Food Research & Action Center

08/25/2023

We can achieve this in the program by linking benefits to a more realistic food plan, ending time limits for the unemployed, repealing the ban on individuals with a drug felony, dropping extra work requirements for full-time college students, and ending the prohibition on hot prepared foods," said FRAC's Luis Guardia.

Anti-hunger groups are calling on Congress to protect the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program - as negotiations continue on the massive 2023 farm bill, due this fall. SNAP, known in California as Cal Fresh, provides an average benefit of $6 per person per day. Luis Guardia - president of the F...

08/24/2023

Disparities remain between wards with the lowest and highest incomes when it comes to residents’ access to full-service grocery stores, according to our new report released today, Still Minding the Grocery Gap: A 2023 Update.

08/24/2023

To ensure equitable access and service delivery in the Child Nutrition Programs, we need to learn more about the barriers that prevent access and the policies that work. Submit an RFP for the Equitable Access in Child Nutrition Program Project by Oct 3. https://frac.org/equitableaccesscn
Join a webinar on Tuesday, September 5 on the goals of the project, subgrant project design overview, and more. https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xUMWZfUySTmrpKkXWu1__w #/registration

The Equitable Access in Child Nutrition Programs (https://frac.org/equitableaccesscn) Project Team will hold a webinar for interested applicants to provide details about the Subgrant Request for Proposals (RFP). This webinar will cover the goals of the project, subgrant project design overview, and....

08/23/2023

A new survey from FRAC points to the need for much greater communication between healthcare centers and hunger relief organizations when it comes to food insecurity screening and intervening.https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/FRAC_AAPF_2023_V2.pdf

Only 25% of healthcare providers refer their food-insecure patients to a food bank or pantry for food aid, according to the survey, which polled 144 healthcare institutions regarding their interactions with patients aged 50 years or older. https://foodbanknews.org/the-challenge-of-healthcare-hunger-relief-partnerships/

A FRAC survey points to the need for greater communication between healthcare and hunger relief to find and address food insecurity.

08/22/2023

Watch a FRAC webinar that explores successful strategies to engage older students and increase school breakfast participation in secondary schools. This webinar highlights schools and districts that are using innovative and collaborative methods to increase adolescents’ participation in .

School breakfast is associated with positive social, emotional, and academic outcomes; however, far too many secondary students (grades 6-12) skip this essen...

08/22/2023

"It's become even more difficult for families to feed their children outside of the traditional school year," said FRAC's Kelsey Boone. “Not having enough access to food is detrimental to physical health, development and well-being. And in the summer, it also leads to learning loss. Pandemic EBT has been a great burst of nutrition during the summer months, which is very beneficial to enhancing learning and growth."

South Dakota was one of seven states that didn't apply for a federal food program that would have provided $7.5 million to feed kids.

08/21/2023

As we get closer to underemployed and unemployed individuals being cut off SNAP benefits due to the harmful time limits, FRAC has created a brief with resources for advocates on the best way to advocate and prepare to meet the needs of these populations. Take action: Utilize this brief to advocate to your Member of Congress to sign on to end SNAP time limits entirely by supporting Rep. Barbara Lee’s (D-CA) and Sen. Peter Welch’s (D-VT) Improving Access to Nutrition Act, H.R. 1510, S. 2435.https://frac.org/wp-content/uploads/SNAP-Time-Limits_R3.pdf

08/21/2023

“When we saw the loss of all of these pandemic supports, there hasn’t been anything coming into sort of replace all of that. So many program expansions and benefits and nothing to make up for the loss of all of those SNAP dollars or Pandemic-EBT dollars,” said Julia Gross, senior associate of the Anti-Hunger Program at Maryland Hunger Solutions.

“This is the second summer we haven’t had a car, so it’s a lot of walking,” Stacey Mencia said after eating with her four children. “Nobody wants to be out walking in this heat, but when schools close, we’ve got to find food somewhere.”

08/18/2023

Momentum for Healthy School Meals for All is building!

