Dr. Jean Mayer and the White House Conference
In 1969, President Richard Nixon publicly promised “to end hunger in America,” appointing nutrition scientist Dr. Jean Mayer to convene a White House Conference on Food, Nutrition, and Health. The conference resulted in a dramatic transformation of the social safety net, expanding funding for the Food Stamp Program. It also led to important reforms by Congress, stripping state and local officials of their powers to set and enforce eligibility standards, lowering the amount of cash required to buy food stamps, allowing for free food stamps to particularly vulnerable households, and extending the program to Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
Where is it located in the Museum?
Museum Map
LOBBY
THE
WISHING
TREE
WISHING
TREE
THE SNAP CAFÉ
AUDITORIUM
TERRACE RESTAURANT
The Hunger Museum
We Can Solve Hunger —
The Proof is in Our History
The Proof is in Our History
- 1.Welcome
- 2.Museum Lobby
- 3.The Age of Mass Migration - Landing
- 4.The Age of Mass Migration - Main
- 5.Immigration from Europe
- 6.On the Breadline
- 7.Beginnings
- 8.An Unequal Recovery
- 9.How did the Food Stamp Program work?
- 10.Hunger, Justice, and Civil Rights - Landing
- 11.Hunger, Justice, and Civil Rights - Main
- 12.Walk for Decent Welfare (Columbus, OH)
- 13.Televising the War on Hunger - Landing
- 14.Televising the War on Hunger - Main
- 15.CBS’s “Hunger in America”
- 16.President Lyndon B. Johnson
- 17.Senator George McGovern and Senator Robert Dole
- 18.Dr. Jean Mayer and the White House Conference
- 19.1975-1996: The Unmaking of the Great Society
- 20.Government Cheese
- 21.The Welfare Queen
- 22.Food Stamp “Fraud”
- 23.The Return of the Welfare Queen
- 24.Crises of New Proportions - Landing
- 25.Crises of New Proportions - Main
- 26.COVID-19
- 27.Welcome to the SNAP Café
- 28.SNAP Cafe – Create a meal
- 29.Wishing Tree
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger