Tag: hunger

Talk of the Towns 3/14/14

Producer/Host: Ron Beard
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Community concerns and opportunities

Program Topic: Getting food to people in need in Hancock County

Key Discussion Points:

1. Katie provides context for Healthy Acadia’s overall work on food systems, the notion of food security, and how that led to their support for gleaning, food pantry networking and the food drive
2. Hannah describes the gleaning initiative, her recent work on food waste and how that connects with food waste initiatives in Europe, Barcelona conference, etc
3. Rick describes the work of Tree of Life food pantry, who it serves, how it is organized and supported, what success they have had, what challenges they face, advice to those wanting to help or work in their own communities… Katie mentions other food pantries and their ongoing networking meetings
4. Kara describes Welcome Table as one of several area responses to the issue of hunger… what was the inspiration to start, how it is operated, who it serves, examples of success and challenges, advice to those wanting to help or work in their own communities
5. Susan describes the history of the county food drive, who it will help, how this one is being organized, how people, local organizations, local businesses can help out…
6. We wrap up by summarizing the several ways listeners can get involved, and those guests in the studio share what inspires them about this work and what their longer term hopes are…

Guests:
Katie Freedman, Healthy Acadia
Hannah Semler, Gleaning Coordinator, Healthy Acadia
Susan Farley, Washington-Hancock Community Agency
Rick Traub, Tree of Life Food Pantry, Blue Hill
Kara Ibarguen, Welcome Table, Ellsworth

Special: Camden Conference 3/6/14

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Presentation entitled “Two Pathways into the Future” from the 2014 Camden Conference, Fred Kirschenmann, Professor of Philosophy, Iowa State University, and organic farmer

1. Is the question “How will we increase agricultural output to feed 9 billion people “the right question to ask?
2. Why is a systems approach to food important?
3. Why is developing an “ecological conscience” a necessity for human survival ?

Talk of the Towns 6/14/13

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Community concerns and opportunities

Program Topic: A Place at the Table—Responding to Hunger in our Midst

Key Discussion Points:
a) You have chosen to screen a recent documentary, A Place at the Table, to highlight the issue of hunger and inequality… how and why did that come about?
b) What do we know about hunger and food insecurity in this part of Maine?
c) What factors contribute to persistent hunger and food insecurity?
d) What programs are in place to address these issues, and what are the gaps? (SNAP, WIC, School Lunch program, Commodity foods)
e) What are individual communities and community organizations (yours and others) doing to address these issues and the gaps?
f) Tell some stories about who is affected, their circumstances, their strengths…
g) What do you hope the screening of A Place at the Table will accomplish to raise awareness and stimulate individual and community response?
h) What do you find particularly compelling about the documentary? What would you tell a friend or neighbor who you wanted to attend?
i) Against this backdrop, Congress is debating the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which includes funding for food assistance… what is being proposed? Is there anything happening with the state budget that addresses or makes worse food insecurity?
j) Attending to food insecurity in the short term is important… what are ways forward to address the broader inequality in our country, where some have food and some do not?
k) Details about tonight’s screening and other contact info…

Guests:
A) Adam Lacher, United Way of Eastern Maine
B) Sister Lucille MacDonald, Emmaus Center, Ellsworth
C) Lisa Weisker
D) Rick Traub, Tree of Life Food Pantry, Blue Hill
E) Zoe Scott, Executive Director, The Grand, Ellsworth

Mid-Coast Currents 12/17/10

Producer/Host: John Zavodny
Studio Engineer: Amy Browne

A discussion among local food and hunger experts concerning how local agriculture is addressing hunger in Knox and Waldo counties, and profile the hungry of Midcoast Maine.

Guests: Ann Acheson, research associate at the University of Maine Margaret Chase Smith Center, editor of Maine Policy Review and author of the “2009 Poverty in Maine Update”; Jennifer Gunderman-King, co-administrator and co-founder of the Davistown Community Farm Share Program; Barbara Murphy, extension educator for the Oxford County Cooperative Extension; and Sara Trunzo, food and farms coordinator at Unity College.

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