Eight states, California, Maine, Colorado, Minnesota, New Mexico, Vermont, Michigan, and Massachusetts, have passed policies to permanently offer free school meals to all students, and Nevada has extended free school meals for all through the 2023–2024 school year. These policies will ensure that all students are hunger-free and ready to get the most out of their school day.

The momentum that these eight state policies represent is exciting; however, children in all states should receive the benefits of free school meals for all. That is why the FRAC has convened a National Healthy School Meals for All Coalition, representing 18 national nonprofit organizations calling on Congress to pass a nationwide free school meals for all policy. Learn how to build the momentum during time from a blog by FRAC's Alexis Bylander.

August 17, 2023 Back to school season is upon us! This time of year often brings back memories of shopping for school supplies, starting new schedules, uniting with old friends, and meeting new ones. Unfortunately, this time of year is also a time when many parents start worrying about having enough...

08/17/2023

Restoring the expanded & making it fully refundable and inclusive is essential to fighting hunger and advancing racial equity. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) for supporting families with children with the . Urge your Members of Congress to take action to restore the expanded and make it fully refundable and inclusive. Join FRAC and the ABC Coalition in calling on Congress to pass the .

Media Contact: Jordan Baker [email protected] 202-640-1118 Statement attributable to Luis Guardia, President, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) WASHINGTON, June 7, 2023 — FRAC commends Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) for introducing the American Family A...

08/17/2023

Do you know that tens of millions of households across America struggle to put food on the table? This , join FRAC in being part of the solution to . Together, we can build a nation free from hunger. Learn more and see how you can support an organization with a proven track record. http://bit.ly/3Vxgbpj
For over 50 years, FRAC has taken bold steps toward a nation free from hunger. Learn from FRAC President Luis Guardia about how FRAC’s Strategic Plan can be used as a vehicle to help tackle hunger in America. Hungry people can’t wait! https://frac.org/strategic-plan

08/17/2023

Families are struggling to put food on the table. FRAC is proud to join partners like the ABC Coalition, Children's Defense Fund, and the Center for the Study of Social Policy in urging Congress to strengthen and protect federal nutrition programs, and to pass the to restore the expanded . With this legislation, Congress has a historic opportunity to help fight poverty and hunger for families with children.

08/16/2023

"When you have kids paying different prices, it can create problems, and one of the biggest ones is stigma in the cafeteria," said FRAC's Alexis Bylander. "All of that really changes when you provide free meals to everyone, just like you do access to classes, teachers, textbooks, and resources throughout the day."

States are stepping in where federal COVID-relief aid dropped off.

08/16/2023

FRAC, the National Women's Law Center, and MomsRising.org led more than 250 state and national groups in urging Congressional leaders to strengthen and expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the Farm Bill. The groups also called for Congress to use the Farm Bill to improve access to child care and public health, particularly for rural families. https://nwlc.org/resource/gender-justice-farm-bill-sign-on-letter/

The National Women’s Law Center, MomsRising, and Food Research & Action Center led more than 250 state and national groups in urging Congressional leaders to strengthen and expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the Farm Bill. The groups also called for Congress to...

08/15/2023

Watch a FRAC webinar that explores the human and economic impact of reductions in SNAP. We will be joined by experts from Propel and the National Grocers Association as they share research that documents this harm.

Millions of people with low incomes in the U.S. are experiencing a hunger cliff since temporary increases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)...

08/15/2023

Use the FRAC Action Network and join advocates from across the country in urging your U.S. House Member and U.S. Senator to co-sponsor H.R. 1510/ S. 2435, the Improving Access to Nutrition Act of 2023, Reps. Lee (D-CA) and Adams (D-NC), and Sen. Welch (D-VT) and Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY). The bill would end harsh and arbitrary time limits on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for certain individuals and allow them to access the food, nutrition, and overall health benefits provided by the program.

