Advocacy Mission Statement
“Identify the root causes of hunger specific to our region, while integrating the experiences and voices of our community members to most effectively advocate for sustainable change in our food systems and eliminate food insecurity.”
Advocacy
Food banks play a critical role in ending hunger, but we can’t do it alone. The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano strategically engages in advocacy work to raise awareness and mobilize support to end hunger, improve economic security and promote health and well being for our community. This includes educating the public and policymakers about food insecurity and encouraging them to partner with us to improve access to healthy food.
Hunger in Our Community
Why We Advocate
Public policy has an enormous impact on the resources the Food Bank is able to distribute, as well as the amount of assistance needed by our community. Ending hunger is not only about providing emergency food to people in need – it also means taking action and organizing to pass legislation that supports the Food Bank’s long-term strategies to ensure universal access to sufficient, affordable and nutritious food.
Join Us
Speaker Series
Our annual advocacy training program for community members with lived experience and those passionate about ending hunger. This program amplifies the voices of those impacted by food insecurity and provides the tools to effectively advocate.
Community Advocacy Partnership (CAP)
Our Speaker Series graduates are invited to join this partnership as CAP members to advance the Food Bank’s mission of fighting hunger through the legislative process, while engaging in professional development.
Advocacy Internship
Current high school and higher education students have the opportunity to apply to join our advocacy team for our Advocacy Internship. For more details or to apply visit our advocacy internship page.
Advocate to End Hunger
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More in Advocacy
2024
The Brief | October 2024
- Legislative updates
- Speaker Series applications are open now for 2025
- Food Bank News’ 2024 Advocacy Honor Roll
- Farm Bill facts
The Brief | August 2024
- Hosting Rep. Thompson at our Fairfield warehouse
- Summer planning with our Community Advocacy Partnership
- Act with us: Urge Congress to protect CalFresh and TEFAP
The Brief | July 2024
- Community Advocates take on DC!
- Keva Dean speaks on the power of storytelling at SF-Marin Food Bank
- State hunger wins
The Brief | June 2024
- National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference and lobby day in DC
- Community Advocates take the stage at CAFB’s Food Access Conference – watch the full session
- State budget update
A Special Farewell | June 2024
- A Special Farewell to Cassidie Bates
The Brief | May 2024
- Hunger Action Day at the State Capitol
- 2024 Legislative Agenda
- Farm Bill Update
The Brief | April 2024
- Speaker Series 2024 graduation
- Join us in Sacramento for Hunger Action Day
The Brief | March 2024
- Farm Bill Advocacy Continues on Capitol Hill
- Ask Congress to Fund TEFAP
- Community Advocates Speak at FESP Advocacy Training
- Coming Soon: 2024 Legislative Agenda
The Brief | February 2024
- CAP advocates visit East Bay Health’s teaching kitchen
- CAP Advocate Bryan Espinoza shares his story at the IMAGINE Legislative Briefing
- Welcoming the Speaker Series class of 2024
The Brief | January 2024
- A year in review
2023
The Brief | November 2023
- Apply for the 2024 Speaker Series
- BoxLunch Holiday Gala Honoring Feeding America
- Government shutdown update
The Brief | October 2023
- Farm Bill fly-in on Capitol Hill
- Hunger Action Month successes
ELECTED OFFICIALS
We work directly with elected officials at the local, state and federal levels to ensure that the voices and experiences of our impacted community members are reflected in relevant public policy work.
COMMUNITY ADVOCATES
We have the honor of learning from and working with community members with lived experiences of hunger and those who are passionate about food security solutions. This qualitative insight guides our advocacy education and legislative steering. You can find details below about the many ways to be a community advocate.
Meet our current community advocates.
PARTNERS
All that we achieve in advocacy is in-part due to our collective power. We are fortunate to have partnerships throughout our region, state and nation that make our work so effective.
STAFF
The Food Bank’s Advocacy team also includes one full-time employees: Hailey Argueta-Solares, Advocacy and Policy Manager.
Advocacy Hall of Fame and Food Bank News’ Highest Honor Roll
The Food Bank was inducted into Feeding America’s Advocacy Hall of Fame in 2020 and has earned a spot on this list every year since!
The Food Bank also earned a top spot on the Food Bank News’ High Honor Roll for excellence in advocacy each year: 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
2023 Hunger Fighter Award – Cassidie Carmen Bates
During #HungerActionWeek, our very own Cassidie Carmen Bates was presented the community Hunger Fighter Award by California Hunger Action Coalition (CHAC). The Hunger Fighter awards are given annually to honor two Californians and two elected officials who have been advocacy champions in the fight to end hunger in their communities and across California.
2022 Hunger Fighter Award – Keva Dean
Keva Dean is a community advocate with the Food Bank and the 2022 recipient of the statewide Hunger Fighter Award. The award was presented by the California Hunger Action Coalition (CHAC) during Hunger Action Week. Introduction for the award was given by Food Bank Government and Public Affairs Manager, Cassidie Carmen Bates.
Feeding America Conference
Feeding America Conference Session video with Food Bank Hunger Fighters
Speaker Series
Speaker Series 2023 video
Speaker Series 2022 video
Speaker Series 2021 video
Legislative Lunch Series
Legislative Lunch 2021 video
Resources & Contacts
For more information about Food Bank advocacy, contact Advocacy and Policy Manager, Hailey Argueta-Solares, at hsolares@foodbankccs.org or 925-917-6200.
