Add Passion and Stir

Aldore Collier, former editor at Ebony and Jet magazines, speaks with Billy and Debbie Shore about his recent expose article about the racist roots of health problems in Metcalfe Park, Milwaukee, WI. “Residents talk about being stifled by an “invisible net” that blocks advancement and makes it nearly impossible to maintain good health,” Collier wrote. He describes the inaction by local and state governments. “It's not unique to Milwaukee, but I think the difference is they did not try to come up with solutions to replace what was lost.” However, Metcalfe Park residents are activating and Collier’s article helped bring attention to this critical situation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daron Babcock, CEO of Bonton Farms located in a low-income neighborhood in South Dallas. Bonton Farms is one of the largest urban farms in the United States and its programs are addressing a variety of barriers residents face including housing, education, nutrition, and economic self-sufficiency. “[Systemic inequity] is built on the faulty idea that there's this American dream that everybody can access and if you don't, then there's something wrong with you,” says Babcock. “My new neighbors just happened to be born into a place that had very little to offer them, and their human potential got squashed in the process… The bad news is yes, we designed that and we have to own up to it. But the good news is, we can redesign our future - it doesn't have to stay that way.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

James Beard Award-winning food writer Mark Bittman talks about the relationship between food and critical issues like climate change, public health and social justice. “You can’t fix any justice issues, environmental issues, nutritional issues without fixing food. Food is at the center of just about everything,” claims Bittman. “It’s not going to happen from the top down. The push has to come from lots and lots of ordinary people. That push needs to be focused on food, but it also needs to focus on racial justice and gender equality and so on down the line,” he says. Join us for an important conversation with one of America’s foremost food writers about why fixing our broken food system can help solve many other critical problems we face. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Children’s advocate and social justice icon Hubie Jones and Sweet Home Café (at the National Museum of African American History and Culture) executive chef Jerome Grant discuss their perspectives on race in America and commitment to living purpose-driven lives. “On to the stage came Dr. King and he went into this oratory that absolutely blew me away... By the time I left Jordan Hall, I felt that I was levitating,” Jones recalls about a night in 1956. Grant shares a similar experience about opening Sweet Home Café. “Walking in that cafeteria the day before opening and seeing these murals on our walls, seeing these awesome quotes, the picture of the Woolworth dine-in boycott… You see the resiliency of us as African Americans and what we contributed to American society. There’s no feeling like that at all,” he says. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Congressman Marc Molinaro (NY-19) describes how he is helping to build an impactful, compassionate government that truly helps people. “There are too few [politicians] who care about the results; they care more about making a point than making a difference,” he laments. He is vehement about how government does its work. “We need to be purposeful in that what we offer in aid and assistance needs to be about helping people get from where they are to a position of empowerment and independence.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti talks about local government solutions to problems like hunger and poverty in President Biden’s hometown. “We're working really, really hard to improve quality of life and to prove the case to people, to families, whether they've been here for generations or whether they're first generation that the American dream is alive.” Mayor Cognetti is an active participant in the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, a nonpartisan coalition working in partnership with Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry campaign to ensure that every child has the healthy food they need to thrive. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While this conversation first aired in 2018, the issues it explores about food equity and access remain unsolved in America and in many ways were exacerbated by the pandemic. In this episode of Add Passion and Stir , poverty expert and author Kathy Edin ($2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America) and Washington, DC-area social entrepreneur Tom McDougall of 4P Foods illustrate how our current systems – political, social, economic, geographic – keep poor people from succeeding. They argue for more equity in social programs and a more dignified way of serving the poor. Kathy shares stunning statistics and poignant stories from America's impoverished families with whom she has worked and reminds us that, "When it comes down to it, what people seem to want more than anything else is dignity. … but a lot of our social policies deny people that.” What remains true today is the call-to-action to address and fix America's broken food system that as Tom notes can't be fixed "...unless we talk about money and politics… subsidies… institutional racism…If we move the needle just a tad on food equity, it means we’re moving a lot of other needles along the way.” Hear recommendations from two thought leaders in food equity on what we can do as individuals and as a nation to improve these dire circumstances for the poor in America. