Note from the Executive Director | |
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Dear friends,
Today, April 1, H2HC is welcoming spring by opening the national nomination process for our 2024 Prizes for Innovation. I welcome your help with sharing this news and encouraging innovative organizations to apply; please see the details below.
The White House continues to galvanize national energy and billions of dollars in concrete commitments to support its Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities. I am excited to share that in February The White House recognized H2HC and our Prizes for supporting the President's national strategy.
I made a visit to H2HC 2023 Prize winner DC Central Kitchen to see their impressive new building and operations and have adopted their focus on 'relentless incrementalism' as the pathway to success. Our second 2023 Prize winner, Alameda County Recipe4Health, was represented on a panel discussing scalability challenges at the first HHS Food is Medicine Summit in January.
And finally, I encourage you to read our new report summarizing the presentations and conversations at our 2023 Fall Summit that was keynoted by HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine.
We look forward to collaborating with you in 2024 as we move this work forward.
Warmly,
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Nicolene Hengen
Executive Director
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White House Recognizes
H2HC Prizes for Innovation
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In a national event on Feb. 27, The White House recognized H2HC for its $1 million commitment to its Prizes for Innovation, work that directly supports President Biden’s goal to eliminate hunger and decrease diet-related disease in the U.S. by 2030.
The White House recognized H2HC along with 140 cross-sector stakeholders from around the country that have committed a collective $1.7 billion to help improve our collective health. These new commitments build on the previous $8 billion announced at the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health in September 2022.
Learn more
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The White House also recognized Ahold Delhaize USA and Stop & Shop, along with Ahold’s other local brands (Food Lion, The Giant Company, Giant Foods, Hannaford, and Peapod) for their commitment to invest close to $1 million to reach more than 200,000 children with nutrition messaging in 2024. They will also work to address the root causes of hunger through employment opportunities.
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The Greater Boston Food Bank is part of a new Massachusetts coalition including anti-hunger advocates, community organizations, providers, researchers, and individuals with lived experience that The White House recognized for its collaborative work to make Massachusetts the first state to eradicate hunger by 2030.
See all new commitments
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The H2HC Prizes for Innovation identify and highlight innovative food and nutrition work that offers promising, upstream models and replicable, scalable solutions that advance health equity in communities throughout the U.S.
H2HC awards two $100,000 prizes annually, and prize winners will be introduced at the H2HC 2024 Fall Summit on Thursday, Nov. 21, in Boston.
Prize nominations will be accepted starting today, Monday, April 1, through Friday, June 14, 2024, at 5:00 pm EDT.
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Save the Date: H2HC Fall 2024 Summit | |
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The H2HC Fall 2024 Summit will take place on Thursday, November 21, at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Stay tuned for more information in the coming months.
Learn more about H2HC events
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H2HC Participates in First
HHS Food is Medicine Summit in D.C.
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H2HC was invited to the first U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Food is Medicine Summit in Washington, D.C., on January 31, 2024. The Summit focused on moving the country from an illness-care system to a wellness-care system through the HHS Food Is Medicine initiative.
Summit panels highlighted work from around the country to advance nutrition and health equity. Dr. Steven Chen, representing H2HC 2023 Prize for Innovation winner Alameda County Recipe4Health, spoke on Recipe4Health's work and scalability challenges around Food Is Medicine programs.
Learn more
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H2HC Visits 2023 Prize for Innovation Winner
DC Central Kitchen (DCCK)
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While in Washington, D.C., for the HHS Food is Medicine Summit, H2HC Executive Director Nicolene Hengen visited 2023 Prize for Innovation winner DC Central Kitchen. She toured their new, state-of-the-art facility that has allowed DCCK to expand their capacity to provide culinary job training and healthy food to the community.
DCCK CEO Mike Curtin credits hard work and a focus on 'relentless incrementalism' for the organization's 35 years of success in creating lasting change at the intersection of food, health, and economic inclusion.
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DC Central Kitchen leaders Dr. Beverley Wheeler, Chief Knowledge Officer, and Mike Curtin, CEO | |
DC Central Kitchen's job training program has helped more than 2,000 individuals facing high barriers to employment launch meaningful culinary careers. | |
H2HC Releases Fall 2023 Summit Report | |
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The H2HC 2023 Fall Summit, keynoted by U.S. Assistant Secretary for Health Admiral Rachel Levine, convened 75+ thought leaders to explore innovative strategies and initiatives to advance food, nutrition, and health equity locally, regionally, and nationally.
The new report summarizes the cross-sector group’s presentations, thoughts, and recommendations.
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The Tufts Food & Nutrition Institute will host Stephen Ritz, founder of Green Bronx Machine, on April 8 at 3:00 pm for a screening of the 2020 documentary Generation Growth at the Tufts Friedman School in Boston.
The film chronicles Stephen teaching his plant-based science curriculum at PS 55 in the South Bronx; his work is now recognized internationally. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu will open the event.
Get free tickets here.
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About H2HC
The Hunger to Health Collaboratory (H2HC) catalyzes integrated solutions to food, nutrition, and health inequities by engaging cross-sector leaders, uplifting innovative models, and educating stakeholders, all through a focus on the social drivers of health.
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