Virginia Governor Ralph S. Northam

WHEREAS, many Virginians across the Commonwealth have difficulty accessing healthy, affordable food for their families; and

WHEREAS, one in eight Virginia children may not know where their next meal will come from; and

WHEREAS, food security is strongly linked to children’s health and academic success, and improving food access is a key tool in supporting improved educational outcomes and the development of a 21^st century workforce; and

WHEREAS, the Children’s Cabinet, “The Way Ahead for Virginia’s Children,” has four key priority areas including Nutrition and Food Security with the goal for all Virginia children to have consistent, reliable access to healthy foods; and

WHEREAS, the Children’s Cabinet has been supported by a stakeholder working group, which includes experts from state agencies, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations; and

WHEREAS, it is critical to raise public awareness of hunger and access to affordable, healthy food throughout communities in Virginia and develop tools to support the work of food access; and

WHEREAS, the Children’s Cabinet and stakeholder working group have created FeedVA to support leaders and organizations in their efforts to increase access to healthy foods in every community and increase their impact in every corner of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, FeedVA provides leaders and organizations across the food system with unprecedented access to data, coordination of programs, and connections to tools and resources; and

WHEREAS, to promote statewide action against hunger, Children’s Cabinet members, stakeholders, food system partners, and others from across the Commonwealth will collectively launch FeedVA.org on September 20, 2019;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Ralph S. Northam, do hereby recognize September 20, 2019, as the 3^rd ANNUAL FEED VIRGINIA DAY OF ACTION in our COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.