Feeding America CEO addresses rising hunger crisis in US
Louisiana First News
[{'start': '0.160', 'end': '6.480', 'text': "We have done television as long as I've"}, {'start': '2.480', 'end': '8.880', 'text': 'done and done every type of story and'}, {'start': '6.480', 'end': '12.080', 'text': 'interviewed every type of person. There'}, {'start': '8.880', 'end': '16.720', 'text': 'are a few that rise to the top and stand'}, {'start': '12.080', 'end': '20.080', 'text': 'out. Claire Babino Fontau, who is the'}, {'start': '16.720', 'end': '22.960', 'text': 'head of Feeding America, the CEO. You'}, {'start': '20.080', 'end': '24.160', 'text': 'are in that category if not at the top.'}, {'start': '22.960', 'end': '26.240', 'text': "And I'm not just saying that because"}, {'start': '24.160', 'end': '28.480', 'text': "you're here, but I saw you at a lunchon"}, {'start': '26.240', 'end': '30.800', 'text': "today. You're being honored tomorrow as"}, {'start': '28.480', 'end': '32.079', 'text': 'an LPB legend. Yes. And I came up to'}, {'start': '30.800', 'end': '34.079', 'text': 'you, whispered in your ear, and said,'}, {'start': '32.079', 'end': '37.200', 'text': '"If you have a second, I\'d love to talk'}, {'start': '34.079', 'end': '39.120', 'text': 'to you. And I just want to give you time'}, {'start': '37.200', 'end': '41.440', 'text': 'to say whatever\'s on your heart." And I'}, {'start': '39.120', 'end': '43.680', 'text': 'have a feeling I have an idea what that'}, {'start': '41.440', 'end': '46.160', 'text': 'might be, especially in this time. Great'}, {'start': '43.680', 'end': '47.920', 'text': 'to see you. Great to see you again.'}, {'start': '46.160', 'end': '49.680', 'text': 'Thank you so much for your generous'}, {'start': '47.920', 'end': '51.840', 'text': 'invitation to be here. Thank you for'}, {'start': '49.680', 'end': '55.280', 'text': 'being here. And um as you said, you'}, {'start': '51.840', 'end': '57.680', 'text': "probably know what's on my heart. So,"}, {'start': '55.280', 'end': '61.440', 'text': "um, what's on my heart, what's in my"}, {'start': '57.680', 'end': '63.120', 'text': 'heart is is a strong desire to be'}, {'start': '61.440', 'end': '65.600', 'text': 'helpful to people experiencing hunger'}, {'start': '63.120', 'end': '69.040', 'text': 'across this country. And many are and'}, {'start': '65.600', 'end': '71.520', 'text': 'many many are nearly 50 million in the'}, {'start': '69.040', 'end': '73.280', 'text': 'United States. Nearly 14 million are'}, {'start': '71.520', 'end': '76.479', 'text': 'kids.'}, {'start': '73.280', 'end': '79.119', 'text': "And um you know I'm a Babinof Fontno"}, {'start': '76.479', 'end': '81.840', 'text': 'from Appaloosis from Opaloosis'}, {'start': '79.119', 'end': '85.200', 'text': 'in the great state of Louisiana and time'}, {'start': '81.840', 'end': '87.200', 'text': 'woman of the year in 2025 among an'}, {'start': '85.200', 'end': '89.200', 'text': 'unbelievable amount of other honors. Oh,'}, {'start': '87.200', 'end': '91.520', 'text': 'thank you deservedly. Thank you so much.'}, {'start': '89.200', 'end': '94.159', 'text': "And I I don't know that that deserve"}, {'start': '91.520', 'end': '98.320', 'text': 'feels like an odd word for it, but but'}, {'start': '94.159', 'end': '100.000', 'text': 'certainly I I try I try hard and and'}, {'start': '98.320', 'end': '101.439', 'text': 'everything I learned about service I'}, {'start': '100.000', 'end': '104.159', 'text': 'learned right here in the great state of'}, {'start': '101.439', 'end': '106.880', 'text': 'Louisiana. Um everything I want for'}, {'start': '104.159', 'end': '109.119', 'text': 'people is are the kinds of things that I'}, {'start': '106.880', 'end': '111.759', 'text': 'was able to have because of the way that'}, {'start': '109.119', 'end': '114.040', 'text': 'this state nurtured me. So having an'}, {'start': '111.759', 'end': '116.560', 'text': 'opportunity to be here to talk to you'}, {'start': '114.040', 'end': '118.320', 'text': 'again and to talk about these issues'}, {'start': '116.560', 