With just two weeks to go until the 2017 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, we hope you’re getting ready for your trip to Washington, DC. Haven’t registered yet? Cross it off your to-do list and register today!

The conference will be at the Omni Shoreham, located in the beautiful Woodley Park neighborhood, just a short walk from the Smithsonian National Zoo. If you are planning to arrive early or stay a few days after the conference, there is so much to do and see in the nation’s capital. Explore the city, and venture over to the National Mall, home to many renowned (and free!) museums, monuments, and memorials.

Beyond what DC has to offer, the conference itself will be an exciting and memorable few days.

This year’s agenda covers a wide range of topics important to advocates, including workshops on both Sunday and Monday, on how to:

  • safeguard and strengthen the federal nutrition programs;
  • strategize intersectional approaches to engage diverse communities struggling against hunger; and
  • identify creative ideas for increasing accessibility to food service for low-income populations.

Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, will provide the keynote address during the Sunday lunch plenary session. The Center for Community Change is a national nonprofit focused on grassroots organizing and affecting change in people’s lives through public policy. Mr. Bhargava has spent his career advocating for immigration reform, economic justice, and ending hunger and poverty.

After a full first day, you’ll have the opportunity to network with peers at the Sunday night reception. But wait, the party doesn’t stop there! Following the reception, we’re bringing back our “Emerging Leaders Get-Together,” an event tailored for recent graduates and new anti-hunger advocates. Whether you are new to the field or are a more seasoned advocate, all are welcome! For more details, contact Chloe Diamond at FRAC.

Start your Monday with a sunrise yoga class before another busy day of learning and networking. Throughout the day, expand your advocacy skills and deepen your knowledge of the federal nutrition programs and the essential role they play in alleviating hunger. The day will wrap up with regional meetings — the perfect time to strategize with colleagues from your state on upcoming advocacy opportunities.
On Tuesday, bring what you’ve learned to Capitol Hill and meet with policymakers in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. This is a great opportunity to educate your Members of Congress on the reality of hunger in their own communities and the need to safeguard the federal nutrition programs: No budget cuts and no block grants!

When you’ve returned home, your advocacy — more important now than ever — will be empowered by everything you take away from the conference. Share what you’ve learned with your colleagues and coalition partners and implement new strategies and best practices. Without the work you do to protect and grow the federal nutrition programs, we know that hunger in this country would be far worse.

Register today to end hunger now.