The World Food Prize Foundation

2015 Iowa Hunger Summit

Addressing Hunger through Community Collaboration

Speaker Mr. Cory Berkenes - State Director, Iowa Food Bank Association
Ms. Barbara Prather - Executive Director, Northeast Iowa Food Bank
Ms. Jill Krall - Executive Director, Waverly-Shell Rock Area United Way
Ms. Kate Pauly - Child & Youth Program Coordinator, Food Bank of Iowa
Ms. Lyn Marchant - Community School Coordinator, Des Moines Public Schools
Schedule Breakout Sessions, Round Two (10/13/2015 2:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.)

We all understand the importance of working together - but do you know how to put that understanding and dedication into action within your own community? Hunger is a global issue; yet, change often begins on the local level. Attendees will have the opportunity learn about different community collaborations across the state, how they’re positively impacting their community, and how specific local successes are inspiring and leveraging change within the region and state.

Following a presentation by a panel of community collaborators, attendees will have the opportunity to share their experiences.  A frank discussion among attendees, presenters, and panel members is the perfect recipe for inspired action. Attendees should come eager to learn and share. Attendees will leave inspired and energized. Are you ready to take the next step and create change within your own community? Join us for this lively discussion!

Organized by the Iowa Food Bank Association

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. Barbara Prather:

Barb Prather has been the Executive Director of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank in Waterloo for 16 years and currently serves as the Iowa Food Bank Association Board Chair. In 2013, the Food Bank, under her leadership, completed a $6.5 million capital campaign for a new facility. This has and will greatly increase the food bank’s capacity to serve more. She’s been in the food banking industry for over 20 years.

 

About Ms. Jill Krall:

Jill Krall has been the Executive Director of the Waverly-Shell Rock Area United Way since March of 2013. When concern was raised by the Mayor and the City of Waverly in 2014 to address Food Security issues in the community, United Way stepped up to take the leadership of the newly formed Waverly Food Secure Network. The Network boasts a membership of over 25 organizations, individuals, and churches. Together the network strives to create the first food secure community in Iowa!

About Ms. Kate Pauly:

Grew up in southern Minnesota, went to college at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology (geological engineering).  My husband and I met at my first job here in Des Moines at an environmental engineering firm.  We then moved around the country doing environmental cleanup projects at military installations.  When we started a family, we knew that we wanted to be back in the Midwest and not moving around every couple of years.  My husband is from Des Moines so we moved back and he returned to school to get his teaching certificate while I managed projects at Wells Fargo.  

We currently live in Winterset and my husband is a teacher at Dowling Catholic.  We have two junior high school aged kids.  I helped start the BackPack ProgramTM in Ankeny where we used to live and realized that I had a passion for feeding kids in need.  The job opened at the Food Bank of Iowa just a little over a year ago and it is a perfect fit.

About Ms. Lyn Marchant:

Community School Coordinator for Des Moines Public Schools, located at Scavo Full Service High School, the first of its kind in the state of Iowa. After fifteen years as the Director of Community Based Services for Youth Services International, designing and implementing family centered and academic programming for youth across the Midwest, she accepted a consultation position with the United Way of Central Iowa. During this time she facilitated the implementation of Youth Venture, a service learning program for youth and consulted with several other Central Iowa organizations to implement positive youth development programming. 

Lyn’s passion for her community and youth inspired her to be a  co-founder of  a Des Moines based non-profit, Community Youth Concepts, in 2010.  This agency focuses on positive youth development programming and technical assistance. Born and raised in Iowa, and a graduate of Minnesota State University, she is committed to community betterment, resource development, and the wellbeing of our youth.

 

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