Episode 152: Collaboration Versus Empowerment
About the Podcast
In this 10-minute “Candid Clancy”, Clancy talks about the capacity to work together to uplift one another—setting aside our own egoic desire to be the one with the best idea and the most funding. This empowers us to contribute to something greater than ourselves.
About Clancy Harrison
As a registered dietitian, TEDx speaker, international speaker, and author, Clancy Harrison challenges the way food insecurity is approached in the US. Her mission to demolish the stigma around healthy food access places her on the cutting edge of advocacy.
Clancy is the founder of the Food Dignity® Project, a strategic program for leaders who want to shift how they approach nutrition outreach by making healthy food access a priority. She transforms the lives of thousands of people through her work with corporations, non-profit organizations, and universities.
Currently, Clancy is an advisory board member for the Pennsylvania American Academy of Pediatrics Food Insecurity EPIC program, Ambassador of the National Dairy Council, and the President of the Al Beech West Side Food Pantry. Since the onset of COVID-19 Clancy has distributed nearly 1 million meals in her community to improve access to healthy food through effective collaborations.
Discussion Takeaways
- Recently, Clancy took part in a global forum called, “Agriculture for Health: Priority Setting to Solve the Ultimate Grand Challenge”. It took on policy change as it relates to hunger, nutrition, and agriculture. There were about 60 people in the room representing farmers, researchers, the US Department of Agriculture, the United Nations, other influencers and nonprofit leaders.
- During a breakout discussion, someone in Clancy’s group said, “Poor people don’t want to eat healthy.” Clancy heard that, and her heart sank. She had to respond honestly with some of her on-the-ground experience.
- At Food Dignity, we don’t approach solutions by being behind a desk. We approach our solutions by working directly with those struggling with food access. We ask questions with compassion and curiosity and strive to include the voices of the people we support.
- Just because someone who is food insecure doesn’t eat vegetables and fruits, that does not mean they do not want to eat healthy. Consider this: maybe people don’t have easy access to produce in a drivable distance from their home. They might not have transportation. Their grocery stores might only have a selection of rotten stuff. Is their fridge working?
- Clancy has seen people cry when receiving fresh produce because they can now follow their doctor’s advice. Kids have sprinted up for produce during summer meals programming as if Clancy’s car was the ice cream truck.
#1 tip to improve access to healthy food
- People make their choices based on their options. Not everyone has the same options.
Each week on the Food Dignity® Podcast, the Food Dignity® Movement’s Clancy Harrison hosts a wide variety of hunger experts and other people making changes on the frontlines. Join us as we dive deep into conversations that will change the way you think about food insecurity.
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