On Wednesday, January 27, the White House hosted a Conversation on Child Hunger in America. Building on the Administration’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to opportunity and reducing food insecurity, the event brought together families, academics, practitioners, advocates, religious leaders, and federal, state, and local officials to discuss the persistence and effects of hunger in America and what must be done to ensure all American families have access to an adequate, nutritious diet.

The event featured the following speakers:

• Dr. Hilary Hoynes, Professor of Public Policy and Economics, Haas Distinguished Chair in Economic Disparities, Goldman School of Public Policy, University of California Berkeley:  Dr. Hoynes has reviewed the role that SNAP plays in reducing poverty and food insecurity in the U.S. and examined the degree to which the program helps to buffer the impact of recessions and stagnating wages. 
• Dr. Adam Drewnowski, Director, Nutritional Sciences Program, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, WA: Dr. Drewnowski has written about the relationship between diet quality and food cost, including whether inadequate food budgets pose a significant barrier to the adoption of nutrient-adequate diets
• Dr. Hilary Seligman, Associate Professor, University of California San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA; Lead Scientist, Feeding America: Dr. Seligman has summarized research on the connections between food insecurity and health, highlighting some of the medical costs that result from insufficient food budgets.
• Dr. Parke Wilde, Associate Professor, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, Medford, MA.  Dr. Wilde has reviewed recent research on initiatives that enhance SNAP and other benefits to improve recipient households’ success in achieving a high-quality diet, including USDA’s Summer EBT demonstration and the Healthy Incentives Pilot.