Working to End Hunger in America
FRAC improves the nutrition, health, and well-being of people struggling against poverty-related hunger in the United States through advocacy, partnerships, and by advancing bold and equitable policy solutions.
Resources for COVID-19
Hunger & Poverty in America
Explore the Data
Food Insufficiency during COVID-19
Explore the Data
Budget Reconciliation 101
Explore our report
Omnibus and Coronavirus Response Package
Read our summary
Ask the Biden Administration to Implement Universal School Meals
Read our Sign On Letter
COVID-19 Updates
FRAC posts all the latest on this page!
FRAC's 2020 Report on Federal Nutrition Programs in the Southern Region
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How does P-EBT work in your state?
P-EBT Updates
How has the latest bill in congress affected Child Nutrition Programs?
Nationwide Child Nutrition Waivers
USDA Guidelines on Using Existing Authority to Implement SFSP and SSO Meal Delivery
Q&As from the USDA on the logistics of delivering meals through the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) and the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) while using existing authority.
News
FRAC Chat
During COVID-19, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has had enhanced authority from Congress to grant state SNAP agencies greater flexibility on enrollment procedures. In new policy guidance, FNS has clarified that, even after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Declaration (PHE) and its enhanced authority ends, it can use its normal waiver authority to approve requests for continuation of some of those workarounds.
The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) released a new report, Pandemic EBT: Recommendations for a Permanent Nationwide Summer EBT Program, which used responses collected from a survey of state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program agencies about the summer 2021 Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) Program to identify and synthesize lessons learned from implementation to inform policy and best practices.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) maximum allotments will increase in fiscal year (FY) 2023, but fall short of the amounts needed for adequate diets, according to a Food Research & Action Center analysis. The cost-of-living adjustments, announced by U.S. Department of Agriculture in August 2022, reflect the pricing of the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) market basket in June 2022. Given the impact of inflation in recent months, the maximum benefit for four-person SNAP households with the lowest incomes will increase from $835 to $939, but still will be $75 below the level calibrated to the more realistic Low-Cost Food Plan.
Recent Publications & Data
See More Resources- Fact Sheet
Many schools have found it more difficult to collect school meals applications during COVID-19, and this may be exacerbated as schools return to pre-pandemic operations. This toolkit shares outreach strategies and communication resources to help school districts and community partners ensure families return school meals applications.
View the toolkit - Report
In spring 2020, millions of students were either out of school or learning remotely. Pandemic EBT helped to fill the nutritional gap left by lack of access to school meals and had a large impact on addressing food insecurity.
FRAC’s latest Pandemic EBT report draws on a survey sent to all state Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program directors to highlight the critical importance of this program for children, families, and school nutrition programs. It then takes lessons learned reported by states to make policy recommendations for a permanent nationwide Summer EBT Program and identifies best practices to support the implementation.
Read the report - Fact Sheet
Accompanying FRAC’s report, Pandemic EBT: Recommendations for a Permanent Nationwide Summer EBT Program, these state fact sheets provide a detailed picture of approved state P-EBT plans, including statistics on number of children served, communications and outreach strategies, and estimates of total benefit issuance.
Read the fact sheets - Guide
The reauthorization of the federal Child Nutrition Programs presents a unique opportunity to correct federal policy that has exacerbated food insecurity in Indian Country. In this policy brief, FRAC and the Intertribal Agriculture Council explore the ways Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) can ensure the Child Nutrition Programs reach and serve Tribal constituents in a more efficient and effective manner.
Read the policy brief