About Us

We are committed to ending hunger in Idaho

Vision & Mission

Vision: In a state as abundant as Idaho, hunger will not exist. 

Mission: Put private and public resources into action statewide to eliminate hunger and provide food security for all Idahoans. 

Scope of Action

The Task Force works in six broad policy and program areas to address hunger and food security in Idaho:

• Research and document hunger and its root causes

• Raise public awareness of hunger and its root causes through education

• Make recommendations to public and private food security programs and/or services

• Provide food security related information to the Idaho Legislature

• Actively support the development of programs and policies to eliminate hunger

• Encourage collaboration among programs that work to eliminate hunger and its root causes

Through our areas of focus we have been able to create and sustain a wide network of community partners and organizations all working towards eliminating hunger in Idaho.

History of the Task Force

In October of 2006, the first-ever statewide Summit on Hunger and Food Insecurity was held. 260 people traveled to Boise to talk about hunger in Idaho and craft the next steps. One of those next steps was the creation of a statewide Task Force spurring the collaboration of public and private representatives from many different sectors in the state to alleviate hunger in Idaho through support of programs and policies.

Kathy Gardner, the founder of The Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force, took on the Executive Director role. She served in that role for 17 years.

Denise Dixon assumed the Executive Director role in 2021. Denise works tirelessly to eliminate hunger in Idaho. In 2024, the Congressional Hunger Center recognized for her efforts by awarding Denise the Community Champion Hunger Leadership Award at the Hunger Leadership Awards in Washington, D.C.