Confronting Addiction’s Demons

With so many social justice problems to solve, where do we start? Bread for the World President David Beckmann and Chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmern talk to Debbie and Billy Shore about social justice causes and why a focus on hunger can impact other problems as well. “Hunger is an organizing center. If you’re going to reduce hunger, it’s not enough to give people food assistance,” says Beckmann. Zimmern, a tireless food security advocate, agrees. “You’ve got to start somewhere… food justice, I use it to talk about everything from addiction to adoption from jobs programs to the crime issues in our country,” he says. They discuss the connection of food and economic opportunity, criminal justice reform, and healthcare.

 Both guests and the Shores, who lead the No Kid Hungry campaign, believe the federal government needs to take a leading role in the fight against hunger at home and abroad. “It is no longer sufficient to do fundraisers where we cook a fancy meal… What became obvious is that we needed to change laws, we had to get to Washington,” says Zimmern. Beckmann notes the success of both domestic and international programs like SNAP and the Global Food Security Act and sees grassroots pressure as the key to getting government to act. “If we vote, if we make it clear that we want to help people in need, the members of Congress will listen to people back home,” he says. 

 Get inspired by these leaders who have been at the forefront of the anti-hunger movement for decades.