WASHINGTON, April 12, 2018 — Ellen Teller, director of government affairs at the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), was honored by Manna Food Center for her tireless advocacy for anti-hunger programs that help low-income individuals and families have access to the nutrition they need to thrive. Manna Food Center, a nonprofit working to ending hunger in Montgomery County, presented Teller with the Hero of the Year award during its annual Heroes Against Hunger Awards Reception last night at The Fillmore in Silver Spring.
“This event serves as inspiration for how we all can play a role in assisting those struggling in our community,” said Michael J. Wilson, director of Maryland Hunger Solutions, an initiative of FRAC that partners with Manna Food Center. “This year, it is extra special to see my long-time colleague receive a well-deserved award for her decades of unwavering commitment and passion to advance policies that improve people’s lives by ensuring access to nutritious food, in Maryland and across the country.”
Jackie DeCarlo, chief executive officer of Manna Food Center, presented Teller with the award. “Ellen Teller has dedicated her career to ensuring low-income people have access to the nutrition they need for a healthy, active life,” said DeCarlo. “Her extraordinary contributions continue to make a difference in the fight against hunger in Maryland.”
“Day in and day out, Ellen is working with skill and commitment to end hunger and poverty,” said Jim Weill, president, FRAC. “All of us at FRAC celebrate this award that recognizes Ellen Teller for who she truly is: a trailblazer in the anti-hunger community who has dedicated her professional life to reducing hunger in Montgomery County, in Maryland, and across the country.”
Teller has worked at FRAC since 1986, and has been a Maryland resident for 35 years. In her role as director of government affairs, she works with Congress, national organizations, and a diverse group of state and local partners to advocate for the federal nutrition programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), school meals, afterschool and summer meals, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
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About the Food Research & Action Center
The Food Research & Action Center is the leading national nonprofit organization working to eradicate poverty-related hunger and undernutrition in the United States.
About Maryland Hunger Solutions
Maryland Hunger Solutions, an initiative of the Food Research & Action Center, works to fight hunger and improve the nutrition, health, and well-being of children and families in Maryland.
