From Capitol Hill to the Community: A Year of Advocacy, Action, and Impact

As we close out the year, Hungry Harvest is proud to reflect on a season rooted in purpose, partnership, and policy action. Throughout 2025, our team showed up on Capitol Hill, in coalition spaces, and at the local level to advance Food is Medicine as a critical part of healthcare.

Earlier this year, members of Hungry Harvest’s Social Impact team participated in Food is Medicine Advocacy Day in Washington, D.C., joining healthcare providers, patient advocates, researchers, and community partners to meet with members of Congress. CEO Evan Lutz, alongside team members Whitney Ashhead and Lauren Kornegay, took part in these conversations to share how access to healthy groceries, ready-to-eat meals, and produce prescriptions can prevent and manage chronic disease while reducing healthcare costs.

**Photo:** Dave Sametz of Sifter Solutions, Inc. and Lauren Kornegay of Hungry Harvest during a legislative meeting at NPPC’s Day(s) of Action.

Hungry Harvest also strengthened its federal advocacy by signing on to a joint letter with more than 120 organizations urging House and Senate Appropriations leaders to prioritize nutrition research and Food is Medicine initiatives in the FY26 budget. At the federal level, our advocacy continued through participation in NPPC Day(s) of Action, where Hungry Harvest joined partners to engage policymakers and advocate for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) policies that expand access to Food is Medicine interventions.

At the local level, Hungry Harvest supported Food as Medicine policy efforts in Prince George’s County, including advocacy in support of Bill CB-067-2025, which advances food-based approaches to chronic disease prevention and long-term health.

**Photo:** Congressman Glenn Ivey with Hungry Harvest CEO Evan Lutz during the Congressman’s visit to Hungry Harvest’s Landover warehouse.

In July, Congressman Glenn Ivey visited Hungry Harvest’s 60,000-square-foot warehouse in Landover, Maryland, where he saw firsthand how rescuing surplus produce reduces food waste and expands access to fresh, affordable food. Congressman Ivey praised Hungry Harvest’s community-centered model and emphasized the importance of protecting programs like SNAP, Medicare, and Medicaid to ensure families can access nutritious food.

Ending the year this way reflects what we believe at Hungry Harvest: food access should be available to everyone, healthier eating is foundational to long-term health, and food is medicine. As we look ahead, we remain committed to advancing policy solutions that connect food, health, and equity🧡