TAMPA, Fla. – Coinciding with the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ annual meeting, dozens of mayors from across the country are convening in Tampa to explore solutions to one of the most pressing challenges: summer hunger.
On Friday evening, mayors will gather for a special event hosted by the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, a national coalition of more than 500 mayors from all 50 states and Washington, DC, in partnership with Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign. The event offers municipal leaders a chance to exchange ideas, spotlight local innovation and learn how to ensure children have access to nutritious meals when school is out.
“Summer hunger is a challenge we see in so many communities,” said Sky Beard, director of No Kid Hungry Florida. “However, it’s a solvable issue. By understanding the unique challenges of each community, leaders can collaborate to identify strategies that work for them. It’s inspiring to see so many leaders gather to combat summer hunger. We are proud to partner with and support these mayors who are stepping up to improve their communities.”
The gathering also marks the launch of the Mayors Alliance Action Fund to End Child Hunger (Mayors Action Fund), a new opportunity to help cities implement or expand programs aimed at ending child hunger. The effort is made possible through generous support from Dollar Tree.
“At Dollar Tree, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive, and that begins with reliable access to nutritious food,” said Jennifer Silberman, chief sustainability and impact officer of Dollar Tree. “We’re proud to support the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger and to help launch the inaugural Mayors Action Fund, which empowers mayors across the country to take bold, local action against hunger. Through our partnership with the Mayors Alliance and Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, we are working to build more resilient, equitable communities — one meal, one city, and one child at a time.”
The Mayors Alliance is a nonpartisan effort engaging mayors nationwide to take action on child hunger and advocate for effective policies. Among those attending the roundtable are Mayor Mattie Parker of Fort Worth, Texas and Mayor Paige Cognetti of Scranton, Pennsylvania, both holding leadership roles in the Alliance.
“Children in our communities face hunger most acutely during the summer break when they lack access to their school nutrition programs,” said Mayor Parker. “The Mayors Alliance’s convening allows mayors to meet in person to share best practices and policy that will have a lasting impact on food insecurity this summer and beyond.”
“When the school year ends in communities like Scranton, it removes the food security safety net for far too many kids,” said Mayor Cognetti. “In Pennsylvania, we’re also examining the potential impact of federal cuts to food assistance programs like SNAP and access to fresh food through local farmers market programs. The Mayor’s Alliance is dedicated to finding on-the-ground solutions to protect our most vulnerable residents.”
Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa will speak at the event and welcome attendees to the city.
“Childhood hunger exists in every city and every community,” said Mayor Jane Castor of Tampa. “By working together, cities and nonprofits can play a critical role in making sure that families are connected to the resources they need to access nutritious meals throughout the year.”
In addition to Mayor Castor, several other Florida mayors are expected to attend, including Mayor Bruce Rector of Clearwater, Mayor Danise Henriquez of Key West, Mayor Geoffrey Jacobs of Pembroke Park, and Mayor Betty Resch of Lake Worth Beach.
The event will also feature two of the Mayors Alliance’s sponsors, Dollar Tree and Instacart, who are helping scale the impact of local hunger solutions.
The roundtable is part of an ongoing effort to equip city leaders with tools, funding and peer support to build a hunger-free future for children.
For more information about the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, visit mayorshungeralliance.org.
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About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But millions of kids will face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is ending childhood hunger through effective programs that provide kids with the food they need. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization working to end hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org
