Mission:

The Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger fights hunger through education, outreach and advocacy. The Coalition supports food pantries and soup kitchens so they can feed more people in need, helps eligible Philadelphia residents obtain food stamps (SNAP), and advocates for responsible policies that meet the real needs in our community.

How We Fight Hunger:

1 in 4 people in Philadelphia live on the brink of hunger. Because food is a basic need, hunger affects every aspect of a person's life, from health to academic performance to productivity at work.

Founded in 1996, the Coalition Against Hunger takes a comprehensive approach to fighting hunger, addressing a spectrum of needs through three main programs:

The Hunger Fighters Network

 Builds the capacity of many of Philadelphia’s estimated 700 food pantries and soup kitchens through:

• The Walk Against Hunger & 5K Run, an annual event that raises over $250,000 for more than 100 food pantries, soup kitchens and hunger-relief agencies in Southeastern Pennsylvania and South Jersey. 
• The Victory in Partnership (VIP) Project, which networks food pantries and soup kitchens within five regions of Philadelphia, so program coordinators can work together to fight hunger and strengthen the safety net in their communities. The VIP Project also provides programs with funding, training, technology and other tools to improve their programs.
• An annual needs-assessment survey of food pantries and soup kitchens in Philadelphia.  

The SNAP (Food Stamp) Campaign

The Coalition helps eligible Philadelphia residents obtain food stamps (SNAP). Since 2002, the Coalition has assisted more than 38,500 households and now screens 7,000 individuals every year through the:

• Food Stamp Hotline (215-430-0556), which enables residents to apply for SNAP benefits by phone
• In-person screening and application assistance at Philadelphia health centers, career centers and other community sites
• Case management for SNAP applicants or participants wrongly denied benefits. The Coalition resolves most of the 100-plus cases it handles each month

The Policy Center

The Coalition advocates on the local, state and national levels for responsible policies to reduce and prevent hunger in the region. Over the past year, the Coalition has:

• Worked closely with Philadelphia’s Congressional Delegation and local child advocates on federal legislation to preserve Philadelphia School’s District’s universal feeding program, which provides free school meals to more than 121,000 low-income students.   
• Worked with the State Department of Public Welfare to streamline and improve the food stamp application process.

Management

• Executive Director: Carey Morgan
• Community Nutrition Program Manager: Tanya Sen
• Community Organizing Coordinator: Derek Felton
• Policy Center Manager: Julie Zaebst
• Food Stamp Campaign Manager: Natalie Bonomo

Board of Directors

• Anne Ayella, Nutritional Development Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia (Chair)
• Mary Burns, GlaxoSmithKline (Treasurer)
• Vikki Lassiter, African American Collaborative Obesity Research Network
• Jeannine McCullough, People’s Emergency Center 
• Yvette Palmer, Helping Hands for the Hungry
• Robin Rifkin, Health Promotion Council
• Elizabeth M.P. Rubin, The Pincus Family Fund to End Hunger (Secretary)
• Michael Armento, Please Touch Museum
• John Marcoux, Bimbo Bakeries, Inc.
• Katherine Shilenok-Wright, Consultant

Media Contact
Ronna Bolante, Communications Manager
215-769-0659 ext. 110
rbolante@hungercoalition.org  

Location:
1725 Fairmount Avenue, Unit 102
Philadelphia, PA 19130
Main: 215-769-0659
Fax: 215-769-2765    
info@hungercoalition.org