Access to food shouldn't have a time limit. Use Action Network to urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor the new bill that would end the three-month SNAP time limit for Able Bodied Adults without Dependents. []

08/14/2023

Use FRAC's Action Network, and join advocates from across the country in urging your House Member and Senators to co-sponsor H.R. 3183/S. 1488 The Enhanced Access to SNAP Act (EATS) Act, championed by Rep. Gomez (D-CA) and Sen. Gillibrand (D-NY). The bill would eliminate the barriers that college students with low incomes face when accessing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Use Action Network to urge your Members of Congress to cosponsor the new bill that would eliminate the barriers that college students with low incomes face when accessing SNAP. []

08/14/2023

FRAC today announced a Request for Proposals for subgrants for its Equitable Access in Child Nutrition Programs project, supported by funding through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS). A total of up to $1.1 million will be awarded, with individual subgrant awards ranging from $100,000 to $250,000. The goal of this funding is to help public and private nonprofit entities and academic organizations conduct research activities that identify barriers to equitable access in the Child Nutrition Programs as well as strategies to help overcome these barriers. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. EST on October 3, 2023. https://frac.org/news/equitableaccessaugust2023

08/14/2023

We are hiring for a SNAP Director at FRAC! RT/Share If you or someone you know with deep SNAP expertise and passion for ending hunger in America is looking for an opportunity to lead this work in collaboration with our fantastic team.

Position Available The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) seeks a talented and experienced leader with anti-hunger, nutrition, and anti-poverty expertise to fill the position of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Director working to strengthen SNAP access and benefit adequacy. Th...

08/11/2023

Did you know that the Afterschool Meal Program can help fill the nutrition gap that may exist for millions of low-income children when the school day ends? The Afterschool Meal Program provides federal funding to afterschool programs operating in low-income areas to serve nutritious meals and snacks to children 18 and under after school, on weekends, and during school holidays.

Next Thursday, August 17, join a FRAC webinar to learn how to get started and for strategies to increase participation at existing programs.

Did you know that the Afterschool Meal Program can help fill the nutrition gap that may exist for millions of low-income children when the school day ends? The Afterschool Meal Program provides federal funding to afterschool programs operating in low-income areas to serve nutritious meals and snacks...

08/10/2023

FRAC strongly opposes the SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023. Join us in urging Members of Congress to reject this bill and focus its efforts on protecting and strengthening SNAP benefit adequacy and improving equitable access. Read our statement.

Media Contact: Jordan Baker [email protected] 202-640-1118 Statement attributable to Luis Guardia, President, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) WASHINGTON, August 10, 2023 — The Food Research & Action Center strongly opposes the SNAP Nutrition Security Act of 2023. The bill is a step towards rest...

08/10/2023

Massachusetts joins seven states in offering at no charge to ALL students, regardless of household income. Join FRAC in congratulating Massachusetts for being the 8th state to pass this legislation!
http://www.freeschoolmealsforall.org/

08/10/2023

"Several states have decided to offer all students – regardless of family income – free meals for the past year. California became the first state to make lunch free for all children last year. Maine and Colorado followed suit last year, and Massachusetts, Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico and Vermont passed similar legislation. According to the Food Research and Action Center, some lawmakers in different pockets of the country are considering alternative solutions to address meal debt, “incentives for locally grown foods” and other concerns."

American families in some places can expect to pay more school lunches next school year, several school cafeteria directors told USA TODAY.

08/09/2023

In 2020, roughly six million women, infants, and children eligible for WIC were not participating in the program. Now, the WIC Community Innovation and Outreach Project (WIC CIAO) is looking for innovative ways to say “hello” to new participants.
Supported by U.S. Department of Agriculture, the WIC CIAO project team has identified 36 sub-grantees, including two food banks, that will promote outreach strategies to increase WIC enrollment and retention, particularly in underserved communities.
The WIC CIAO project views food banks as playing a potentially large role in closing the WIC gap, particularly within underserved communities. “People turn to them when they need help. They trust them,” noted FRAC's Geri Henchy.

