Planting Seeds for Resilience: Inside the Anti-Hunger Summit

Addressing food insecurity is about more than providing hot meals and food boxes; it’s about building collaborations that go to the heart of hunger to find and implement lasting solutions. That spirit was the motivation behind the second annual Northern Arizona Anti-Hunger Summit, where community members, leaders, and advocates came together under the theme “Planting Seeds for Resilience”.

In the stories below, we share highlights from the Summit, including insights from national experts, powerful stories of healing, and a hands-on look at the challenges families face when resources fall short. We also celebrated those leading the way through our Community Impact Awards, honoring individuals and organizations making a difference in this fight.

Planting Seeds for Resilience

The second annual Northern Arizona Anti-Hunger Summit, hosted by the Flagstaff Family Food Center, gathered voices from across the nation, state, and region to focus on one shared goal: addressing the root causes of food insecurity in Northern Arizona. This year’s theme, “Planting Seeds for Resilience”, reflected the Summit’s purpose of inspiring action and sustaining momentum for the Northern Arizona Hunger Action Partnership.

Keynote speaker Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies & Public Health, Emerita at New York University, opened with a compelling presentation on food politics. She emphasized that food is a basic human right and that political will – through universal school meals, higher minimum wages, and supportive farm policies – could end hunger immediately.

She noted, however, the gap that can exist between stated goals and policies. For example, while the USDA recommends that half of every plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables, federal agriculture support largely favors corn and other grains. She urged advocacy that focused on both food assistance and policy action.

She also spoke on food inequity in Native American communities, where disrupted traditional foodways and reliance on government-issued commodity foods high in sugar, fat, and salt have contributed to high diabetes rates.

The Impacts of Federal Changes to SNAP

Will Humble of the Arizona Public Health Association highlighted upcoming SNAP changes which could cost Arizona $230 million starting in FY2028. He also noted that work requirements will also expand under new federal law, and that recent ICE enforcement might deter eligible immigrant families from applying for food assistance.

Will urges us to hold government entities accountable for the error rate that could lead to a loss of benefits for the most vulnerable in our community.

Walking in Another’s Shoes

The Summit also featured an interactive simulation that gave participants an understanding of the barriers faced by families experiencing food insecurity – even with access to programs such as SNAP or food banks.

Together, these voices and experiences underscored a shared truth: hunger in Northern Arizona is a solvable problem. By planting seeds of resilience – through policy change, cultural reconnection, and collective action – the community is working toward a future where everyone has reliable access to nourishing food.

Celebrating Our Hunger Action Champions

This year’s Northern Arizona Anti-Hunger Summit featured Community Impact Awards honoring local heroes tackling hunger:

Lifetime Impact Award. Sheryl Wells, recently-retired teacher and STEM coordinator at Killip Elementary, spent decades ensuring students and families had access to healthy food – from coordinating food pickups during COVID to rebuilding Killip’s school garden.

Innovation in Action Award. Rosebird Farms, led by founder Andrea McAdow and supported by Jenna Walczak of Flagstaff CSA, is expanding food access through creative solutions, such as launching one of the nation’s first online Double Up Food Bucks retail sites.

Food Systems & Community Resiliency Award. During her tenure at Coconino Health and Human Services, Theresa Kulpinski championed programs like SNAP-Ed and AZ Health Zone while continuing to give back through volunteer work. Theresa’s work in FUSD’s wellness policy development ensures that students not only get access to healthier school meals, but also have enough time to eat them.

Each awardee honored at the Summit took action in powerful ways and are are proof that when we come together with purpose, we can make a powerful impact and plant the seeds for a healthier and more resilient Northern Arizona.