Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Sam.
[00:00:28] Speaker B: Hi all and welcome back to Just A Bite. This March we are doing something a little different for the podcast.
We are giving you a peek behind the curtain on what we call our fly in, which we do every year.
The Ohio association of Food Banks, our member food banks and hundreds of other food banks from across the country fly to D.C. in the spring to meet with their members of Congress, talk about what we're seeing in our communities and what solutions we would like to see to alleviate need and support the families we serve. This year is no different with Ohio food banks flying in almost 20 representatives from seven food banks all across the state to meet with 12 of our 15 members of Congress and two U.S. senators.
With the support from Feeding America.
In this episode, we want to share what it's like to spend about 36 hours in D.C. engaging with your elected officials and representing your organization alongside other Ohioans. Listen on to learn more.
[00:01:43] Speaker C: Hi Julie, it's so great to be in D.C. with you.
I know this is your first time fly into D.C. but you've been to the State House quite a few times.
I would love for you to introduce yourself to the listeners a little bit about your food bank and what you do.
[00:02:00] Speaker D: Thanks, Sarah. My name is Julie Chase Moorefield. I serve as the President and CEO at the Second Harvest Food bank of North Central Ohio. So we serve Lorain, Erie, Huron and Crawford Counties and excited to be here in D.C. today.
[00:02:12] Speaker C: Yeah. Thank you so much.
We're in D.C. to meet with our members of Congress and share what's happening on the ground and what solutions we would like to see. What message have you been sharing with your members today?
[00:02:26] Speaker D: So we were fortunate to be able to meet with Senator Husted, Senator Moreno, Congresswoman Kaptur, and representatives from Congressman Latta's office. So we talked with them about the Farmers Feeding America act, which is to provide additional funding through the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which is incredibly important to us as a food bank.
Those are the center of the plate items that we are able to provide to our food pantries and to our neighbors that really make it possible for them then to make meals. But the other legislation we talked with them about, which was ended last year, which is part of the Local Food Producers Agreement, which allowed us to bring additional beef protein items and produce into our food bank.
And so that's one of the areas that we really hope to see funding in the Farm Bill.
[00:03:17] Speaker C: Love that you mentioned that the Farm Bill has been happening, conversations and negotiations around that, as well as the annual funding bills that they have to pass every single year. What are some of the solutions that you have been talking about in addition to the ones you've shared? And what solutions have real momentum, do you think, based on your conversations today?
[00:03:42] Speaker D: Well, I think the crux of USDA and the Farm Bill is being able to be able to support food banks, of course, but also supporting our farmers and growers and producers. Producers in the area of the state that our food bank is located in. You know, we work really closely with the agriculture community and we see what the impact of the farm Bill is on these farmers and growers, you know, allowing them to be able to continue small and medium sized farm operations that, you know, might not otherwise survive. I mean, it's difficult to be a farmer. And so the farm Bill really helps to keep make that possible, which makes local food available, which is so incredibly important, not just for the neighbors that we serve who are low income, but for all of us.
[00:04:25] Speaker E: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:04:26] Speaker C: It's definitely a mix of different perspectives and populations and groups coming together for that. But thank you so much for talking with me today. It's been so great to be with you.
[00:04:39] Speaker D: Thank you. Sarah.
[00:04:50] Speaker C: Hi, Natalie. I can't believe it's the first time, your first time on the Hill with us. Thanks so much for taking the time to come out to D.C. and meet with your members of Congress.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your food bank.
[00:05:04] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:05:05] Speaker F: Hi, Sarah. I work at the Akron Canton Regional Food bank as the Advocacy and Grants coordinator. I've only been in my role about six months, so coming to the Hill was a little overwhelming, but it's been, the energy is just fantastic and everybody has been so lovely so far.
[00:05:19] Speaker C: Oh, I love that.
Before you first flew into D.C. what were you the most anxious about when it came to meeting with your congressional offices? And what advice would you give someone who's trying to engage their legislators now that you have engaged in a variety of different ways?
[00:05:37] Speaker F: I think I was overestimating how many details I needed to memorize.
And I would just recommend conversational skills.
Yeah, it flowed more like a conversation than it did a meeting.
So I feel a lot more relaxed now.
[00:05:57] Speaker C: Yeah, no, I love that.
And then what has been your favorite part of your first fly in so far? You can talk about like today with the meetings you've had or even the learning day yesterday or just like being in D.C. in general.
[00:06:12] Speaker F: I think just being surrounded by other food bankers has been so informational.
I'm learning so much about other people's programs, how they approach policy questions and being Surrounded by other leaders as well. Their expertise is so valued.
[00:06:30] Speaker E: I love that.
[00:06:32] Speaker B: I love that so much.
[00:06:34] Speaker C: There are so many interesting facts about the Hill that I didn't know until I actually was here and was trying to run around and figure things out.
So what is something that you now know about the Hill and Congress that maybe you didn't know before coming?
[00:06:51] Speaker F: It kind of feels like a high school. It's like back in high school hallways, there's cafeterias. It's not as fancy as I thought it would be. I mean, everybody is dressed fancy, but it just feels like I'm back in high school, walking around the halls, going to the cafeteria.
[00:07:03] Speaker C: Right? Yeah. So busy. Everyone's chatting in the hallway. Yeah.
[00:07:08] Speaker G: Yep.