Food banks can play a potentially large role in boosting participation in WIC, which only about half of eligible people use.

08/09/2023

Restoring the expanded & making it fully refundable and inclusive is essential to fighting hunger and advancing racial equity. Thank you Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) for supporting families with children with the . Urge your Members of Congress to take action to restore the expanded and make it fully refundable and inclusive. Join FRAC and the ABC Coalition in calling on Congress to pass the .

Media Contact: Jordan Baker [email protected] 202-640-1118 Statement attributable to Luis Guardia, President, Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) WASHINGTON, June 7, 2023 — FRAC commends Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Suzan DelBene (D-WA), and Ritchie Torres (D-NY) for introducing the American Family A...

08/08/2023

This Friday, August 11, join a webinar with FRAC, Propel, and the National Grocers Association that explores the human and economic impact that reductions of SNAP have.
Millions of people with low incomes in the U.S. are experiencing a hunger cliff since temporary increases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during COVID-19 ended in early 2023. This resulted in benefits averaging a mere $6 a person a day. The impact of the end of the SNAP Emergency Allotments has been felt deeply not just by households but by grocers as well.

Millions of people with low incomes in the U.S. are experiencing a hunger cliff since temporary increases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during COVID-19 ended in early 2023. This resulted in benefits averaging a mere $6 a person a...

08/08/2023

FRAC's Rebecca Shaw recently presented about telling your advocacy story through digital and social media during a Congressional Hunger Center and Bread for the World Gen Z Day on the Hill event for the . https://hungercenter.org/blog/gen-z-leaders-learn-advocacy-share-experiences-on-capitol-hill/

08/07/2023

The White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health encourages the health care sector to “screen for food insecurity and connect people to the services they need.” A recently released report, Health Care Provider Survey Findings: Addressing Food Insecurity Among Older Adults — Health Care Provider Beliefs, Practices, and Resources, produced by FRAC in collaboration with AARP Foundation, underscores how health care providers are doing just that by screening patients for food insecurity and connecting them to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other federal nutrition programs and food resources.
The report details the findings from a survey of health care providers around the country about their beliefs and practices related to addressing food insecurity among older adults. It also highlights key recommendations for supporting health care providers in this work. Learn more from a blog by FRAC's Susan Beaudoin and Alex Ashbrook.

August 7, 2023 The White House National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health encourages the health care sector to “screen for food insecurity and connect people to the services they need.” A recently released report, Health Care Provider Survey Findings: Addressing Food Insecurity Among Old...

08/07/2023

Well-designed policies and practices can help engage students and reduce barriers to school lunch participation.

This Thursday August 10 join a FRAC webinar to learn from experts across the nation on how they are promoting participation in their programs.https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sKCuVNNkSD-d0CJFd5bS-w #/registration

08/04/2023

FRAC, the National Women's Law Center, and MomsRising.org, invite you to join this sign-on letter by next Tuesday August 8, urging lawmakers to use the Farm Bill to strengthen and expand the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and to make investments that advance family economic security and health.

As organizations dedicated to promoting gender justice and working to ensure all women, LGBTQI+ people, and their families can live their lives with dignity, we invite you to join this sign-on letter (click to read full text) urging lawmakers to use the Farm Bill to strengthen and expand the Supplem...

08/03/2023

“So much of this is about the stigma that happens in the cafeteria when you’re lumping kids into three different groups for the same meals. Everybody needs to be able to access those meals for free so that the cafeteria is a welcoming place where it’s not stigmatizing to participate in school meals,” said FRAC's Alexis Bylander

Michigan lawmakers approved funding for public schools this year to offer free meals to all students, pre-K through 12th grade, regardless of income. Child nutrition experts are pushing to make the funding permanent.

08/02/2023

Momentum is growing for Healthy ! Schools across the country are seeing the benefits of offering school meals to all students at no charge, such as increasing participation in school meals and eliminating meal debt.

Switching from a traditional, tiered-eligibility system to offering all students schools meals at no charge requires collaboration and preparation in order to be successful.

