>>> HURRICANE FIONA HIT PUERTO
RICO JUST A WEEK AGO.
SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE
ARE ON THE ISLAND.
THEY ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND
THEY ARE STILL WITHOUT POWER.
IMAGINE A WEEK WITHOUT
ELECTRICITY.
FIONA WAS A CATEGORY ONE STORM
AND IT SLAMMED INTO THE
AMERICAN TERRITORY ON SEPTEMBER
18. IT CAUSE FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES
IT CAUSE FLOODING AND MUDSLIDES THAT LED TO A POWER OUTAGE
THAT LED TO A POWER OUTAGE
REGARDING THE OLD ELECTRICAL
GRID.
MANY RELIED ON GENERATORS FOR
INTERNET AND COMMUNICATION BUT
TO ALSO KEEP THEIR FOOD FROM
ROTTING.
ACCORDING TO THE WATER AND
SEWER AUTHORITY ABOUT 20% OF
CUSTOMERS ALSO DO NOT HAVE
RUNNING WATER.
REMEMBER, THESE ARE AMERICAN
CITIZENS THAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT.
THEY ARE CITIZENS OF THE
RICHEST COUNTRY IN HUMAN
HISTORY HIS TERRITORY COULD NOT WITHSTAND A CATEGORY ONE
WITHSTAND A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE.
HURRICANE.
IT IS A COMPOUNDING ISSUE WHEN
HURRICANE LIKE FIONA HITS IN A
PLACE LIKE PUERTO RICO, WE
STILL HAVE NOT FULLY RECOVERED
FROM HURRICANE MARIA THE
CATEGORY FIVE STORM THAT
DEVASTATED THE ISLAND IN 2017.
IT FURTHER DAMAGES EVERY ASPECT
OF LIFE AND THE LOCAL ECONOMY.
ACCORDING TO A FARMER'S
ASSOCIATION AND THE EASTERN
HALF OF THE COUNTRY, 90% OF THE
REGION'S MAJOR CROP,
PLANTATIONS HAS BEEN LOST DUE
TO THE WINDS AND TORRENTIAL
RAINS.
90%.
GAS STATIONS, GROCERY STORES
AND OTHER BUSINESSES HAVE SHUT
DOWN DUE TO LACK OF FUEL FOR
GENERATORS.
A RESEARCHER TOLD NPR THAT
EXPERTS WILL FIND THAT FIONA
WILL BE A MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR
ECONOMIC DISASTER.
ONE ORGANIZATION THAT IS ON THE
GROUND IN PUERTO RICO TO TRY TO
HELP RESIDENTS THROUGH THE
DISASTER IS WORLD'S CENTRAL
KITCHEN.
IT IS RUN BY AN AWARD-WINNING
CHEF JOSI ANDRES.
HE IS HELPING BUSINESSES GET
BACK ON THEIR FEET IN AREAS
AFFECTED BY HURRICANE FIONA.
THIS IS WHAT HE AND HIS
ORGANIZATION DO AROUND THE
WORLD. PAKISTAN IS STILL REELING FROM
PAKISTAN IS STILL REELING FROM
CATASTROPHIC FLOODING LAST MONTH
. UKRAINE, WORLD FOOD KITCHEN
HAS SERVED MORE THAN 150
MILLION MEALS.
THIS IS SINCE THE START OF THE
WAR THERE.
IT IS WHY CHEF ENDRES HAS BEEN
RIGHTLY NOMINATED FOR A NOBEL
PRIZE.
HE DOES NOT JUST STEP IN DURING
EMERGENCIES.
THIS WEEK YOU WILL BE JOINING
CONGRESSMAN JIM McGOVERN AT THE
WHITE HOUSE FOR ITS CONFERENCE
ON HUNGER, NUTRITION, AND
HEALTH.
THIS IS THE FIRST IN 50 YEARS.
THE CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD TO
ADDRESS FOOD INSECURITY AND
DIET -RELATED DISEASES.
THIS AFFECTS MANY AMERICANS.
