Will Our Next Governor Tackle Hunger?

Among the candidates running forGovernor, who wants to end hunger in Pennsylvania?

At its December 10th meeting, Hunger Action's Board of Directors raised that question with the four leading campaigns. To no one's surprise representatives of Bob Casey, Barbara Hafer, Ed Rendell and Mike Fisher all answered in the affirmative.

Just how would that be accomplished?

Maureen McCullough, senior policy advisor to the Casey campaign, emphasized commitments her candidate had already made to strengthen nutrition programs. "Since 1997 Bob Casey has repeatedly called for the renewal of state WIC funding. And his school audits consistently have called on school districts to implement the breakfast program." Casey also supports the use of TANF funds to expand participation in the Summer Food Program.

"Our strong economy over the past several years has not reached all Pennsylvanians," said McCullough. "And we have failed to maximize federal resources that would help us deal with our problems. Bob Casey would change that."

Dorothy Childress, consultant to the Hafer campaign on children's policy, focused on the need to improve access to publicly funded nutrition programs. "Barbara Hafer is committed to programs that provide good public service. These programs shouldn't be rabbit warrens where people have to guess how to get help. Unfortunately, it is the most needy who often encounter the most difficulty."

"Barbara Hafer started her career as a public health nurse in the Mon Valley. That experience has continued to shape her," Childress said. In response to a question about the Early Childhood Initiative of the Ridge/Schweiker Administration, Childress noted the need for a clearer focus and more attention to childhood nutrition.

Mark Singel, senior strategist in the Rendell campaign and Lieutenant Governor from 1987 through 1995, was critical of the missed opportunity to use a small portion of the huge surpluses of the past seven years to end hunger. Looking ahead, state finances will be extremely tight. "Ed Rendell will look for systemic solutions and to the use of federal waivers to make nutrition programs more effective - not just more money."

Singel also emphasized his candidate's personal qualities. "Ed Rendell has had just the right seasoning to be a great Governor. He's made tough decisions. He's seen poverty up close and it's personal for him. The changes he's made that have helped people - that's what he talks about in his private moments."

Kent Gates, campaign manager for the Fisher campaign, emphasized the continuity between his candidate's agenda and policies of the Ridge Administration. "Mike Fisher won't do anything that would lead to a tax increase. In the end, it comes down to jobs."

"A Fisher Administration would not have great resistance to maximizing federal dollars as part of the effort to end hunger," Gates said, "but it would be done in a holistic way. We shouldn't view this as a 'hunger and nutrition' issue. It's a community development issue." As a model of that approach, Gates described the work of Allegheny County to relocate the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank to Duquesne.

While the campaign representatives stumped for their candidates, Hunger Action Directors raised some tough issues.

Pat Temple-West, director of food programs for the Philadelphia Archdiocese, asked how nutrition programs would be administered by the next Governor. "We are seeing a major shift from public programs to private charities with little attention to whether this is a good thing. We are seeing significant changes in the daily lives of low-income families because of welfare reform. At the state level, five or six executive agencies are involved in nutrition programming, often without a coordinated response to these changes."

Marcia Freed, director of marketing at Capital Blue Cross, emphasized the connection between nutrition and good health. "This is how we give our children a fair start in life - making sure they have a nutritious diet. My experience with CHIP suggests government can play an important part in making this happen."

The Commonwealth's slowing revenue flow was a frequent part of the conversations. With a recession underway, will there be funds available to strengthen nutrition programs? Patrick Druhan, director of food programs for the Community Action Agency of Montgomery County, emphasized that social spending is one of the most effective ways for Pennsylvania to support economic recovery. Bill Whitaker, Dean of the School of Social Work at Marywood University, highlighted the opportunity to use federal nutrition programs more effectively. "By the investment of $5 million in state funds, we can pull in ten times that amount in federal nutrition dollars. We won't end hunger if we continue ignoring this opportunity."

"Food security is a lot like clean water," said Jim Williams, a patient advocate and national spokesman for cancer awareness. "We shouldn't be sitting here debating whether or not we can afford to get it done. If the commitment is there, we have the resources to get it done."

President Teresa Amott asked the representatives to convey the Board's concerns to their candidates and to build public support for food security throughout the campaign. "It may not be something that our candidates want to talk about because it's embarrassing to admit that hunger remains a problem. But it's part of leadership to find a way through that."

The campaigns are expected to intensify after the holiday season. The primary election will be held May 21.

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