The Arkansas Food Bank said it is preparing for increased demand for food heading into the summer.
Food insecurity in the state rose from 14.5% to 17.6% in one year, according to Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap report.
Brian Burton, CEO of the Arkansas Food Bank, said the need for food assistance has not returned to pre-COVID-19 numbers, and that inflation and the end of subsidies due to the pandemic have made it difficult for families to receive food assistance. He said the situation was becoming even more difficult. He explained that the current economic situation is causing beneficiaries to return to the food bank multiple times a month.
“People who are caught up in the vortex of inflation, low-wage employment, people who are in transition,” Burton outlined. “Special and vulnerable populations are being hit the hardest, including children, seniors, and the African American community.”
Food insecurity rates among Black residents living in food bank service areas increased from 24% to 29%, compared to 1 in 7 white residents, according to the report. The Hispanic community is also disproportionately affected, with 20% experiencing food insecurity.
The food bank and its affiliated pantries serve central and southeastern Arkansas, where one in four children is considered food insecure. The federal Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer Program will provide poor families with school-age children an extra $120 in groceries through August.
Burton emphasized that this is especially important for families living in rural areas who may not have access to summer school lunch programs. He added that food banks have been successful in reaching more people by partnering with other institutions.
“It’s mainly food pantries and churches and nonprofits and schools,” Burton noted. “They actually see people and families in need, and they pick them up and cheer them up.”
The food bank will be working with the Boys and Girls Club to host a summer feeding program over the next several months.
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Texas leads the nation in food insecurity. Nearly 5 million people in the state are hungry, an increase of nearly 3% from 2021, according to Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap study.
Most people facing food insecurity are not eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs and rely on support from local food banks to survive.
Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank, said the organization serves 13 counties with the fourth largest food insecurity areas in the nation. .
“When you look at the number of food insecure people in North Texas food bank service areas, if everyone in these cities needed food, that number would be equivalent to the entire population of Seattle or San Francisco. “I do,” Cunningham pointed out.
She added that 40% of those in need are children. The three counties served by food banks with the highest rates of food insecurity are Navarro, Lamar, and Hopkins.
The number of families facing food insecurity has continued to rise since the 2020 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. According to the Feeding America report, nearly 780,000 people in the 13 counties in the food bank’s service area are in need of assistance. Cunningham stressed that inflation and the end of pandemic subsidies will place even greater strain on people’s budgets. She recently spoke with a young mother who needed her help.
“She had two children to support and was working, but she needed additional support,” Cunningham said. “Her coming to the food pantry gave her the cushion she needed.”
She said the food bank is preparing for increased demand as the school year ends. The report showed that disparities persist in who faces hunger in food bank service areas, with Black and Hispanic families most in need.
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As summer approaches, it’s time to help New Mexico’s hungry.
This Saturday, U.S. Postal Service mail carriers will drop off non-perishable food items at customers’ doorsteps as part of End Hunger, the nation’s largest one-day food drive.
Marie Montano, a letter carrier and member of National Letter Carriers Association Chapter 504 in Albuquerque, participates every year, calling it a chance to give back to the community.
“Starting at the end of April, I will start talking to my customers about this and letting them know,” Montano explained. “Every little thing counts. That’s almost 500 pounds per carrier per station, just for one day.”
Feeding America’s 2023 Meal Gap Map study found that 1 in 5 children in New Mexico and 1 in 7 children overall are at risk of hunger.
If you would like to help, you can fill a sturdy bag or box with non-perishable food and leave it next to your mailbox on Saturday before your regular mail delivery.
The work in Albuquerque will benefit the Roadrunner Food Bank, which distributes food not only in the city but throughout the state.
Sonya Warwick, the food bank’s director of communications and events, said they recognize there is a huge need right now as more people are visiting distribution sites.
“This is one of the largest food drives across the country,” Warrick noted. “Given that hunger is spiking among young children who are out of school and may not have access to the free or reduced-price meals they would normally receive at school, summer meals are on our agenda. very important.”
In addition to Roadrunner, food banks in other areas of the state, including Santa Fe and Artesia, are also participating. Warwick emphasized that New Mexico’s food banks are constantly working to close the state’s food gaps.
“That can be difficult just because there are so many communities in our state that have so many needs, especially rural areas of our state,” Warrick emphasized. “Hunger rates tend to be much higher, especially among the most vulnerable groups like children.”
For those unable to attend, Warwick added that monetary donations are always helpful, as Roadrunners can purchase food in categories that are not often donated.
Disclosure: Roadrunner Food Bank donates to our foundation for reporting on children’s issues, community issues and volunteerism, hunger/food/nutrition, and poverty issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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A new program in Indiana will give students across the state access to nutritious meals year-round.
The Summer Electronic Transfer program allows you to make a one-time payment of $120 to your school-age child with an EBT card. This card can be used at grocery stores, farmers markets, and other retail stores.
Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana Hungry, said history shows programs like SUN Bucks are effective.
“What we have learned from the pandemic is that providing these benefits by allowing families to pick up children on their behalf can help reduce food insecurity for children during the pandemic. “There was a big difference,” Weikert-Bryant said. “Especially during the summer.”
Local schools will be discussing eligibility with parents and families. Additionally, free meals are available on his SUN Meals site within the community. Funding for this effort is provided by the state and the Department of Agriculture.
Weikert-Bryant said SUN Bucks serves as an important lifeline to ensure no child goes hungry during the summer. This program reflects Indiana State’s commitment to ensuring Hoosier children have nutritious meals to promote their health and grow personally and academically. She explained who was eligible.
“Children will be eligible for the program if the household already participates in SNAP, TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families), or income-based Medicaid,” Weikert-Bryant outlined. “Or if the student is recognized as a ward of the state, i.e., foster child, homeless, immigrant.”
These children automatically receive benefits. Families with children who are not eligible for these programs but would receive free or reduced-price meals should apply for the program. The application deadline is May 1st.
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