Unwasted: The Podcast

Addressing Hunger in America with Susannah Morgan of the Oregon Food Bank

May 11, 2020 Imperfect Foods Season 1 Episode 26
Unwasted: The Podcast
Addressing Hunger in America with Susannah Morgan of the Oregon Food Bank
Show Notes

The work food banks do to feed Americans who have fallen on tough times has taken on a whole new significance because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. 

One of the saddest and most frustrating ironies of food waste in the US is that we waste close to 40% of our food supply every year while one in seven Americans struggles with hunger. Working to bridge the gap between these two tragic failings of our food system is our nation's network of food banks. 

Susannah Morgan is the CEO of the Oregon Food and has spent 24 years working in food bans across America. In this episode, she candidly shares the lessons she's learned in a career in food banks, what she's learned about the root causes of hunger in America, and how concerned individuals can best support food banks and work to reduce hunger in this country. 

She clears up some of the most common misconceptions about hunger in America, outlines why donating money is always better than donating food to a food bank, and explains how food banks are really the last line of defense against hunger, despite being the one most of us think of when we think of hunger relief. We close by discussing how addressing homelessness and healthcare in America are interconnected with addressing hunger and why she hopes to one day put herself out of business. 

This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to truly understand why hunger is such a tough problem to solve even in wealthy countries and will give you a newfound appreciation for your local food bank. 

Show Notes: