Celebrate – On June 15, 2010, the Congressional Hunger Center (CHC) hosted a celebration at the United States Botanical Garden to honor exemplary leaders working to end hunger and poverty in the U.S. and around the world.

Honor – Our distinguished honorees, Senator Richard G. Lugar (R-IN), Representative John Lewis (D-GA), CHC alumnus Javier Silva and CHC alumna Ashley Aakesson, were chosen for their significant contributions to fighting hunger in the United States and overseas. These individuals exemplify the determination necessary to make hunger and poverty a focal point in the U.S. Congress. We thank them for their work in the past, and know they will continue to inspire others in the ongoing fight against hunger!

Recognize – At the event, we recognized the 49.1 million Americans living in food-insecure households and the more than one billion people around the world experiencing hunger each day. Kathleen Merrigan, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, joined us in honoring this year's awardees, and recognized the important work that is being done and must be continued in the fight against hunger. In addition, Susan Reichle, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development, delivered meaningful words about the work that is being done around the world to address hunger. We are thankful to those who join us in the movement to ensure access to food as a basic human right for all people.

• List of Awards Ceremony Sponsors
• Awards Ceremony Photo Gallery