Eleven George Washington University students and alumni served as ambassadors at the fourth annual Gen Z Food and Hunger Summit on Capitol Hill. Held this year on July 14 and 15, the summit focused on inspiring the next generation of leaders to address food insecurity, learn advocacy and gain useful skills in the movement to end hunger.
The summit, hosted by the Congressional Hunger Center and Food Systems Collaborative, brought together college students from around the country to learn about food policy through workshops, discussions and real-world advocacy, including having meetings with congressional offices in order to champion legislation. The ambassadors engaged with Hill offices on four different bills that covered: college student hunger, food waste, humanitarian food aid and modernizing access to a maternal nutrition program.
GW’s Global Food Institute (GFI) was a partner host of the summit and sponsored students and alumni to attend. GFI staff and faculty also mentored and guided ambassadors on their Hill visits.
GW Milken Institute School of Public Health master’s candidate Marian Winters was one of GW’s ambassadors. She became passionate about tackling food insecurity after spending time volunteering at the campus food pantry as an undergraduate student at the University of South Carolina.
“Seeing how many students were struggling to get their next meal made me want to do something about it,” Winters said.
That experience motivated her to become involved in food and nutrition research and inspired her to continue her education by pursuing a master’s in public health with a concentration in health policy at GW. She also works as a graduate student project assistant with GFI.
Winters wanted to attend the summit to gain hands-on experience advocating for meaningful policy on Capitol Hill.
“Food insecurity is such an important issue because no one should have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” Winters said. “In the U.S., this really is not a food shortage problem. It comes down to how we are prioritizing and allocating resources, how solutions are implemented, and where our programs and policies fall short.”
At the summit, Winters advocated for the Closing the College Hunger Gap Act, H.R. 777, which would require the U.S. Department of Education to notify certain students who submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that they may be eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The bill specifically applies to students with the highest levels of financial need.
“This issue is close to my heart, as I saw firsthand on my own college campus how much food insecurity affected students' well-being and academic success,” Winters said.
One of the most meaningful parts of the experience for Winters was seeing how impactful congressional advocacy can be.
She learned that because advocates may only have a few minutes of a lawmaker’s or staff member’s time, it’s important to be concise and frame an issue in a way that aligns with the office’s priorities and makes a stronger case for the bill.
“I plan to continue reaching out to congressional offices in my future work. Because lawmakers and staffers are so busy, they are not always aware of specific bills or issues, so advocating can make a big difference,” Winters said.
Another highlight of the event was hearing from Rep. James McGovern (D-Mass), who gave a keynote encouraging the young advocates to use their voices and experiences to push for change.
“Seeing that we had drawn real attention to food insecurity was so rewarding, and it reinforced for me how important it is to stay vocal on this issue,” Winters said. “Gen Z has such a big role to play in addressing food insecurity, and we need more young leaders stepping up and using their voices to advocate for food and nutrition issues.”
Catherine Leblanc, M.P.H. ’26, attended the summit as an alumni ambassador for GW. She graduated in May with a master’s in public health and a concentration in public health nutrition.
She wanted to attend the summit for the opportunity to connect with others in her generation who want to create change, the same way she does.
“As someone who has experienced food insecurity in the past, this is an issue I care about deeply. I hope to help reshape our food system so that food insecurity is no longer something anyone has to face,” Leblanc said. “To me, food insecurity is a problem manufactured by our fractured and unsustainable food system. Globally, we produce enough food to feed everyone, yet people still go hungry.”
She highlighted the far-reaching consequences of food insecurity, including its links to chronic disease, poorer outcomes in school and work and negative impacts on mental health.
At the summit, she was able to collaborate with students from across the country and attend panels featuring policy experts and advocacy leaders.
She learned a lot from the experience, including the preparation needed for effective advocacy and the most effective ways to speak with members of Congress and their staff on critical issues.
“My experience at the Gen Z Food and Hunger Summit reinforced that my passion is working directly on food systems and food insecurity, and it gave me more confidence in the direction I want to pursue,” Leblanc said.
