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Indiana nonprofit using undervalued protein to fight food insecurity domestically

The CEO of an Indiana-based nonprofit says addressing food insecurity starts with increasing access to high-quality protein.

Daniel Leckie with Hatch says the Coalition to Close the Protein Gap program is looking to improving the long-term health outcomes of underserved communities.

“It’s not about hunger relief for calories or pounds, it’s about what you are consuming,” he says. “We’re trying to create an environment where families feel more full and more families can access healthy food, so they don’t reach for the processed foods. Our goal is to change the eating habit of children by age 9. We want them to consume protein.”

He tells Brownfield the group is focused on finding new ways to get protein into the charitable food system.

“We primarily look at proteins that are undervalued,” he says. “Small and medium eggs, dark meat chicken that gets exported, small pigs that can be turned into ground pork. We need to create a market for it here domestically and feed Americans that are in desperate need.”

Leckie says the organization is working to close the protein gap nationwide within the next five years.

AUDIO: Daniel Leckie, Hatch