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Date and Location

October 2, 2026
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM ET
Starr Auditorium

Contact

617-495-1360
Healthier Food for All: Closing the Affordability Gap ft. Denis McDonough & Julie Gehrki

How has food become less affordable for so many American families, and what will it take to close the gap? Denis McDonough, CEO of Feeding America, and Julie Gehrki, President of the Walmart Foundation, will discuss what they are seeing on the ground as food insecurity and affordability pressures continue to strain communities across the country.


McDonough leads the nation's largest hunger relief organization, working with a nationwide network of food banks to meet immediate need while advocating for longer term solutions; Gehrki oversees the Walmart Foundation's investments in food access and affordability, including its Healthier Food for All initiative. In this fireside chat, they will explore how affordability pressures are showing up in communities, what approaches are proving effective, and what it will take from the private sector, nonprofits and philanthropy to make progress.


Featuring

*Denis McDonough, CEO, Feeding America

*Julie Gehrki, President, WalMart Foundation

*Sara Boettiger (Moderator), Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School


Co-sponsor: Global Food Systems Program

Speakers and Presenters

Denis McDonough, CEO, Feeding America;
Julie Gehrki, President, WalMart Foundation;
Sara Boettiger, Senior Fellow, Harvard Kennedy School

Organizer

Institute of Politics (IOP)

Additional Organizers

Global Food Systems Program