Emerson National Hunger Fellowship
The Emerson National Hunger Fellows Program is a social justice program that trains, inspires, and sustains leaders. Fellows gain field experience fighting hunger and poverty through placements in community based organizations across the country, and policy experience through placements in Washington, D.C. The program bridges community-based efforts and national public policy, and fellows develop as effective leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty.
The Emerson Program supports a diversity of local and national approaches to eliminate hunger, poverty and social inequality, particularly racism. We seek to craft successful and mutually beneficial partnerships between Fellows and partner organizations while developing a new generation of hunger and poverty leaders. Fellows support partner organizations with program development, research, evaluation, outreach, organizing, and advocacy projects.
Emerson Fellows are placed for the first five months with community-based organizations all over the country. Each host organization identifies specific goals and outcomes for the Fellows and provides the supervision and resources necessary to accomplish them. Field site partner organizations include:
- grassroots organizing groups
- food banks
- economic development agencies
- city governments
- food policy councils
- local advocacy organizations.
In mid-February, the Fellows regroup in Washington, D.C. to debrief and share their field experiences and participate in an extensive policy training to learn about national anti-hunger and anti-poverty policy work.
Fellows then work in nonprofit organizations and government agencies working on hunger and poverty policies at the national level. During their time in D.C., Fellows complete research, outreach, advocacy, and public education projects that support national policy initiatives. They also meet regularly for professional development trainings.
Click here to apply to be an Emerson Fellow! If you want to hear more about the program, you can contact current Emerson Fellow and Haverford Alumnus Gemma Don0frio at gdonofrio@hungercenter.org