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As school years end for America's children, hunger champions like Representative Jim McGovern (D-MA) and food bank executive director Rhonda Chafin focus on providing summer meals. “There are some things you can live without. Food is not one of them,” McGovern says. He is working in Congress to extend school meal and SNAP benefits to ensure kids are fed year-round. At Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, Chafin oversees the delivery of summer meals to thousands of children living in very rural places. At Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee, Chafin oversees the delivery of summer meals to thousands of children living in very rural places. “It is a variety of stories and unfortunate situations that put the child in the center of everything, and they just don't have the resources they need…They just don't have access to food. So that's the challenges and the scope. The scale of what we serve is about 3,000 square miles of some of the most mountainous rural areas in northeast Tennessee.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chef, entrepreneur, and Food Network host Robert Irvine was appalled at the rate of food insecurity among US military families. “It is incomprehensible… that any member of our military that serves this great country could be worried about being deployed and that their family can't be fed or housed in a safe environment,” he says. In this episode, he describes how the Robert Irvine Foundation is helping service members and their families. He also talks about the lessons in his newest book about how to make change. “One person, one foundation, one, one group, can't do it - as much as we all wish we could, it’s not possible. But collectively and intertwined, we can change the world.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this reprise episode, we join James Beard-award winning Chef Ann Kim and James Beard-award winning chef and author Joanne Lee Molinaro, The Korean Vegan, for conversations about identity, connection, and growing up as the children of immigrants. Both Ann Kim and Joanne Lee Molinaro share a Korean heritage and have found ways, through their various platforms to shine a light on their culture and the voices of others who share the immigrant experience. The central thread in both their stories: showing love through food. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the Webb telescope to the COVID vaccine, every day the nearly 3 million civil servants in our federal government make our democracy work through their extraordinary--often unrecognized--work. Max Stier and the Partnership for Public Service are committed to changing that. Since 2001, the Partnership has trained leaders, addressed talent gaps, like the fact that only 7% of the federal workforce is under the age of 30, supported presidential transitions, increased federal employee engagement, and promoted innovation and collaboration. In short, they’re taking on the reality that when many Americans “think about the federal government, they think about bickering.” And they’re doing it by celebrating the people who share their strength to make it all happen. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

National poverty, child welfare and queer rights advocate and best-selling author David Ambroz sits down with Billy Shore to talk about the importance of truly caring for all children. Ambroz’ memoir, “A Place Called Home,” details his experiences with poverty, hunger, and the foster care system which led him to found FosterMore.org. Ambroz says, “Folks are tired, and I profoundly understand that. But there are 8.4 million children in poverty in this country today, and we can't be tired for them.” Be inspired by his incredible story. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this encore episode that originally aired in July, 2020. Kellogg's Ready To Eat Cereal General Manager, Doug VanDeVelde and Brown Sugar Kitchen Executive Chef Tanya Holland share their insights on food insecurity and the difficult early days of the pandemic. Both Kellogg's and Chef Holland were driven to help feed people in need. VanDeVelde says that Kellogg's felt an obligation to help feed the nation. We are so grateful for our friends at Kellogg's and the unbelievable support they've shown us the past 10 years. From now through May 9th, Kelloggs is donating $5 to our No Kid Hungry Campaign with each Kellogg's breakfast for all promotion receipts uploaded up to a maximum donation of $250,000. Go to breakfast for all.com for more details. How can big consumer brands help make the world a better place? Brown Sugar Kitchen Executive Chef Tanya Holland and Kellogg Ready to Eat Cereal General Manager Doug VanDeVelde share their insights on food insecurity, giving back to the community and the effects of COVID-19. “When the COVID pandemic first started, there was a certain sense of obligation in our company to help secure the food supply… There was a feeling that we had an obligation to help feed the nation,” recounts VanDeVelde. “I’m making an effort to thank everyone who comes in and supports us because it’s a choice they make and a risk they take. Probably 7 times out of 10, they respond, ‘Thank you for what you do for the community,’” says Holland. “As I started to go through my career at Kellogg’s, it became more and more clear to me that brands need to have a purpose and need to be able to do good in the world,” says VanDeVelde, who recently helped No Kid Hungry raise $700K. “This country has so much bounty, it’s just shameful if we can’t do the basics of seeing that children are fed,” says Holland about her work as a No Kid Hungry ambassador. “What a difference it makes in the performance and attendance of the kids.” Listen to these important voices of two people who continue to impact their communities. