Episode 16: Knowledge is Power

Welcome back to Hangry for Change with Greg Silverman from WSCAH.

The old rules no longer apply—long-standing federal, state, and city arrangements are shifting. In November, WSCAH served 80% more people than in October, driven by lingering anxiety from the longest government shutdown ever, which disrupted SNAP benefits for 42 million people. Even with benefits restored, stress persists.

WSCAH has responded by increasing our food allotments by 50% through the end of 2025, but amid systemic upheaval, we must ask: What’s next—and how can we work creatively to ensure dignified access to food? That’s where advocacy, research, and technological innovation come in. In this episode, we’re honored to welcome:

• Craig Willingham, Managing Director of the CUNY Urban Food Policy Institute
• Ben Kerrick, Managing Partner at Karen Karp & Partners (KK&P)
• Max Bernstein, Senior Analyst & Staff Consultant at Karen Karp & Partners (KK&P)
• Katherine Miller, Author of At the Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy, Principal & Founder of Table 81; former Vice President of Impact at the James Beard Foundation; Adjunct Professor at the Culinary Institute of America

Tune in for this essential discussion on food security, system change, and the work ahead that can effect real change. Learn about The Roundtable's efforts to develop AI assisted invoice reading and analysis for frontline NYC providers, WSCAH's many years of collaborative advocacy and research with CUNY's Urban Food Policy Institute, and the unexpected power of Chef driven advocacy through the lens of Katherine Miller's book At the Table: The Chef’s Guide to Advocacy.