Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano

Building Blocks Mini-Grants: Turning lived experience into advocacy

About:

The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano is leading the fight to end hunger by bringing nutritious food directly to the places where people live and work. In partnership with the community and local nonprofit agencies, free food programs are provided every day making it easier for neighbors in need to access the food and support they deserve.

https://www.foodbankccs.org/

Overview of Project:

The Food Bank delivered their six-week Speaker Series program, now called Voices for Change, designed to help caregivers and community members affected by hunger build skills in storytelling, public speaking, and advocacy. Participants had opportunities to apply these skills through legislative and community engagement, using their lived experiences to inform conversations and advocate for change.

Accomplishments:

Participants moved from practicing their stories in a supportive virtual setting to sharing their experiences directly with policymakers and participating in public policy advocacy.

  • 10 participants completed the six-week Speaker Series and strengthened their storytelling, public speaking, and advocacy skills
  • 1 graduate testified at a State Assembly hearing, sharing their lived experience directly with state policymakers
  • 3 graduates traveled to Sacramento for Hunger Action Day and participated in advocacy with legislators

The Speaker Series put advocacy training into action, empowering participants to use their lived experiences to engage directly with policymakers and advocate for change.

 

A group of people stand outdoors, some holding certificates and smiling at the camera. There are trees and picnic tables in the background, and the setting is bright and sunny. A group of people smiling and posing together in a kitchen, with cakes and desserts on a table in front of them. One person is in a wheelchair. The setting appears to be cheerful and communal.

Two people, one in a navy suit and one in a blue shirt and tie, stand smiling outside a large building with arched doorways and columns. Several other people are in the background.

A group of eight people, smiling and posing together in an office with large windows, a television, and wall art. Some are seated and some are standing. Everyone looks friendly and happy.

A thin horizontal teal line runs across the center of a light gray background.

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