Mesa, AZ – Today, Mayor John Giles was appointed Chair of the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, a nonpartisan coalition of more than 130 mayors from 45 states and the District of Columbia working to ensure every child has the healthy food needed to thrive. In partnership with the national nonprofit Share Our Strength and its No Kid Hungry campaign, the coalition taps the leadership and collective expertise of mayors from across the political spectrum to drive change at the state and national level.
“No community goes untouched by food insecurity, and every Mayor has a role to play in addressing childhood hunger,” said Mayor John Giles. “I’m honored to be appointed to the role of Chair for the Mayor’s Alliance, and I look forward to continuing to work closely with my fellow mayors to make a difference on this issue.”
As part of the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Mesa joined local, state and national entities in the urgent action to fight childhood hunger and stave off increases in food insecurity brought on by economic hardships due to the pandemic. In partnership with the United Food Bank, the City of Mesa distributed over 4.5 million pounds of food through weekly drive-through food box events.
“Mayors leadership in their local communities is integral to the fight against childhood hunger,” says Lisa Davis, Senior Vice President of Program and of Advocacy, Share Our Strength. “They see first-hand the impact of this crisis in their cities and are uniquely positioned to creatively and successfully build awareness and drive solutions.”
In 2022, its inaugural year, the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger accomplished many things, including ensuring mayors’ perspectives were heard during the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and sitting down with senior Biden Administration officials to urge Congress to extend USDA’s child nutrition waivers.
Under the leadership of Mayor Giles, the Mayors Alliance will continue to elevate the issue of childhood hunger through direct mayoral outreach in their communities and to national policymakers, will work with the White House to implement the White House Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition and Health; and collaborate on implementing programs and solutions to end child hunger.
For more information about the Mayors Alliance to End Childhood Hunger, visit mayorshungeralliance.org.
