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SearchFeeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot delivers keynote address
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Today, Cleveland Clinic celebrated the legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a virtual celebration for caregivers and community members. Since 1992, the health system has held its Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Celebration to remember the civil rights leader who devoted his life to fighting for racial equity and social change.
The annual tribute was co-hosted by Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., CEO and President of Cleveland Clinic and the holder of the Morton L. Mandel CEO Chair, and Vickie Eaton Johnson, Executive Vice-President and Chief Community Officer.
This year, Cleveland Clinic honored Dr. King by focusing on food equity and addressing how communities can overcome barriers to ensure access to nutritious food. The program's theme was inspired by his 1964 Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, where he said: “I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits.”
Nearly 60 years later, Dr. King’s vision for food justice is still relevant today. Black and other minority communities are disproportionately affected by food insecurity. For example, according to the USDA, more than 9 million Black Americans cannot access enough food to lead a healthy, active life.
“Food is a cornerstone of good health,” Dr. Mihaljevic said. “In a world of plenty, no family should be unable to feed their loved ones. No child should ever go hungry.”
Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO of Feeding America – the nation’s largest charity – delivered the keynote address. With a nationwide network of over 200 food banks and 60,000 meal programs, Feeding America aims to provide people with access to food without judgment or stigma.
Under Babineaux-Fontenot’s leadership, the organization expanded its food bank network, tackled challenges like the COVID-19 pandemic, and addressed hunger's root causes. Her collaborative efforts with corporations, government agencies, and grassroots groups have improved access to fresh, culturally relevant food for millions while boosting efficiency and fundraising.
During her keynote address, Babineaux-Fontenot reflected on Dr. King’s commitment to addressing food injustice, urging community partners to uphold his legacy by uniting in the continued effort to end hunger.
“In this country, nearly 50 million people are experiencing hunger right now, nearly 14 million of whom are children,” Babineaux-Fontenot said. “Those numbers may feel daunting, but they shouldn’t. Because of partnerships like the one we already have with Cleveland Clinic and with so many others across the country, we are making progress.”
Johnson said, “At Cleveland Clinic, we believe we have a role in nurturing healthy communities which includes providing access to healthy foods. And we cannot do it alone. We have worked diligently to build a broad coalition of partners with hospitals, businesses, elected officials, non-profits, and neighbors.”
Most recently, the hospital partnered with Meijer on the opening of a grocery market in Cleveland’s Fairfax neighborhood, which was a food desert for more than 50 years. Other efforts to address food insecurity include:
Establishing community food pantries at Akron General, Marymount, and South Pointe Hospitals, as well as the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Health Center.
Partnering with Aramark and Morrison Healthcare to provide food vouchers and grocery delivery for pediatric and pregnant patients across Northeast Ohio.
Supporting the expansion of the nonprofit House of Hope’s production farm in Martin County, Florida, which offers free produce to local residents.
Teaming up with Children’s Hunger Alliance to provide weekend meals to preschoolers in Cleveland.
Collaborating with local and global partners to organize food distributions across the health system’s U.S. and international locations.
The event also included a musical performance by violinist Obie Shelton, and remarks from Monica Yepes-Rios, M.D., Director of Community Health Equity and Food as Medicine at Cleveland Clinic.
To watch the full program, visit clevelandclinic.org/2025mlkcelebration.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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