Media Contact:
Jordan Baker
jbaker@frac.org
980-290-7282
WASHINGTON, April 27, 2026 — The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) is proud to announce that it has awarded its Dr. Raymond Wheeler/Senator Paul Wellstone Anti-Hunger Advocacy Leadership Award to Randy Rosso, a data-driven policy advisor to the anti-hunger community, and its inaugural Amidei/Doherty Advocacy Award to Claire Lane, director of the Anti-Hunger & Nutrition Coalition.
“We are thrilled to celebrate Randy and Claire for their ongoing commitment to ending hunger in our nation,” said Crystal FitzSimons, president of FRAC. “Randy has spent more than two decades turning complex data into meaningful information, bridging the gap between statistics and lived experience to sharpen our view of the reach of federal nutrition programs and the policies needed to improve program access and keep families fed. Claire has been a leading force against hunger and its root causes in Washington state, showing that when we bring the voices of those experiencing hunger directly to the table, we can move the needle on policy change to protect and advance nutrition, health, and economic stability for people struggling with hunger. Their leadership is a testament to the strength of FRAC’s nationwide network.”
About the Dr. Raymond Wheeler/ Senator Paul Wellstone Anti-Hunger Advocacy Leadership Award
Dr. Raymond Wheeler, an eminent Southern physician, fought throughout his life against hunger, poverty, and injustice. His findings led to the publication of Hunger USA and a prime-time CBS documentary, “Hunger in America.” Dr. Wheeler’s efforts, both in North Carolina and on Capitol Hill, led to the expansion of the Food Stamp Program (now the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)) in the late 1960s. In recognition of his central role in fighting hunger through public policy, FRAC named this award after Dr. Wheeler in the 1980s.
Sen. Paul Wellstone focused much of his extraordinary energy and commitment on eradicating hunger and poverty in America. Wellstone challenged the nation to stand up for children and challenged his colleagues to reject the stereotyping and misinformation about people experiencing poverty and hunger in America. In recognition of Sen. Wellstone’s passionate, eloquent, and steadfast championing of the needs of poor people in this country, FRAC named this award after him.
About the Amidei/Doherty Advocacy Award
The Amidei/Doherty Advocacy Award honors a career advocate who has made a difference in their community through their advocacy for federal nutrition programs to address poverty-related hunger.
Nancy Amidei, former FRAC president, was a true advocate throughout her career and life. She held positions ranging from Peace Corps in Nigeria to University of Washington School of Social Work professor. In 1981, as FRAC president, she helped lead the organization in the fight against proposed regulations to allow ketchup and pickle relish to be counted as vegetable requirements for school meals.
Diane Doherty was a formidable advocate who brought immense compassion to this work. She was a longtime partner to FRAC and its network as the president of the Illinois Hunger Coalition, and a powerful force in the fight against hunger in the state and across the country.
The awards were presented today during the 2026 FRAC National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, held in Washington, D.C. from April 26–27, followed by a Lobby Day on Capitol Hill on April 28. The conference brings together nearly 1,000 anti-hunger and anti-poverty advocates, federal, state, and local government officials, child advocates, and representatives of food banks from across the country to identify innovative solutions and exchange best practices to strengthen the quality and reach of federal nutrition programs, including SNAP, school meals, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and meals provided during child care, afterschool, and summer.
Randy Rosso receives the Dr. Raymond Wheeler/Senator Paul Wellstone Anti-Hunger Advocacy Leadership Award from FRAC’s President Crystal FitzSimons
Claire Lane receives the Amidei/Doherty Advocacy Award from FRAC’s President Crystal FitzSimons
###
The Food Research & Action Center improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions. To learn more, visit FRAC.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky.