2014 Iowa Hunger Summit

Iowa Hunger Free Initiative

Learn about the new Iowa Hunger Free Initiative, which will develop community action models for all 99 Iowa Counties, creating thought leaders and facilitating grassroots participation among all stakeholders.

About Ms. Danielle Haddy:

Danielle Haddy joined the Alliance to End Hunger as its Manager of Membership Engagement and Partnerships in 2011.  She is responsible for working with the Alliance’s 90 organizational members- developing and initiating strategies and activities for members to strengthen their internal capacity and leverage their advocacy and programmatic efforts on behalf of poor and hungry people. 

Prior to joining the Alliance, Danielle worked for Governor Martin O’Malley (MD) and was responsible for managing the Administration’s participation in their ‘End Childhood Hunger’ goal, as well as a number of other policy priorities, including:  Education, Homeland Security, and Reducing Violent Crimes.

Danielle received a B.A. with a double-major in Government and Politics and History from the University of Maryland College Park.  Danielle lives in Columbia, MD with her husband.

About Mr. Rick McNary:

Rick McNary is Vice President of Strategic Partnerships for Outreach, Inc.  Rick is an innovator and advocate in the hunger space as evidenced by the creation of the Kansas Hunger Dialogue in conjunction with Universities Fighting World Hunger (UFWH). He served on the UFWH Summit 2013 Planning Committee. He is also the 2012 recipient of a National Innovation Award from the Alliance to End Hunger for his Healthy foods/Hunger Free Community model. He is now Treasurer of the Executive Board for the Alliance to End Hunger in Washington, D.C., and also Chairs the newly formed Alliance to End Hunger Advocacy Committee. He is also a frequent writer and speaker on the topic of hunger and has authored, Hunger Bites: Bite Size Stories of Inspiration.

About Mr. Cory Berkenes:

Cory Berkenes has served as the State Director of the Iowa Food Bank Association since January, 2013. He resides in the Des Moines Area with his wife, Crystal, and two daughters, Elsie and Emerson. 

Berkenes’ current position as State Director of the Iowa Food Bank Association allows him to collaborate with the eight Feeding America Food Banks in the state that serve all 99 counties. He directs the state policy and advocacy efforts for the association, oversees the statewide SNAP outreach contract, manages the state food bank disaster preparedness initiative, and establishes strategies for improved food and fund procurement for food banks. Berkenes currently serves on the Leadership Team of the Food Access and Health Work Group of the Iowa Food Systems Council and co-chairs its policy committee, sits on the Advisory Council of the Iowa Food and Family Project, and has co-lead the Iowa Anti-Hunger Coalition.

About Ms. Heather Graeff:

Heather Graeff is the VISTA Manager at Outreach working on the Hunger-Free Iowa Initiative and overseeing the Outreach VISTA team.  Heather recently graduated from Drake University with a Master of Public Administration with an emphasis in Nonprofit Management.  She had her first exposure to Iowa six years ago, while she was serving as an AmeriCorps NCCC member in Vinton, Iowa.  She instantly fell in love with Iowa and the Iowan people, which lead to her second year of AmeriCorps in the VISTA program serving with the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service.  After her years of service, she knew she wanted to stay in the nonprofit sector and live in the great state of Iowa.  Heather’s background has been in volunteer management and resource development working at various private and public organizations throughout the years.