Feeding Texas CEO Appointed to Serve on New Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council

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Wesley Story

For Immediate Release: 11/17/23
Contact: Wesley Story, 972.999.5225 
or wstory@feedingtexas.org 

Feeding Texas CEO Appointed to Serve on New Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council

Celia Cole will represent the Feeding Texas network of food banks.

TEXAS – Today, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller appointed Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole to represent food banks on the new Texas Food System Security and Resiliency Planning Council.

During the 88th regular legislative session, the Texas legislature passed HB 3323, which established the special council in response to the Texas Food Access Study conducted by the Texas Department of Agriculture and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. The council will be tasked with contributing to and reviewing a state food system security plan.

“I am honored to represent the Feeding Texas network of food banks as the council works to develop a comprehensive food system security plan,” Cole said. “Food banks have a unique perspective that helps us understand supply chain challenges faced by the industry, as well as the challenges Texans face in accessing affordable and nutritious food. Insights from food banks, our partners, and the neighbors we serve will inform my work with the council. Ending hunger requires an adequate food supply and a food system that takes into account the needs of Texans, many of whom continue to feel the strain of inflation and high food prices.”

Cole is an expert in food and nutrition policy with experience at the state and federal level. Over the course of her career, Cole has led advocacy campaigns to strengthen the federal nutrition programs, steered a statewide produce collaborative to increase access to fresh produce, and forged cross-sector partnerships with diverse stakeholders to increase food security, improve health outcomes, and build a robust response to hunger. She has served as CEO of Feeding Texas for 12 years, during which time she has gained extensive experience working with food banks, state agencies, and partners across the state to support our neighbors in need.

Cole serves on Feeding America’s Policy Engagement and Advocacy Committee, the steering committees of the Partnership for a Healthy Texas and the Texas Food Policy Roundtable, and on the Board of Directors of the Collaborative for Fresh Produce.

“In Texas, nearly 1 in 6 households are food insecure,” Cole said. “As food insecurity increases across Texas and the nation, we must work to meet the needs of communities across our state. Ensuring our state has a secure and resilient food supply for future generations is one of many steps needed to fight hunger.”

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Feeding Texas is a network of 20 food banks and leads a unified effort for a hunger-free Texas. Learn more and find your local food bank at www.feedingtexas.org. 

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