In North Carolina, where 1.4 million people struggle to find healthy food, a new mobile market is tackling the challenge of food insecurity. Rocky Mount-based nonprofit Ripe for Revival has partnered with Coastal Credit Union to increase access to fresh produce in underserved areas.
Jonathan Tindall, operations manager for Ripe for Revival, said the organization has a dual mission of supporting local farms and communities, and by rescuing surplus produce that doesn’t make it to grocery stores, Ripe for Revival creates a pay-as-you-go marketplace that reaches the communities that need it most.
“This is just a way for us to get fresh food to areas that otherwise can’t afford it or don’t have access to it, because some of the areas we go to don’t have grocery stores and have to drive an hour round trip,” he explained.
To fulfill their mission, Ripe for Revival has converted five city buses and two 24-foot cargo trailers into mobile food stores, and with the help of a grant of more than $100 from Coastal Credit Union, they were able to add another trailer.
These mobile trucks make the rounds at about 18 locations, serving about 10 counties per week and offering fresh produce, eggs, meat and other items at prices about 30 percent lower than regular grocery stores. Tyndall said the addition of Coastal Credit Union-branded trailers will help expand this impact into new areas and continue to grow.
“Some of their funding has allowed us to expand into new counties, so they’ll help us expand into Franklin, Granville, Vance and Warren counties, and also expand our reach into Wake County,” he added.
Tyndall explained that the organization envisions expanding Life for Revival’s work to other counties, with a goal of serving 23 counties and hosting 45 events per week by the end of the year. He said these efforts will not only help improve the health of communities, but also reduce food waste and break down stereotypes around food insecurity.
“What do a lot of college students live on? Some of them joke about ramen. So it’s actually a form of food insecurity,” he explained. “Some of the communities we visit don’t have anything but Family Dollar.” [store]So there’s nothing fresh available for them to buy.”
He said these mobile markets are not limited to just those in need, but are designed to serve everyone, regardless of their situation. More information can be found online at ripeforrevival.com or on social media platforms.
Disclosure: Coastal Credit Union contributes to the fund for coverage of budget policy and priorities, civic engagement, community issues and volunteerism, and consumer issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, please click here.
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One farm bill under debate in Congress would cut billions of dollars in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments to agriculture-dependent states, including Iowa, a move that has drawn opposition from hunger-fighting groups in the state.
The farm bill introduced by House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson (R-PA) would cut SNAP benefits by nearly $30 billion over the next decade, including $170 million in cuts in Iowa, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Luke Elzinga, executive director of the Iowa Hunger Coalition, said based on projections, the cuts will disproportionately affect the state’s most vulnerable people.
“That’s especially concerning,” Elzinga stressed, “because food banks and food pantries across the state are currently facing record demand.”
The USDA’s Saving Food Plan, which sets the funding formula for SNAP and other food assistance programs, would also freeze future benefits.Thompson and others argue that their farm bill amounts to responsible budgeting and planning.
SNAP benefits are already insufficient to provide the cheapest meals in the state, falling about 20% below what’s needed to put food on the table, according to figures tracked by Elzinga’s coalition.
“We’re talking about families getting less than $6 per person per day,” Elzinga said. “That’s already not enough to get by. Many are struggling with rising food prices, housing costs and child care costs.”
While this is not the final version of the farm bill that will be debated, Elzinga argued that releasing a bill that would drastically cut SNAP benefits is not a good starting point for negotiations, as in his view it would give Congress the impression that low-income people are not a priority.
Republican Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa has been a leading Republican voice on the farm bill from his position on the Agriculture Committee. Widely known for his conservative stance on social issues, Nunn has come under fire for saying that the farm bill’s “nutrition aid is primarily targeted to communities in Democratic states.”
Nunn has also previously supported significant budget cuts that would affect anti-hunger programs like WIC and SNAP.
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While there is no food shortage in the United States, there are large disparities in food insecurity in New Mexico and other states.
Feeding America’s latest report, “Map the Meal Gap,” examines local-level estimates of food insecurity and food costs in every county and district in the United States.
This includes U.S. Department of Agriculture data showing food insecurity will increase in 2022.
Sonia Warwick is the communications and events director for Roadrunner Food Bank of New Mexico.
“The food gap has increased by 10 million meals,” Warwick said. “We know that the cost of food is certainly a contributing factor, and the end of the pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program extension is also a contributing factor.”
Warwick said New Mexico has the eighth-highest hunger rate among all states relative to its total population, about 15 percent compared to the national average of 13.5 percent.
Levels of food insecurity can vary depending on unemployment rates, current poverty rates, and decades-old practices that contribute to generational poverty.
Warwick said many food pantries in New Mexico are seeing the number of people seeking help exceed their food supply, increasing the efforts needed by food banks.
Summer is a particularly tough time for children as they no longer receive school lunches.
She said the new data confirms that food insecurity exists in counties within Roadrunner Food Bank’s service area, particularly outside urban areas.
“The counties with the highest hunger rates are all in rural areas,” Warwick said. “Catron County is at 35.6 percent, Sierra County is at 33.7 percent, and every other county is over 30 percent. That’s a significant number of children and families.”
Hispanic and Latino residents, who make up 50% of New Mexico’s population, have higher rates of food insecurity than non-Hispanic whites.
Warwick said Roadrunner benefits from donations of food and money, and is always in need of volunteers at its Albuquerque warehouse.
Last year, Roadrunner provided more than 32 million pounds of food for more than 26 million meals.
Disclosure: Roadrunner Food Bank donates to funds for coverage on children’s issues, community issues and volunteering, hunger/food/nutrition and poverty issues. If you would like to support news in the public interest, click here.
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Eligible Ohio families will receive $120 this summer to buy groceries for their children through the new Summer EBT/SUN Bucks program.
Bridget Hiers, director of nutrition for the Ohio Department of Education, said children whose parents can’t afford to buy enough food over the summer are at higher risk for food insecurity and learning loss. She noted that children will automatically be eligible for a one-time $120 payment over the coming months if their families are on SNAP, Medicaid or the Ohio Works First program and are certified by their school for free or reduced-price meals.
“All children ages 6 through 18 will automatically receive this benefit again with no further action on the part of the household,” Hires explained. “Currently, we estimate that approximately 837,000 children will benefit from this program.”
The funds will be deposited on a family’s existing Ohio Directions card or a new card will be issued in the mail, which can be used to purchase fruits, vegetables, meat, whole grains and dairy products at grocery stores, farmers’ markets and other retail establishments that accept SNAP-EBT benefits.
Hires said parents who haven’t signed up yet but think their children may be eligible can visit OhioSummerEBT.org to fill out an application.
Parents and households can also locate local Summer Food Service Program locations, where summer meals are provided on a regular basis through schools and community agencies. Location maps are available online.
“If you go to education.ohio.gov and search for ‘SFSP Summer Food Service Program,’ you’ll see the Summer Food Service Program or SUN Meals option, and from there you’ll see a map.”
According to the Child Hunger Alliance, only 1 in 10 children who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year receive summer meals.
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