Post by Dilip Rao

Yesterday’s conversation with Gov. Wes Moore reminded me of how desperate we are for leaders who are willing to confront the reality of hunger in America head-on. Today, that conversation continues on a national stage: my op-ed in Fortune just went live (link in comments). In it, I make two core arguments: 1) America needs more than a safety net — it needs a trampoline to protect the American Dream for generations to come. 2) Hunger is the canary in the coal mine. Solving it isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s economically necessary. I wrote this piece because hunger in America is not a political talking point. It’s a workforce issue, a healthcare issue, and an economic competitiveness issue. And right now, millions of workers *still* don’t know where their next meal is coming from… Business leaders don’t have the patience to sit around waiting for Washington to figure this out. At Sharebite, we serve some of the most important and innovative companies in the world — and we’ve seen firsthand how consistent access to nutritious meals is transformational for employees, workplaces, and entire communities. To be honest, those proof points aren’t enough, and this moment requires something bigger: a national commitment from all of us. My hope is that this piece sparks meaningful discussion and more importantly, immediate action. Because if the past several weeks have taught us anything, it’s that the ideals we hold true are being held together by a fragile fabric. The debate around SNAP (and the hunger crisis beneath it) shows how quickly those threads can begin to unravel. Despite all of this, I remain an optimist. More than 40 countries around the world have already mobilized the private sector to help solve hunger. There is no reason America can’t do the same. The best days for this country are still ahead — and American Dynamism begins with solving hunger. I look forward to continuing my conversations with elected officials & business leaders on how we can come together to address one of the most important issues facing our country today.