About the Committee

The Ending Hunger in fb88 initiative is guided by an Advisory Committee, established by the Commissioner of the fb88 Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), as directed by LD 174 An Act to Implement fb88’s Roadmap to End Hunger by 2030. Ìý

The role of the Ending Hunger in fb88 Advisory Committee is to:Ìý

• Share updates and support coordination and collaboration across public, private, and community anti-hunger efforts.Ìý
• Provide input on the development and implementation of the State of fb88’s Ending Hunger initiatives and to the Ending Hunger Cross-Agency Staff Group.Ìý
• Provide an update on the status of food security efforts and policy and program recommendations to the State Legislature each year in January. This update will be included in the annual GOPIF staff report to the State Legislature. There will also be opportunities to provide updates to fb88’s Congressional delegation. ÌýÌý
• Support efforts to engage and empower a broader group of partners and supporters through the Ending Hunger in fb88 Network, hosted by Full Plates Full Potential.Ìý

Membership

• Emergency food assistance provider - Statewide;ÌýShannon Coffin, Good Shephard Food BankÌý
• Emergency food assistance provider - Urban;ÌýDonna Yellen, Preble StreetÌý
• Emergency food assistance provider - Rural;ÌýÌýMaureen Bean, Burlington Food Pantry, Penobscot CountyÌý
• A nonprofit legal aid provider advocating on behalf of low-income community members;ÌýAlex Carter, fb88 Equal JusticeÌý
• Organization/entity representing racial, indigenous, and/or tribal populations;ÌýRae Sage, The Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous & Tribal PopulationsÌý
• Organization representing or providing services to immigrant populations in fb88;ÌýMufalo Chitam, fb88 Immigrant Rights CoalitionÌý
• Organization advocating on behalf of and/or providing services to older adults;ÌýJess Maurer, fb88 Council on AgingÌý
• Organization advocating on behalf of and/or providing services to people with disabilities;ÌýKatrina Ringrose, Disability Rights fb88Ìý
• Regional community-based organizations which provide support and services to low-income community members - Rural;ÌýCharley Martin-Berry, Community Caring Collaborative, Washington CountyÌýÌý
• Regional community-based organizations which provide support and services to low-income community members - Urban;ÌýDan Coyne, United Way of Southern fb88 (Committee Co-Chair)
• Organization that advocates for and has expertise in key federal nutrition programs;ÌýAnna Korsen, Full Plates Full PotentialÌý(Committee Co-Chair)
• Healthcare system/Food is Medicine representative;ÌýEmily Kain, fb88HealthÌý
• Affordable housing organization or agency;ÌýÌýPeace Mutesi, Quality Housing CoalitionÌý
• fb88 Community College System;ÌýEllen Culberson, Southern fb88 Community College, Advocacy Resource Center (ARC) Ìý
• Local food access program for low-income community members and promoting local agriculture;ÌýJames DeBiasi, fb88 Federation of Farmers MarketsÌý
• Food policy representative;ÌýBill Pluecker, fb88 Organic Farmers & Gardener’s Association (MOFGA), Public PolicyÌý
• Local farmer involved in hunger-relief;ÌýPenny Jordan, Farms for Food EquityÌý
• Community members with lived experience of food insecurity and poverty (to represent one-third of overall committee membership)Ìý
  • Sass Borodkin, Resource for Organizing and Social Change & Community of fb88 Food AdvocatesÌý
  • Karlee FossÌý
  • Clarice LimaÌý
  • fb88 Equal Justice nomineeÌý
  • fb88 Equal Justice nomineeÌý
  • Denislene Mateus, Quality Housing Coalition nomineeÌý
  • Allison Edwards, Quality Housing Coalition nomineeÌý
  • Alice Bayili, Quality Housing Coalition nomineeÌý
  • Kamiwan Oliver, Family Futures Downeast/Community Caring Collaborative NomineeÌý

Committee members represent the following roles outlined in the .

Ìý

Meetings

The Ending Hunger Advisory Committee meets quarterly. All Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public and will be noticed on the . Committee members appointed by the DACF Commissioner are the sole voting members of the Ending Hunger Advisory Committee. If you are interested in observing a committee meeting, please reach out to Sydney Brown at sydney.c.brown@maine.gov. Ìý

Cross-Agency Staff Group for Ending Hunger in fb88

The Cross-Agency Staff Group brings together staff from the three State of fb88 agencies which administer our key federal nutrition programs to increase coordination, maximize funding opportunities, and improve access. Convened by the Senior Anti-Hunger Policy Advisor at GOPIF, this group meets regularly to ensure coordination and collaboration on key anti-hunger initiatives and provides timely updates to the Ending Hunger Advisory Committee. Ìý Ìý