History
The World Food Prize began the Iowa Hunger Summit in 2007. With former governors Robert Ray, Terry Branstad, and Tom Vilsack serving as honorary co-chairs, the Iowa Hunger Summit draws inspiration from the legacy of statewide efforts like the Iowa CARES project to raise money to counter hunger in Ethiopia and the Iowa SHARES campaign to feed starving Cambodians, as well as from the ecumenical visit of Pope John Paul II to Des Moines in 1979, at which time he told rural Americans, "You are the stewards of the earth, with an obligation to feed all mankind."
Our goal is to ensure Iowans continue their great humanitarian efforts both at home and abroad.
Timeline:
2006
- The World Food Prize establishes the initiative for The Iowa Hunger Summit, asking people and organizations to partake in the new event.
2007
- October 16, 2007: The first annual Iowa Hunger Summit is held.
- Future World Food Prize Laureate David Beckmann delivers the keynote address.
- The World Food Prize releases the numbers on monetary donations, food collection and volunteer hours devoted to battling hunger in Iowa and abroad.
2008
- October 14, 2008: The second annual Iowa Hunger Summit takes place.
- Discussions include the impact of hunger on children and efforts to reduce hunger and improve nutrition for children and families.
- Total numbers of monetary donations, food collections and volunteer hours committed to battling hunger showed an increase over the 2006-07 numbers.
2009
- October 13, 2009: The World Food Prize hosts the third annual Iowa Hunger Summit.
- Feeding America President & CEO Vicki Escarra delivers the keynote address.
- The USDA holds a special listening session seeking ideas to accomplish President Obama’s pledge to end hunger among U.S. children by 2015.
2010
- October 12, 2010: The fourth annual Iowa Hunger Summit is held.
- Ambassador Tony Hall, director of the Alliance to End Hunger, addresses attendees as the keynote speaker.
- The numbers for monetary donations, food collections and volunteer hours to fight hunger reach the highest recorded numbers.
Highlights from past years:
