When my alarm went off at 4:30 am on Tuesday morning all that was on my mind was getting dressed, getting coffee, and not missing my 5:15 am train into Boston. As I sleepily sat on the train to meet CNOP Community Partnership Coordinator, Deeana Ijaz, to drive together to Fort Devens, MA for the 2014 Summer Food Service Program Kickoff Breakfast, I couldn't imagine anything but copious amounts of caffeine energizing me for the day ahead. However, upon meeting Ms. Ijaz and the rest of the CNOP team, I found myself immediately energized by their passion for their work and own excitement for the breakfast.
The breakfast started out with a welcome speech from Congressman Jim McGovern, one of the most vocal advocates in Congress about the importance of social safety nets such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and numerous other federally funded nutrition programs. While I videotaped the speech I was admittedly star struck. I've spent considerable time reading about the Farm Bill and watching Congressman McGovern's YouTube channel. So listening to him speak in person about an issue he and everyone in the room is incredibly passionate about, was to say the least, inspiring. At the conclusion of his speech the SFSP Panel built on his energy by sharing the strategies they implement in their organizations. For me their narratives were moving for a lot of reasons. Their stories reminded me of my own experiences working at the Weymouth Food Pantry and more importantly they reminded me of the human element often gets blurred and reduced amongst all of the discussion about federal policies, grants, budget cuts, etc. The speakers drove home what Congressman McGovern touched upon in his speech: yes, food is necessary for survival and sustenance, but that it is MUCH more than that. Stories of young children enjoying their time at summer food sites served as a reminder that food is love, it has an inherently social aspect about it. Access to healthy and nutritious food shouldn't be a privilege afforded to select classes of society. And even more importantly, as Congressman McGovern put it, it shouldn't be "unfashionable" to care about these kinds of issues.
When I sat back down on the train leaving Kendall station towards home a few hours later, although with iced coffee in hand, I was no longer sleepy. The combination of Congressman McGovern's speech and the SFSP Panel left me more uplifted, motivated, and better informed to perform my role as a Community Outreach Fellow.
-Samantha Bennett