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Since 1993, child poverty has fallen 60% – according to a landmark 2022 report from Child Trends. And while the magnitude of this decline in child poverty is unequaled in the history of poverty measurement in the U.S., as Jason DeParle who covers poverty for the New York Times reminds us, “even if child poverty falls almost 60% as we found that it did, there's still 8 million poor children in the country.” Billy Shore sits down with the Times Jason DeParle and Child Trends Renee Ryberg who co-lead the study to explore it findings, what is shows about the impact of critical social safety nets like the Earned Income Credit and the school lunch program, and the work ahead to address racial disparities that persist in child poverty. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Could kelp be the new corn? In this Add Passion and Stir episode, Briana Warner, CEO of Atlantic Sea Farms, and Debbie Gagnon, President and Co-owner of Red's Eats (Wiscasett, ME), discuss the importance of seaweed to the future of our food system. “There are choices that we can be making about our everyday eating habits that can make the planet actually better,” says Warner, who built the biggest kelp company in the US. Gagnon is excited to be an early adopter of this healthy and sustainable product. “I wanted to try [the kelp burger] because I'll be honest: I wanted it to be delicious. And oh man, it's delicious. I'm so proud of it!,” she raves. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Service is in Michael McAfee’s DNA. From an early career in the military to roles in the Federal Government and his current leadership at PolicyLink, McAfee has dedicated his life to realizing a just and fair society – a society designed for all. To achieve this, McAfee centers equity and focuses on seeing others humanity, especially those with differing opinions or backgrounds. The results are federal programs like Promised Neighborhoods, which works to ensure children in distressed neighborhoods are supported from cradle to career, and PolicyLink’s ongoing efforts to “change the nature and logic of our governing institutions so that they could work for everyone.” McAfee shares his journey to this work in this episode of Add Passion and Stir. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this special episode, Share Our Strength co-founder Billy Shore speaks with the organization’s brand-new CEO, Anne Filipic. She explains how her career led her to this position and the depth of her passion about solving childhood hunger. “What does it mean to end childhood hunger today, tomorrow, and forever? … Getting meals to kids who are hungry now, … supporting families to make sure that they have the resources they need for the meals tomorrow, and ultimately, how do we get to the root causes of hunger?” She also shares her vision for broadening the movement. “When we think about these big, thorny issues of our time, what does it look like for people to feel like, ‘I'm on this team. I'm part of solving this issue.’” Get a glimpse into the future of Share Our Strength and the No Kid Hungry Campaign. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why is it so important to nourish ourselves and each other? On this very special episode, we revisit our conversation with actor and musician Jeff Bridges and his daughter, Mother’s Empowerment Coach Isabelle Bridges. The father-daughter duo talk about the importance of nourishing relationships and fighting child hunger. “As you get older, you realize that the value you have and what’s really precious in life are these family relationships,” Jeff says about the inspiration and process of their children’s book, ‘Daddy Daughter Day.’ “I remember reading the Daddy Daughter Day story to you Dad, and you saying, with sparkly eyes, ‘we should turn this into a book, and I will illustrate it,’” recalls Isabelle. “When we have our children, we want to nourish them, and then we go unnourished ourselves. My mission is to help the moms feel nourished on the inside so they have a wellspring to give them,” she continues about her work helping mothers take care of their own needs. Jeff is the official spokesperson of the No Kid Hungry campaign. “[Child hunger] an issue that’s got a lot of hope to it. We can really end childhood hunger here in our country,” he believes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this very special episode, we re-visit our conversation with award-winning Chez Panisse chef and cookbook author Alice Waters who discusses the value of real, regenerative food for our children and our society as a whole. “Once you love nature, you can't make the wrong decision about anything. You don't want to do things that are really destroying the planet. You want to take care of her. Until we feel that way, we will never be able to make the right decisions,” she says. Waters founded Edible Schoolyard, an experiential learning program at a Berkeley middle school that deepens students’ relationship with food, gardening and cooking skills, and capacity for critical examination of the food system, more than 25 years ago. “The kitchen classroom became a place to teach world history. It's a way to reach a person through all their senses and those are pathways into our minds,” states Waters. “We decided to put our money behind our values to educate the next generation to change the world. I so believe that education is the deep place where we can make systemic change.” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For renowned Indian Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor it’s simple: whatever he has today is thanks to the power of sharing. A household name in India with his own channel FoodFood, Chef Sanjeev is a Padma Shri Awardee, recipient of the Indian Government’s ‘Best Chef of India’ award, and many more accolades. But for him, it’s all about giving back to society; most notably, his work with Akshaya Patra, the world’s largest NGO-run mid-day meal program that serves lunch to more than 1.7 million children in India. In this Add Passion and Stir episode, we connect with Chef Kapoor to learn more about Akshaya Patra, how he found his way to food, and why he thinks the strength of Indian cuisine is in its complexity. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.