).

Melanie Hobden, Lupe Conchas, Marcus Johnson and friends listen as Rev. Katie Sexton-Wood (Arizona Faith Network) makes a point.

Facilitator Kim Larkin leads the participants through an exercise to identify shared priorities.

How might we cultivate and activate advocates?

Participants from American Heart Association, Chicanos por la Causa, Arizona Center for Economic Progress, Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM) at work.

Charlotte Shurtz of Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest.

Facilitator Kim Larkin (R) takes a breather with Vasu Bandhu (Arizona Faith Network) (L) and friends.

Lupe Conchas, organizer at Bread for the World.

Mark Barnes of Arizona Capitol Connections advocates on a variety of hunger issues.

Marcus Johnson helped to facilitate the SPARK Grant process through Vitalyst Foundation

The first Arizona Hunger Policy Retreat is in the books! More than 50 hunger advocates from across the state met at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center on August 17, 2022 to discuss how we might collaboratively work to alleviate hunger in Arizona.

The Purpose

The first Arizona Anti-Hunger Policy Retreat was organized by a workgroup of partners led by Solveig Muus, Director of Lutheran Advocacy Ministry Arizona (LAMA), and representatives from Bread for the World, World Hunger Education, Advocacy & Training (WHEAT), Arizona Food Bank Network, Arizona Food Systems Network and Arizona Faith Network. The Workgroup seeks to build bridges with policy decision makers through creative partnerships, education on hunger facts and context, and advance messaging for candidates in the 2022 election. Funding from a Vitalyst Health Foundation SPARK Grant supported the convening of ~50 hunger advocates to dream, share ideas, and connect with other passionate organization and community leaders from across the state.

There are many passionate, experienced people in the state who care about ending hunger. The group readily acknowledged there are as many ways to address the problem as there were people gathered. In addition to the planning partners, an incredible variety of interests came together to exchange ideas, including coalition partners below:

• Activate Food Arizona

• American Heart Association

• Arizona Center for Economic Progress

• Arizona Complete Health

• ASU Food Policy and Environment Research Group

• ASU Slow Food Phoenix

• Azcend Food Bank

• Chicanos por la Causa

• Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona

• Gila Community Food Bank

• Grand Canyon Synod Hunger Leaders Network

• Local First Arizona

• Lutheran Social Services of the Southwest

• Mollen Foundation

• Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM)

• Prescott Farmers Market

• St. Mary’s Food Bank

• Swette Center for Sustainable Development

• Valley of the Sun United Way

• Vitalyst Health Foundation

• Wildfire, Igniting Community Action to End Poverty

• William E Morris Institute for Justice

Goals for the Retreat

Stated goals were to (1) Identify shared values, skills, challenges, and 2-3 critical policy issues for the 2023 legislative session; (2) Strategize about plans and develop a roadmap for ongoing collaboration, action, and accountability between partners; (3) Generously share knowledge to empower inclusive conversation; and (4) Build connections and strengthen relationships.

To engage with one another and align on shared values, the participants discussed the following:

• what brought us together

• who we’re doing this work with

• the needs, motivations, pain points and realities of those experiencing hunger in Arizona

• the root causes of hunger

• the barriers that exist to ending hunger

To envision the future, the coalition identified its shared priorities:

• Build sustainable, continuous collaboration with the coalition

• Develop shared messaging around hunger issues

• Be proactive

• Develop Informed policy

• Engage in community and organization education and training

• Cultivate and activate advocates

Finally, the coalition discussed how might it might accomplish these tasks, and created a collaborative action plan to begin the work ahead.

Facilitator Kim Larkin of MXD Arts compiled the results of the day’s work (tap link below). All links in the document are live, click to reveal more detailed information.