Vice President Joe Biden and World Food Program USA Honor Former Senator Bob Dole for His Leadership in the Fight Against Hunger
World Food Program USA launches The McGovern-Dole School Meals Fund
At the event, WFP USA was joined by Vice President Joe Biden to honor former Senator Bob Dole for his leadership in alleviating global hunger.
For the past eleven years, WFP USA has hosted an annual award ceremony to recognize leaders who have played a critical role in solving global hunger. The award is named after former Senator George McGovern in recognition of his commitment to advancing U.S. government efforts to address hunger worldwide.
This year, WFP USA recognized Dole for his efforts to reignite global interest in supporting school feeding and honored his bipartisan work with Senator McGovern by renaming the award The McGovern-Dole Leadership Award.
“I am humbled to receive this award and to share my faith in our ability to solve global hunger,” said Senator Dole. “Together we have made great progress toward this end, but much work remains. It should be our aspiration to aim higher and to strive harder to make the world a better place for millions of hungry children around the world.”
To date, the George McGovern-Robert Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program has touched the lives of 22 million children in 41 countries since its inception, and has inspired leaders from both political parties to work together to end world hunger.
Vice President Biden, who served for more than twenty years in the Senate with Senator Bob Dole, spoke about Dole’s legacy and his commitment to fighting hunger. Biden’s son, Hunter Biden – who serves as Board Chair of WFP USA – introduced his father.
“Because of my father’s many years of service in the Senate, I had the great fortune to grow up knowing Senator Dole as a true hero and leader,” said Hunter Biden. “This is why I am so honored to be a part of WFP USA. Senator Dole and Senator McGovern’s unwavering commitment to fighting global hunger not only inspired me to take action, it has also inspired a new generation to continue the Senators’ legacy and leadership in the fight against hunger.”
At the award ceremony, WFP USA announced the launch of The McGovern-Dole School Meals Fund, established in honor of Bob Dole and George McGovern’s work on global school feeding projects. The McGovern-Dole School Meals Fund will target countries where the UN World Food Programme has existing school feeding programs and the ability to support needy, local farmers.
“By linking local food with a local school, The McGovern-Dole School Meals Fund enhances a local government’s capacity to assume management of this program over the long-term and provide a ‘double win’ that raises incomes of poor, hungry farm families and feeds children in school,” said WFP USA President and CEO Richard Leach.
Click here for more information about The McGovern-Dole School Meals Fund.
# # #
About World Food Program USA
World Food Program USA (WFP USA) works to solve global hunger, building a world where everyone has the food and nutrition needed to lead healthy, productive lives. WFP USA raises support for these efforts in the United States by engaging individuals, organizations and businesses, shaping public policy and generating resources for the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
