Hunger is a struggle for a surprising number of Americans—41 million, in fact—and a particular demographic of that number is veterans. Many of us don’t know that one in four vets wrestle with hunger. And, for Top Chef’s Tom Colicchio, that’s one in four too many.
Colicchio says hunger could be assuaged if the right policies are implemented to provide food to those in need. He is constantly fighting on Capitol Hill for the rights of those who are food insecure. Colicchio lobbied against proposed cuts to food stamp programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. He held a Plate of the Union summit with lawmakers and famous chefs to raise awareness for access to healthy food. And he and Environmental Working Group’s president, Ken Cook, founded the Food Policy Action to advocate many food-related concerns, one of them being hunger among veterans.
However, organized through Colicchio’s own anti-hunger organization, A Place at the Table, one of his biggest endeavors was the creation of the national media campaign called Food Is Fuel. This campaign was launched on Veteran’s Day to key in on that particular issue for our nation’s heroes. More information can be found on Colicchio’s website at foodisfuel.org.
Hunger is not a problem we can always see with our eyes, but it is a basic right of all humans. Colicchio’s programs were and are designed to get people to notice and start talking about these issues that affect the neighbors in our communities.
Source: “Celebrity Chef Tom Cholicchio Is on a Mission to End Hunger for Veterans.” http://www.eatingwell.com/article/290835/celebrity-chef-tom-colicchio-is-on-a-mission-to-end-hunger-for-veterans/.