[00:07:09] Speaker F: I love that. Between periods in school.
[00:07:11] Speaker C: Yeah. Oh, I love that. Well, thank you so much, Natalie. It's been so good talking with you and being in D.C. together.
[00:07:18] Speaker F: Yes, it's been a blast.
[00:07:29] Speaker C: Hi, Hallie. Hi, Ms. Rachel. Welcome to Just A Bite. I'm excited to have you here in D.C. to meet with your members of Congress.
Hallie, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself, your role, and the food bank that you're at?
[00:07:45] Speaker A: Yeah. So my name is Hallie Carino Lee. I am the government relations and advocacy manager at the Mid Ohio Food Collective. So we're one of your lovely 12 food banks serving Central and Easter Ohio.
So this is my fifth or sixth trip to D.C. probably more than that, but we're really grateful to be able to join our fellow food bankers to talk with our members of Congress about our work at the Food Collective, about all the great ways that we're serving our neighbors through our various different initiatives. So just really excited to be here and be able to talk more about things like SNAP and TEFAP and all that.
[00:08:25] Speaker C: Awesome. Thank you, Hallie. And Ms. Rachel, tell us a little bit about yourself and why you're coming with us to DC Today.
[00:08:34] Speaker G: My name is Rachel Rives. I want to thank you guys for having me. I'm delighted to be here. It's an opportunity to learn a lot about the collective as well as the legislative process here in Ohio and those representatives.
[00:08:50] Speaker C: Awesome. I love that.
I wanted to interview you both this time around because you have a very exciting new addition with you and, Ms. Rachel, this time around, it is so important to make sure that we're centering the people that are actually utilizing our services and making sure they have a voice.
So how was this actually possible for you all at the Mid Ohio Food Collective? And then I'll ask Ms. Rachel, a little bit about her experience so far.
[00:09:22] Speaker A: Yeah, thank you for that.
So, something that we really like to talk about, the Food Collective is this idea of working within customer centricity and really making sure, to your point, that our customers and our neighbors are at the forefront of the work that we do. And so when we are talking with our members of Congress, it's a no brainer that our customers should be in the forefront of the conversation with our Congresspeople as well. So we were very fortunate this year to bring alongside with us Ms. Rachel, who is also a member of our Customer Advisory Council. So, so we just launched our second iteration of that council. And so it's been a really great opportunity to have members of that group to get more involved in the advocacy process with us and be able to share their story, whichever way, shape and form they'd like to, with our members of Congress and with their staffers and really just round out our story of why this work is so important.
[00:10:19] Speaker C: And Ms. Rachel, I would love to hear how your experience has been. I know this is almost like a coming home for you in a lot of ways with visiting a place that you used to live. But I'm excited to hear, you know, how it's gone so far.
[00:10:35] Speaker G: I think the Maryland D.C. area is wonderful and of course, you know, surrounding that, there's an opportunity, as I say, for Ohio and how they interface, the Collective interfaces with the legislative group here and that whole process.
So I'm excited to really observe and have an opportunity to sit in on some of those conversations.
[00:11:02] Speaker C: Awesome. Thank you so much.
Is there anything else?
I'm curious, Hallie, how has it been kind of experiencing D.C.
in a new lens with bringing, you know, a partner with you?
[00:11:17] Speaker A: Yeah, it's just, you know, it really kind of centers the work a lot more. I feel like sometimes we get in our own policy wonky headspaces and are really like, well, let's talk specifically about
[00:11:30] Speaker C: this, build language and this.
[00:11:32] Speaker A: And this policy is really important for this, but which is all super important still and really valuable to these meetings that we have with these members. But at the same time, it pulls us out of the way from the true mission, which is that human centered connection that we have with our neighbors who are coming and using our source. Our resources are volunteering with us, are the ones actually distributing food out in our communities. And so when you have another person in the room with that experience, it just really just brightens the conversation and really just puts a whole new perspective on it, not only for us and grounding us, but also a greater perspective for our members and their staff as well.
[00:12:14] Speaker C: Awesome. Well, thank you both ladies. It was so great to talk to you and I can't wait to continue the day with you all.
[00:12:32] Speaker E: I hope you have enjoyed our March episode of Just a Bite just as much as I have enjoyed recording it. It has been such a great day full of important conversations with our members of Congress talking about the work our food banks do in their communities day in and day out, and what solutions would help our neighbors and make the food bank's job more efficient.
I'm looking forward to seeing the impact we had today in the coming months.
The bill that we have been elevating during our conversations with our members of Congress, the Delivering for Rural Seniors act, helps food banks, especially those in rural areas, expand or implement home delivery programs for CSFP.
CSFP is a monthly box program for older adults 60 plus that provides nutritious, shelf, stable products that help older adults age in place and at home.
Some older adults struggle to get to a distribution to pick up their box and would prefer home delivery if possible.
Home delivery can be costly to operate, which is a huge barrier for food banks and their partners.
Sustainable funding, like what is included in the Delivering for Rural Seniors act would help substantially.
To learn more about the program and the Delivering for Rural Seniors act, feel free to check out the Show Notes for a report the association put together about our network's work to keep CSFP accessible for our older Ohioans.
Thanks so much for listening. For more information about our guests and their respective food banks, please check out the Show Notes now. I have to run to my next meeting in the Rayburn Office Building. Talk soon.
