Feeding MI Families Community Food Advocacy Fellowship: Elevating Individuals with Lived Experience of Hunger

Session Summary: This session will share information about the Feeding MI Families Community Food Advocacy Fellowship (CFAF). CFAF supports individuals with lived experience of hunger in becoming knowledgeable and confident community food advocates. The 8-month fellowship includes biweekly knowledge and skill-building webinars, group and individual coaching sessions, and opportunities for networking and community engagement. The first CFAF cohort, completed in October 2024, enrolled 19 fellows from across Michigan. Our evaluation findings demonstrate strong increases in self-efficacy and action around food advocacy among our fellows. Throughout CFAF, fellows advocated for improved summer meal programs, supported food pantries in enhancing neighbor experience, shared knowledge about senior nutrition programs, became ambassadors with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, and joined their local food policy councils. The fellows also immensely enjoyed and benefited from the experience, and now have a statewide network of peer collaborators and supporters. The CFAF model is successful and we are eager to collaborate with community organizations to share our model and expand our impact across the country.