JOINING ME NOW TO DISCUSS ALL
OF THIS ARE AN AWARD-WINNING
CHEF AND THE FOUNDER OF WORLD
CENTRAL KITCHEN, JOSI ANDREAS.
AND WE HAVE THE DEMOCRATIC
CONGRESSMAN JIM McGOVERN WHO IS
THE CHAIR OF AN IMPORTANT
ORGANIZATION.
JOSI, YOU ARE ON THE GROUND IN
PUERTO RICO RIGHT NOW.
GIVE US A SENSE OF WHAT THE
SITUATION IS LIKE FOR THE
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE THAT ARE
LIVING THERE.
THESE ARE AMERICAN CITIZENS.
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS ARE
WITHOUT POWER.
RIGHT?
>> YES I AM RIGHT NOW IN THE
WESTERN PART IN A PLACE CALLED
SOMETHING.
THIS IS THE MUNICIPALITY.
THIS IS ONE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL
PLACES IN THE CARIBBEAN.
I HAVE SEEN EVERYBODY AND THEY
WANT THINGS TO GO BACK TO
NORMAL.
THANK YOU FOR THE PEOPLE OF
PUERTO RICO, THANK YOU FOR
SHOWING UP AND TALKING ABOUT
THIS.
IN PUERTO RICO, WHERE I AM
RIGHT NOW, 90% OF THE
POPULATION HERE DO NOT HAVE ANY
ELECTRICITY.
ALL THE PARTS OF THE ISLAND ARE
DIFFERENT.
WE ARE TALKING HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS THAT STILL DO NOT
HAVE ANY ACCESS.
IT IS COMPLICATING THINGS LIKE
WATER.
MANY PEOPLE DO NOT RECEIVE
CLEAN WATER.
THIS IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO PUMP WATER. THIS IS CAUSING MANY ISSUES
THIS IS CAUSING MANY ISSUES
THAT WE ARE HAVING.
WE HAVE GENERATORS FOR THE
WATER AND THAT IS HOW WE KEEP
THE KITCHEN'S FUNCTIONING.
>> WHAT HAS CONGRESS BEEN DOING
TO HELP PUERTO RICO?
THIS IS A PART OF THE U.S. THAT
HAS BEEN TREATED BADLY BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
IT STILL HAS NOT COVERED FROM
HURRICANE MARIA IN 2017 WHICH
WAS ITS OWN MULTIBILLION-DOLLAR
DISASTER.
WHAT IS CONGRESS DOING?
>> FIRST OF ALL WE ARE GOING TO
HAVE TO PROVIDE EMERGENCY
RELIEF TO PUERTO RICO.
I WAS EXPECT THAT WILL BE
FORTHCOMING.
LET'S BE HONEST ABOUT THE FACT
THAT RESIDENTS OF PUERTO RICO
EXPERIENCE HUNGER.
THIS IS AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE
THAN OTHER AMERICANS EVEN
BEFORE THE HURRICANE.
A BIG PART OF THAT IS THAT WE
HAVE OUTDATED STRUCTURES FOR
NUTRITIONISTS IN PUERTO RICO.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A SNAP PROGRAM
QUITE LIKE THE WAY WE DO IN
OTHER STATES.
WHAT THEY HAVE IS A BLOCK GRANT
SYSTEM.
WE NEED TO YOU KNOW, I HOPE WE
WILL ADDRESS THAT AS PART IS
THE WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE.
THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS THAT
WE NEED TO DO.
HUNGER IS A PROBLEM NOT JUST IN
PUERTO RICO.
WE HAVE A HUNGER PROBLEM IN
THIS COUNTRY.
TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS
DO NOT KNOW WHERE THEIR NEXT
MEAL IS GOING TO COME FROM.
THE POINT OF THIS CONFERENCE IS
TO COME UP WITH A PLAN SO THAT
WE AND HUNGER ONCE AND FOR ALL.
>> JOSI, YOU HAVE SUCH A
CAMPAIGN AROUND FOOD INSECURITY
AND HUNGER.
