Hunger at Home

1 in 6 people in America face hunger. The USDA defines ""food insecurity"" as the lack of access, at times, to enough food for all household members. This Caucus: New Jersey panel highlights grass-roots organizations working to help individuals and families faced with economic hardship meet their most basic needs, including feeding their families.

Guests Include:
Marlene Ceragno, Founder, The Adult Care Brief Bank (“The Brief Babe”)
Natasha Rodgers, Founder & CEO, The Simuel Whitfield Simmons Organization
Chip Paillex, President & Founder, America’s Grow a Row

4/28/18 #3109

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

"Welcome to Caucus. I am Steve Adubato. And all across this state, as many people know, people are struggling with food insecurity. We're gonna talk about what that means. Basically, we're talking about people not having enough healthy food, which impacts the quality of their life, and what exactly can be done to make a difference. We're joined in the studio by four people, excuse me, three people, who are making a difference everyday. We're first joined by Natasha Rodgers, Founder and CEO of an organization... I am not going to make the mistake on mispronouncing, it is? It's Simuel Whitfield Simmons Organization. And that is named after? My great-grandfather. Actually my grandfather. He was the first person in the City of Newark to have a food pantry in the 1960s. That's why I wasn't gonna try to make that mistake. [laughter] And Marlene Ceragno is Founder of The Adult Care Brief Bank. And finally, Chip Paillex, President and Founder of America's Grow-a-Row, talking about the question of hunger and food insecurity. Chip, you've been with us many times before. By the way, all three of you are Russ Berrie awardees for Making a Difference, and there's gonna be information up throughout this program. If you know of someone who is making a difference in your community, there's gonna be a website, you can find out more information on how to nominate folks for this very prestigious award. Chip, tell folks what your organization does and why it's connected to food insecurity and other... Well basically our program... well first, thanks for having me Steve. Our program is all about just getting healthy food, fresh fruits and vegetables, to those in need. And we do that through three pillars where we grow, we glean, and we give. Say it again? Grow? Grow, glean, and give. So our volunteers grow the produce at our three farms, they glean, where they rescue produce on some farms and supermarkets, and then give a very unique, hands-on approach to volunteering and seeing where your food comes from and learning about hunger. Why is that important? As we've talked to the past Chip, the whole question of educating people about farming, healthy eating, you know, sustainability of agriculture, why is that relevant to the question of hunger? Well I think that, you know, the reality is, if you don't have a healthy meal as a child or an adult..."