Nourishing Our Future

8:30 am	Registration; Breakfast goodies and coffee/tea available Resource displays and conversation with workshop leaders
9:00-10:30	Welcome, Devotions, Introductions "Nourishing Our Future: Policy, Politics, Action"   – Andrea Faiano
10:30-10:45	Break – refreshments, resource displays
10:45-12:00	Panel Presentations on Local Food Programs and Public Policy: Allentown Collaborative Ministries Neighborhood House   – Cynthia Rader Geyer Women, Infants, Children (WIC) and the Modern WIC Act   – Brian Fitzpatrick (invited) Feeding Lehigh Valley's Unsheltered Residents   – Riley Kreuzer
12:00-1:15pm	Lunch and Policy Plenary Conversation with staff member of Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's office.
1:15-1:30	Wrap-up: What comes next? / Evaluation

Last year, Bread held more that 100 listening sessions, hosted by food pantries, soup kitchens, and other emergency feeding programs to define priorities for legislation focused on child hunger, including WIC (Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program), the Child Tax Credit, increased funding for global child nutrition programs, and reducing food insecurity on college campuses.

• Andrea Faiano is is the State Organizer for Pennsylvania with Bread for the World. Prior to joining Bread, Andrea worked in ministry for The Meeting House, a Brethren in Christ church located in Carlisle, PA. Andrea worked as corporate counsel and compliance in various roles before making the move into ministry. She has a BA from Penn State University in Environmental Economics, a JD from Vanderbilt University Law School and is currently completing her MDiv through a hybrid program with Duke Divinity School. Andrea is passionate about the intersection of faith and policy, and advocacy as a means of discipleship.

• Allentown Collaborative Ministries - Neighborhood House
  Created in 2011 and comprising nearly a dozen Allentown congregations, the Allentown Collaborative Ministries is a multi-denominational organization that serves the community through worship, outreach and mission.
    In 2024 ACM established a Sunday morning program at Christ Lutheran Church called Neighborhood House to provides a safe and secure place of welcome for unhoused neighbors. On Sundays, Neighborhood House provides breakfast and lunch and a safe place to get in out of the cold or heat, in a location central to other outreach support for Alentown's unhoused community. Rev. Cynthia Rader Geyer is pastor of Redeemer Evangelical Lutheran Church, one of the ACM Congregations.
• Women, Infants, Children (WIC) and the Modern WIC Act
  Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick originally introduced the Modern WIC Act in the 2023-24 legislative session.
• Feeding Lehigh Valley's Unsheltered Residents
  Riley Kreuzer leads the Lehigh Conference of Churches Outreach Team which travels throughout the Lehigh Valley to connect with those living unsheltered, to provide supplies and build trusting relationships. He is also a member of the Allentown Commission on Homelessness.