YOU WILL BE AT THE WHITE HOUSE
WITH CONGRESSMAN McGOVERN AT
THIS CONFERENCE FOR JOE BIDEN.
WHAT DO YOU LOOK TO HEAR FROM
THE PRESIDENT?
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO BE
TELLING HIM?
>> WELL I THINK WE NEED TO BE
ENGAGED AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THE WORD THAT CONGRESSMAN RANDY
THE WORD THAT CONGRESSMAN RANDY McGOVERN, THIS IS VITAL.
McGOVERN, THIS IS VITAL.
WHAT THEY SHOULD BE TELLING
PRESIDENT BIDEN IS THAT I HAD
THE OPPORTUNITY, I WANT HIM TO
SAY THAT THESE WILL BE THE LAST
HUNGER CONFERENCE IN THE
HISTORY OF AMERICA.
WHY?
BECAUSE HOPEFULLY, AFTER THAT
CONFERENCE, THE ACTIONS OVER
THE NEXT WEEK LONG AND OVER THE
NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS, WE WILL
MAKE SURE THAT NO AMERICAN, THE
RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE HISTORY
OF MANKIND, NOBODY, NO CHILDREN
WILL GO TO BED HUNGRY.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE UNIVERSAL
BREAKFAST AND LUNCH.
WHY NOT?
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE SNAPS
INCREASED TO MAKE SURE THAT
FAMILIES CAN MAKE IT.
THEY NEED TO BE INCREASED TO
HAVE MORE FRUITS AND
VEGETABLES.
THIS HELPS FAMILIES IN NEED
FEED THEMSELVES AND IT IS ALSO
HELPING THE SMALL FARMERS THAT
SOMETIMES THEY HAVE DIFFICULTY
MAKING IT AT THE END OF THE
MONTH.
WE WILL BE INVESTING IN
INFRASTRUCTURE SO THAT EVERY
SCHOOL WILL HAVE A FUNCTIONAL
KITCHEN.
WE CAN TRAIN AND HIRE IN THOSE
RURAL COMMUNITIES SO THAT THEY
CAN BE THE CHEFS FEEDING THE
CHILDREN.
AND THEY WILL USE THE PRODUCE
FROM THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITY.
WE NEED TO START INVESTING IN
THE SOLUTIONS MOVING FORWARD.
WE NEED TO HAVE A SOLUTION TO
MOVE AMERICA FORWARD.
>> CONGRESSMAN, JOE BIDEN HAS A
PLEDGE TO ELIMINATE HUNGER THE UNITED STATES BY 2030.
UNITED STATES BY 2030.
HE DID GET THE CHILD TAX
PAYMENTS THROUGH IN 2021 WAS
LIFTED KIDS OUT OF POVERTY, AS
YOU KNOW REPUBLICANS IN
CONGRESS LET THAT EXPIRE LAST
DECEMBER.
SINCE THEN INFLATION HAS GONE
UP.
FOOD PRICES HAVE GONE UP.
PEOPLE ARE OUTSIDE FOOD BANKS.
THE REALITY IS THAT MONEY IS
NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION BUT IT
HAS TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.
CONGRESS IS BUSY FUNDING THE
PENTAGON, NOT FOOD.
>> WHILE LOOK, I THINK WE NEED
TO VIEW FOOD AS A FUNDAMENTAL
HUMAN RIGHT FOR EVERY SINGLE
PERSON.
IT IS NOT ONLY IN THIS COUNTRY
BUT ON THIS PLANET.
AND, ONE THE REASONS WHY THIS
WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE I
BELIEVE IS NECESSARY AND
IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE TO SOLVE
THIS PROBLEM, IT IS NOT JUST FOR ONE PROGRAM OR YOU KNOW,
FOR ONE PROGRAM OR YOU KNOW,
ONE AGENCY AND THE DEPARTMENT.
THIS IS AN INTERSECTION ANALOGY
WITH A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER
ISSUES.
PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY BECAUSE WE
ARE PAYING TOO MUCH FOR RENTS.
PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY BECAUSE THEY
ARE NOT EARNING A DECENT WAGE.
PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY BECAUSE THEY
LIVE IN FOOD APARTHEID WITH THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO
THEY DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO
FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES AND
JOSI TALKED ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS ABOUT
CONNECTING THE DOTS.
IT IS ABOUT COMING UP WITH REAL
SOLUTIONS.
AGAIN, CONGRESS HAS A ROLE TO
PLAY.
THE ADMINISTRATION HAS A ROLE
TO PLAY.
STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS DO.
THE PRIVATE SECTOR HAS A ROLE
TO PLAY.
NONPROFITS DO.
WE ALL HAVE TO BE IN ON THIS.
>> JUST TO BE CLEAR
CONGRESSMAN, WE CAN AGREE YOU
AND I AND I AM SURE OUR VIEWERS
WOULD AGREE THAT WE HAVE OUR
PRIORITIES OUT OF WHACK IN THIS
COUNTRY.
THE MONEY WE SPEND ON THE
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT VERSUS
SOMETHING LIKE FOOD WHICH
SHOULD BE A UNIVERSAL THING.
IT IS A CRAZY DISPARITY.
>> WELL I AGREE WITH YOU.
I WOULD JUST SAY THAT WE NEED A NEW DEFINITION OF NATIONAL
NEW DEFINITION OF NATIONAL
SECURITY IN THIS COUNTRY.
IT OUGHT TO INCLUDE THAT
EVERYBODY HAS ACCESS TO GOOD
NUTRITIOUS FOOD.
THAT IS WHAT I HOPE WILL BE THE
OUTCOME OF THIS CONFERENCE.
>> JOSI ONE LUX QUESTION.
YOU HAVE A PODCAST CALLED
LONGER TABLE.
IT LOOKS AT THE WAY FOOD SHAPES
OUR WORLD.
AS YOU PUT IT IT MAKES US WHO
WE ARE.
I WONDER HOW DOES CLIMATE
CHANGE BE A PART OF THAT STORY?
AT LEAST IT IS BECOMING A PART
OF THAT STORY.
THERE ARE DROUGHTS, NATURAL
DISASTERS, WATERWAYS DRYING
OUT.
YOUR ORGANIZATION IS SEEING AND
SERVING PEOPLE AROUND THE
WORLD.
>> ONLY IN THE LAST TWO OR
THREE WEEKS, WE HAVE BEEN IN
TURKS AND CAICOS, THE DOMINICAN
REPUBLIC HERE IN THIS BEAUTIFUL
PART OF AMERICA, IN THE
CARIBBEAN.
PUERTO RICO, WE HAVE NOT BEEN
TO CUBA.
WHAT HAPPENED IN NOVA SCOTIA,
WHAT HAPPENED IN ALASKA, WHAT
IS SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPENING IN
FLORIDA, WE SEE A CONTINUOUS
INCREASE IN TYPHOONS AND
HURRICANES, BACK TO BACK. OBVIOUSLY, CLIMATE CHANGE IS
OBVIOUSLY, CLIMATE CHANGE IS
REAL AND IT IS HERE TO STAY.
WE CANNOT JUST PUT A FINGER ON
THE WHOLE.
WE NEED TO TAKE DRASTIC
MEASURES TO MAKE SURE THAT FOOD
IS A PROBLEM. IT SHOULD BE WHAT HELPS COMBAT
IT SHOULD BE WHAT HELPS COMBAT
CLIMATE CHANGE.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A VERY
ROUGH AWAKENING.
EVEN THE WAY THAT WE COOK,
PEOPLE ARE COOKING WITH FOSSIL
FUELS BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO POOR
TO HAVE ANY OTHER SOURCE.
YOU CAN SEE THE WAY THAT WE ARE
INDEPENDENT MUST BE PART OF THE
SOLUTION.
THIS IS WHAT THE CONGRESSMAN
SAID IS RIGHT.
WE NEED A 360 DEGREE THREE-
DIMENSIONAL APPROACH.
THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AND HUNGER REQUIRES THE WHOLE GOVERNMENT.
THEN IT REQUIRES TO ADDRESS