'end': '120.399', 'text': 'with people that I care so much about is'}, {'start': '118.320', 'end': '123.439', 'text': 'important to me. How are you navigating'}, {'start': '120.399', 'end': '126.280', 'text': 'the current climate with food'}, {'start': '123.439', 'end': '129.200', 'text': 'insecurity, hunger,'}, {'start': '126.280', 'end': '131.920', 'text': 'and where do you see it going? I know'}, {'start': '129.200', 'end': '133.599', 'text': "you see it going well because you're"}, {'start': '131.920', 'end': '136.640', 'text': "relentless and you'll make it happen,"}, {'start': '133.599', 'end': '138.879', 'text': 'but uh people are still hungry. People'}, {'start': '136.640', 'end': '142.400', 'text': 'are People are. And one of the best'}, {'start': '138.879', 'end': '144.560', 'text': 'things about Feeding America is that we'}, {'start': '142.400', 'end': '146.959', 'text': 'we we are a network that includes over'}, {'start': '144.560', 'end': '149.440', 'text': '200 food banks across the country. We'}, {'start': '146.959', 'end': '150.280', 'text': 'have agency partners and meal programs,'}, {'start': '149.440', 'end': '153.120', 'text': 'over'}, {'start': '150.280', 'end': '154.640', 'text': '60,000 all across the country. Partner'}, {'start': '153.120', 'end': '156.879', 'text': 'state associations like Feeding'}, {'start': '154.640', 'end': '158.959', 'text': 'Louisiana right here. We have five food'}, {'start': '156.879', 'end': '160.959', 'text': 'banks in the state of Louisiana. We'}, {'start': '158.959', 'end': '163.280', 'text': 'touch the Northeast, the Northwest, we'}, {'start': '160.959', 'end': '165.519', 'text': 'touch Simla, we touch Baton Rouge, and'}, {'start': '163.280', 'end': '169.280', 'text': 'we touch New Orleans and Acadiana. So,'}, {'start': '165.519', 'end': '171.680', 'text': 'we cover the whole state. Um, and and'}, {'start': '169.280', 'end': '173.360', 'text': 'and people are really struggling out'}, {'start': '171.680', 'end': '176.480', 'text': 'there. Uh, unfortunately, food'}, {'start': '173.360', 'end': '178.239', 'text': 'insecurity rates have been going up. But'}, {'start': '176.480', 'end': '181.680', 'text': 'one of the great things about our'}, {'start': '178.239', 'end': '184.400', 'text': 'network is that we focus on the people'}, {'start': '181.680', 'end': '187.400', 'text': "and we focus on policy and we don't"}, {'start': '184.400', 'end': '189.239', 'text': 'focus on politics at all. We are'}, {'start': '187.400', 'end': '191.760', 'text': 'nonpartisan organization, not'}, {'start': '189.239', 'end': '195.040', 'text': 'bipartisan, nonpartisan, right,'}, {'start': '191.760', 'end': '198.159', 'text': 'organization. Uh I I fundamentally'}, {'start': '195.040', 'end': '200.720', 'text': 'believe that uh people of all stripes'}, {'start': '198.159', 'end': '202.760', 'text': 'want to be helpful and that this is the'}, {'start': '200.720', 'end': '205.920', 'text': 'kind of issue that we can really come'}, {'start': '202.760', 'end': '207.760', 'text': "together around. We've seen that um"}, {'start': '205.920', 'end': '209.480', 'text': "throughout the time that we've been"}, {'start': '207.760', 'end': '211.280', 'text': 'doing this work. If you go to'}, {'start': '209.480', 'end': '213.200', 'text': 'feedingamea.org, we actually have'}, {'start': '211.280', 'end': '215.040', 'text': "something on the website. It's a food"}, {'start': '213.200', 'end': '216.560', 'text': 'bank locator. You just put in the zip'}, {'start': '215.040', 'end': '218.640', 'text': 'code of the community that you care the'}, {'start': '216.560', 'end': '220.239', 'text': 'most about, right? And what will pop up'}, {'start': '218.640', 'end': '222.159', 'text': "is the name of a food bank that's"}, {'start': '220.239', 'end': '224.159', 'text': 'serving that community and then reach'}, {'start': '222.159', 'end': '225.760', 'text': "out to them. They'll find ways for you"}, {'start': '224.159', 'end': '227.519', 'text': 'to help. Ask them what they need and'}, {'start': '225.760', 