Learn tips and tricks for a smooth transition to Healthy School Meals for All.

Momentum is growing for Healthy School Meals for All! Schools across the country are seeing the benefits of offering school meals to all students at no charg...

08/02/2023

Millions of people with low incomes in the U.S. are experiencing a hunger cliff since temporary increases in SNAP benefits during COVID-19 ended in early 2023. This resulted in benefits averaging a mere $6 a person a day. The impact of the end of the SNAP Emergency Allotments has been felt deeply not just by households but by grocers as well.
On August 11, join FRAC, Propel, and the National Grocers Association for a webinar that explores the human and economic impact that reductions of SNAP have on people.

Millions of people with low incomes in the U.S. are experiencing a hunger cliff since temporary increases in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during COVID-19 ended in early 2023. This resulted in benefits averaging a mere $6 a person a...

08/01/2023

“As we work to ensure that children have access to nutrition during the summer, providing summer meals in combination with educational and enrichment programming should remain the gold standard,” said FRAC President Luis Guardia on FRAC’s NEW report. “More needs to be done to ensure children get the nutrition as well as the educational and social and emotional supports they need during the summer. After all, summer should be a special time for children to play, learn, and grow without the worry of going hungry. With greater investments, more children can experience a summer free from hunger and can return to the new school year healthy and ready to learn.” https://bit.ly/3Q1cDLZ

07/28/2023

A hunger cliff is here. Millions of people who rely on support from SNAP have seen their benefits drop — in many cases, dramatically. Use FRAC's resources to see the impact on your state and find tools to take action today.

Check this page for updates on efforts to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 (coronavirus) on the health, well-being and food security of low-income people.

07/27/2023

In recognition of the 33rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it’s time to double down on realizing the law’s goal of prohibiting discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public life. While there has been great progress, much work remains to achieve the goal of economic security and justice for disabled people in the U.S. Ensuring that all disabled people have access to the nutrition they need to thrive is foundational to this goal.
Improving access to and strengthening the federal nutrition programs is a key strategy to help address the alarming rates of hunger among people with disabilities. These programs are our nation’s most important, proven, and cost-effective public interventions to address food insecurity. Read more in a blog by FRAC's Alex Ashbrook. https://frac.org/blog/ada-anniversary-economic-security-justice

07/27/2023

“The return back to normal operations, which a number of the districts that participated in the survey had to do, really did negatively impact school nutrition operations,” said FRAC’s Crystal FitzSimons

As districts adjust to the absence of federally funded free school meals, experts say statewide policies are needed to improve student participation.

07/27/2023

According to Feeding America, 87% of counties with the highest food insecurity rates are rural. In our latest episode The Rural Impact talks with Gina Plata-Nino, SNAP Deputy Director and Crystal FitzSimons, Director of School and Out-of-School Time Programs of Food Research & Action Center about how vulnerable populations are in need of accessible, affordable, and nutritious foods. Listen on Apple, Google, Spotify, or YouTube: https://tinyurl.com/49vrt25j

07/25/2023

“You see kids who are cost out of participating in the program,” said FRAC's Crystal FitzSimons. “There also have been a lot of challenges with the supply chain and staffing issues. A lot of school districts have been struggling, so it may impact the variety of meals that are being served and the ability of the staff to prepare meals.”

Researchers found that Hawai‘i is on par with other school districts across the country, seeing fewer children participating in their school food programs after a federal program that provided free meals to all students ended last summer. HPR's Cassie Ordonio has more.

06/02/2023

This , access a two-part resource from FRAC and that includes a quick facts sheet and programs chart to help connect LGBTQ individuals and families with low incomes to key federal nutrition programs.

June 29, 2022 This Pride month, FRAC is excited to be joining the National Center for Le***an Rights (NCLR) in releasing a new two-part resource (quick facts sheet, programs chart) to help connect LGBTQ individuals and families with low incomes to key federal nutrition programs. Hunger and Poverty i...