Forecaster interviews Wertheim about hunger summit
The Forecaster interviewed Frank Wertheim, an Extension educator in agriculture and horticulture with University of Maine Cooperative Extension, for an article about the Universities Fighting World Hunger Summit. The summit will be held in Maine for the first time March 14–16 at the University of Southern Maine in Portland, and is co-sponsored by the USM Food Studies Program, UMaine Extension, and the Maine Campus Compact. More than 500 students, faculty and activists are expected to attend, with a goal of inspiring and encouraging students in all disciplines to learn about the root causes of hunger and come up with solutions, the article states. “In order to solve the problem of world hunger, we have to reach out to the leaders of tomorrow,” said Wertheim, one of the summit’s organizers. “A lot of college students are already interested in community engagement and making a difference. What we hope to do is inspire that passion and channel that into action. We can’t donate our way out of (food insecurity), so ultimately changes in policy will be necessary.” According to Wertheim, the issue of food insecurity has increased over time, with demand going up at food pantries and soup kitchens, and Maine consistently ranking among the states with the most people facing hunger. “We’re trending in the wrong direction,” said Wertheim. “Part of what we’re looking at is where food comes from and how it’s distributed. We have enough food, it’s just a problem of access (and cost). There’s no question we need to look at this issue comprehensively and (build) political will.”