Jun 24, 2022

RAPID Survey Findings: Impact of The Pandemic on Hunger

Families with young children in the United States are facing a hunger crisis.

During the pandemic, Stanford’s RAPID survey has been tracking hunger among American families with young children. Before the pandemic, 18% of RAPID families with young children were experiencing hunger, and by October 2020, this number had risen to 30%. Hunger gradually decreased during 2021 but remained consistently above pre-pandemic levels.

Jun 23, 2022

White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health Hear What People with Lived Experience with Hunger Shared- Diane Sullivan, Co-Founder, Equitable Spaces

Food Research & Action Center

This September, the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health will take place with the goal of ending hunger and reducing diet-related diseases and disparities in the U.S. by 2030.

FRAC, along with other anti-hunger organizations underscored five priorities for the conference.

To ensure these priorities are put into the forefront during the conference, FRAC nominated several people to speak about their lived experiences with hunger during a series of virtual, regional listening sessions hosted by the White House. They shared their stories and recommendations during these sessions.

In a blog series, we will share the remarks of a few of the advocates who spoke during these sessions. This blog shares the remarks from Diane Sullivan, Co-Founder of Equitable Spaces.

Jun 22, 2022

Pride Month 2022: The Impact of USDA’s New Guidance on SNAP

Food Research & Action Center

Last month, the USDA announced a policy to improve equitable access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP by including discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in the prohibition against sex discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

FRAC’s SNAP Deputy Director, Andrew Cheyne, was joined by Vicky Negus, Policy Advocate at the Massachusetts Law Reform Institute to discuss the implications of this policy, and what else can be done to provide more equitable SNAP access for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Jun 17, 2022

Updated Rule Underscores Civil Rights Protections in SNAP

On Tuesday, June 14, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a final rule updating Federal-State Agreements (FSAs) that are critical for ensuring civil rights protections in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The final rule, which was proposed by the Obama administration, will take effect on August 15, 2022. It reaffirms USDA’s commitment to ensuring “no person in the United States shall, on the grounds of sex, including gender identity and sexual orientation, race, color, age, political belief, religious creed, disability, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subject to discrimination under SNAP.”

Jun 17, 2022

Calls for Action to Avert SNAP Hunger Cliff Mount

Temporary COVID-19 SNAP benefit boosts are slated to end when the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) Declaration is terminated. As a result, calls for congressional action to avert a looming “hunger cliff” are mounting.
On June 9, Representatives Jim McGovern (D-MA), Alma Adams (D-NC), Barbara Lee (D-CA), and more than 70 other House members signed a letter to House and Senate leaders warning of the impending harm unless Congress acts.