Midwest Food Bank presents at Society of Women Engineers Conference

On March 1, Midwest Food Bank presented at the Society of Women Engineering (SWE) conference in St. Louis. The conference was a part of the SWE conference series, WE Local. Jada Hoerr, MFB's Development & Relations Director presented to SWE members in attendance on the topic of Food Insecurity and World Hunger. It attracted both professional and collegiate members of SWE from across the Midwest and beyond.

Hoerr kicked off the presentation by asking the audience to close their eyes and reflect on their dinner from the previous evening - the way it tasted, how it smelled, the texture as they were eating. She then asked them to recall who was eating with them, the conversation around the table, and their environment when eating. Next, Hoerr challenged the audience to contrast that experience and the emotion with families experiencing food insecurity and uncertainty of where they would source their next meal. She explained that no family forgets the experience of not being able to provide dinner for their children. During the presentation, national and global statistics on food insecurity and malnutrition were shared. The financial and social impacts were also discussed. Hoerr, an engineer by degree and a member of SWE, highlighted the need for problem-solving skills to address the challenges of poverty.

The presentation ended with suggestions on how the audience could take action and be a part of the problem-solving team. Hoerr encouraged the audience to further research the issues of food insecurity through online study and education. She also advocated volunteering at a local food bank or pantry.

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