Creating a Greater Understanding
Four years ago, Dr. Phil Knight and Gerry Brisson, president and CEO of Gleaners Community Food Bank, started Food First Michigan. Since then, the Food First Michigan audience has grown over 1,400% with listeners in over 13 countries. They began with the sole intent of changing the conversation around food security – they have done that and so much more!
Tune in this Sunday at 9:00 PM on WJR Radio to hear Phil and Gerry reflect on three pivotal conversations they had in the past year. The topic of each conversation centers on how our network moves forward to reach the next level of food security for our state. The three most important conversations were on the following subjects –
The value that food has in addressing poverty. Providing food to people today is a launchpad for them to achieve their next success in life.
Food insecurity is a man-made problem. When we put food first, we begin to address the underlying causes of not just hunger, but of poverty itself. Food insecurity is not being without food. It means the likelihood that you will be without food is great enough that you are uncertain whether you have it or not when you need it. On average, most people that are food insecure are missing five meals per week.
The trauma associated with food insecurity. Food insecurity causes individuals to shrink and disengage. Children who grow up in a food insecure household experience a trauma that can stay with them long-term.
Busting myths about the value of food, seeing food insecurity as a problem of our own making and attempting to understand the trauma that food insecurity infuses into a family are three of the most important topics of shows that Phil and Gerry have produced this year. They may not win awards, but these shows played an important role in creating a greater understanding about the difficult challenge we face in creating a food secure Michigan.
Thank you all who have joined the movement and continue to stand alongside of us by keeping #FOODFIRST!
Find this episode and all past Food First Michigan episodes at foodfirstmi.org, on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio.
Apple Podcasts - https://apple.co/38UUpFk
iHeartRadio - https://ihr.fm/38WJ2wN