Skip to main content
2025 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference Main banner
Final Program


Back

    Specific Populations

    Walking Together, Elevating Voices, Amplifying Impact: Project Bread's Council of Experts and Policy Work

    Monday, May 5, 2025
    9:25 AM – 10:15 AM East Coast USA Time
    Session Summary: This panel will explore the work of Project Bread’s Council of Experts with our Policy team, as part of the organization’s strategy to deepen the commitment to working with individuals with lived experiences. The discussion will highlight the integration of the Council into Policy work, sharing examples of how the collaboration was implemented, best practices and lessons learned.
    The Council of Experts, established in 2023, integrates firsthand insights of individuals who have faced food insecurity into decision-making, programming, advocacy, and policy initiatives - ensuring that those most affected play a pivotal role in the fight against food insecurity in Massachusetts.
    One alum shared: "Project Bread has a proven track record of advocating for policies addressing root causes of hunger. I wanted to be part of a movement that goes beyond immediate relief to create lasting change. By joining the council, I gained a platform to help influence policy at local, state, and national levels, advocating for systemic reforms that align with my mission of reducing food insecurity over the long term.”
    Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the impact of creating and sustaining councils of individuals with lived experience. They’ll gain best practices for authentically engaging individuals with lived experience, fostering a collaborative culture of shared goals, mutual learning, and relational partnerships. Participants will learn examples of how to integrate council members into policy and advocacy efforts, such as co-developing policy recommendations, speaking directly with legislators, participating in advocacy campaigns, and serving as public-facing representatives to amplify community advocacy.

    Learning Objectives:

    • Maximizing Engagement and Impact: -This panel is essential for any organization committed to building authentic, impactful partnerships with individuals with lived experience. Attendees will gain practical tools to integrate lived experience into their work, foster leadership development, and empower community-led solutions. Through real examples and a replicable model, this panel offers a roadmap for organizations to build a culture of trust, empowerment, and creative collaboration, ensuring that lived experience is not just a wishful desire but a tangible driving force in advancing anti-hunger solutions. In a time when DEIJ efforts face significant challenges, this work is more critical than ever. It calls on all anti-hunger organizations to unite, prepare, and stand firm in advancing equitable, sustainable solutions. By centering lived experience, we strengthen our collective fight against systemic inequities and move closer to ending hunger together. This session is not just about doing better work - it’s about doing the right work, even when it is hard, and inspiring others to do the same. -Discuss the deeper commitments required from organizations to ensure success, including accommodations, appropriate compensation, and balancing power dynamics to promote equitable partnerships.
    • Case Study: -Understand how lived experience can be authentically and continually integrated in an organization’s day to day work, strategies and priorities, with a specific focus on Policy and Advocacy. -Explore strategies for ongoing collaboration with individuals with lived experience, promoting leadership development, and valuing their unique experiences, perspectives, and aspirations - regardless of their technical expertise in an organization’s specific functional area. -How to walk the talk and really empower community-led solutions using best practices and lessons learned from a proven strategy. -Learn strategies to engage people with lived experience as genuine long-term partners, representatives, and advisors to your organization's mission, even beyond a council member’s term.
    • Best Practices: -Practical insights on engaging people with lived experiences in long term partnerships effectively and fostering an inclusive, collaborative culture. -Learn how to value and integrate people with lived experiences’ assets, perspectives and aspirations regardless of their level of technical expertise in a particular area. -Examples of how such programs can lead to meaningful advocacy and policy initiatives that maximize your organization’s impact and results. -Inspiration to do the right thing, even when it is not easy. -Best practices for working together with diverse groups of experts and leveraging their contributions to advance Policy and Advocacy goals. -Strategies for creating a culture where both people of lived experience and internal staff view the collaboration as mutually beneficial and aligned with shared goals. -Discuss the replicability of this model for other organizations, while addressing the challenges and resources required to implement it successfully and with actionable takeaways.