San Diego-based advocacy coalition honors Senator Ben Hueso
January 15, 2014
On January 9th, the Hunger Advocacy Network hosted a reception at the New Children's Museum to celebrate the work of its partners and honor Senator Ben Hueso for his work on a bill to reduce hunger among veterans. The No Hunger for Heroes Act (SB134), authored by Hueso and co-sponsored by the Hunger Advocacy Network and the San Diego Hunger Coalition, was signed into law last year. This legislation prevents counties from denying food assistance to unemployed veterans and instructs counties to refer veterans to local offices and training agencies that specifically cater to veteran needs.Senator Hueso attended the Thursday evening event, and said a few words about hunger among his constituents. The great need in his district became evident to him while on a visit to a rural community. During this visit, he noticed a large gathering of people, which caught his attention due to the small population of the city. He approached the group and was offered fresh baked goods by one of the people in line. The woman explained to the senator that she was waiting in line for food assistance, and brought baked goods out each month to share with the other people waiting in line. Hueso was struck by the generosity of the woman, who was in such great need herself, and became determined to work on hunger relief efforts to ensure that none of his constituents went without such a basic need.The event was also attended by staff members from other local political offices, including Senator Block and Senator Feinstein. Attendees had the opportunity to meet and speak with Hunger Advocacy Network members, and learn about the coalition's priorities for the coming legislative cycle. To learn more about the Hunger Advocacy Network and its initiatives, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
