Eighth Annual Iowa Hunger Summit Inspires Action

PRESS ADVISORY: 
Press Contact: Megan Forgrave, Director of Communications, 515.229.1705 (mobile), or mforgrave@worldfoodprize.org

Des Moines, Iowa (Oct. 14, 2014) – The eighth annual Iowa Hunger Summit, organized by the World Food Prize, convenes in downtown Des Moines today to bring public attention to hunger both at home and abroad, and to encourage actions and partnerships among Iowans to solve issues related to hunger, poverty and malnutrition. The event will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Marriott Downtown, 700 Grand Ave., Des Moines. Full agenda is at www.iowahungersummit.org. 

Highlights during the morning presentations:

• Hunger in Iowa: An Evolving Challenge, a panel with Iowa leaders
• Models to Fight Hunger, a panel with innovators from across the country
• Keynote by Bishop Richard E. Pates, who has traveled the world recently as Chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) Committee on International Justice and Peace
• Special Address by Margaret Hoover, granddaughter of Herbert Hoover, on "How a Pirate State Defeated Famine: Herbert Hoover and The Commission for the Relief of Belgium"
• The Geography of Hunger and Health by AARP leader Kent Sovern

The Iowa Hunger Luncheon, which only serves meals used to feed hungry people, will start at 12 p.m. with a proclamation by Governor Terry Branstad. Gov. Branstad will also help honor Iowan Merry Fredrick with the 2nd annual Robert D. Ray Iowa SHARES Humanitarian Award for her invaluable work leading Self-Help International, an organization that works to train farmers and help improve lives in Ghana and Nicaragua. 

The keynote speaker at the luncheon will be Dennis Dimick, Executive Environment Editor at National Geographic magazine, will speak about the acclaimed National Geographic "The Future of Food" series, which this year has been exploring our collective challenge of feeding 9 billion people by the year 2050, through stunning photography and profound stories from around the world. A trailblazer in communicating the complex challenges and diverse triumphs in agriculture and food security, Mr. Dimick has guided the creation of several major projects including an April 2010 issue on global freshwater, a 2011 series called "7 Billion" on global population, and the 2014 Future of Food series on global food security. In September 2004 he originated and orchestrated the creation of a 74-page three-story project on climate change called "Global Warning: Bulletins from a Warmer World." The hotel also has on display numerous photos and infographics from National Geographic, which after this week will be on display at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. 

The afternoon will feature workshops by local organizations. See the full agenda at www.iowahungersummit.org. 

Related Events: 

• “Iowa Hunger Fight” Meal Packaging: Iowa Hunger Summit participants are invited to package meals to feed hungry Iowans at the Iowa Hunger Fight meal packaging event presented by DuPont Pioneer in conjunction with Meals from the Heartland. This takes place all day, at the Catholic Pastoral Center, 601 Grand Ave.
   
• "America's Plenty, America's Waste" Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Journalist Lecture: At 6 p.m. on the 2nd Floor of the Des Moines Marriott Downtown, join Des Moines Register Executive Business Editor Lynn Hicks and photographer Rodney White, filmmaker Karim Chrobog, and MinnPost reporter Sharon Schmickle for a conversation on food waste in America and the role of Iowa and U.S. businesses in transforming global agriculture. This engaging, multimedia presentation will feature Chrobog's new film "Wasted" and new reporting from Hicks and White's investigation of agricultural reform in China.

About: The Iowa Hunger Summit is a grassroots event, free and open to the public, that gathers Iowa citizens fighting hunger for a day of workshops, keynote speakers and a Hunger Luncheon, where guests sample meals used by organizations in hunger-fighting efforts at home and abroad.  For more information, please visit www.iowahungersummit.org.