'end': '229.239', 'text': "they'll they'll they'll give you an"}, {'start': '227.519', 'end': '231.200', 'text': "opportunity. So sometimes it's"}, {'start': '229.239', 'end': '232.959', 'text': "volunteer. Maybe you don't have"}, {'start': '231.200', 'end': '235.040', 'text': 'financial resources, but you have some'}, {'start': '232.959', 'end': '236.560', 'text': 'time. You can volunteer and that'}, {'start': '235.040', 'end': '238.799', 'text': 'matters. We have over a million'}, {'start': '236.560', 'end': '240.560', 'text': 'volunteers across the country. Think'}, {'start': '238.799', 'end': '242.159', 'text': 'about how much additionally it would'}, {'start': '240.560', 'end': '244.640', 'text': 'cost and how much less money we would'}, {'start': '242.159', 'end': '247.200', 'text': 'have for food if we had to hire as many'}, {'start': '244.640', 'end': '248.959', 'text': 'people as we get support from those'}, {'start': '247.200', 'end': '251.519', 'text': "volunteers. So they're critical part of"}, {'start': '248.959', 'end': '254.799', 'text': 'what we do. Um another thing is you can'}, {'start': '251.519', 'end': '257.040', 'text': 'donate food itself. Yes. So go to a'}, {'start': '254.799', 'end': '258.560', 'text': 'pantry, go to a food bank, donate food.'}, {'start': '257.040', 'end': '261.199', 'text': 'And the other thing is you can always'}, {'start': '258.560', 'end': '264.080', 'text': "donate funds, right? And we're actually"}, {'start': '261.199', 'end': '267.440', 'text': 'able because we can scale things. We can'}, {'start': '264.080', 'end': '269.520', 'text': 'actually uh our dollars go farther than'}, {'start': '267.440', 'end': '271.680', 'text': 'a typical household Exactly. dollar'}, {'start': '269.520', 'end': '274.639', 'text': 'goes. So, we encourage you to donate'}, {'start': '271.680', 'end': '278.400', 'text': "funds, but we don't it doesn't have to"}, {'start': '274.639', 'end': '280.720', 'text': "there's not just one way to help. Um"}, {'start': '278.400', 'end': '284.160', 'text': 'this issue impacts every single one of'}, {'start': '280.720', 'end': '285.759', 'text': 'us. Um every single one of us has an'}, {'start': '284.160', 'end': '288.240', 'text': 'opportunity to be a part of something'}, {'start': '285.759', 'end': '291.360', 'text': 'positive to change it. So, I hope people'}, {'start': '288.240', 'end': '294.639', 'text': "will. Thank you so much. I'm so glad I"}, {'start': '291.360', 'end': '296.639', 'text': "ran into you. It's It's like Christmas"}, {'start': '294.639', 'end': '299.759', 'text': 'seeing you. And I thought as I left the'}, {'start': '296.639', 'end': '301.440', 'text': "lunchon today, I thought if you're"}, {'start': '299.759', 'end': '303.080', 'text': "hungry and if you don't know where your"}, {'start': '301.440', 'end': '306.320', 'text': 'next meal'}, {'start': '303.080', 'end': '308.560', 'text': 'is, I wonder what else you even have the'}, {'start': '306.320', 'end': '310.320', 'text': "capacity to think about. Yes. If you're"}, {'start': '308.560', 'end': '312.039', 'text': 'hungry all the time, and a lot of people'}, {'start': '310.320', 'end': '317.360', 'text': 'are,'}, {'start': '312.039', 'end': '320.000', 'text': "you're so precisely correct. And and"}, {'start': '317.360', 'end': '321.759', 'text': 'when you solve for hunger, then when'}, {'start': '320.000', 'end': '324.160', 'text': 'people have a good answer to that'}, {'start': '321.759', 'end': '326.880', 'text': 'question, all kinds of other wonderful'}, {'start': '324.160', 'end': '329.280', 'text': 'possibilities happen after that. It'}, {'start': '326.880', 'end': '331.199', 'text': "builds from there, right? So there's not"}, {'start': '329.280', 'end': '334.080', 'text': "one person who doesn't who isn't"}, {'start': '331.199', 'end': '336.320', 'text': 'positively impacted in society when we'}, {'start': '334.080', 'end': '340.479', 'text': 'make sure everybody gets enough to eat.'}, {'start': '336.320', 'end': '340.479', 'text': "That's true. I agree with you."}]