FRAC Chat

We are excited to acknowledge a milestone in supporting food security for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community: the restoration of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for people residing in the U.S. from Compact of Free Association (COFA) nations —which include the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, and Palau.
This is long overdue.
Citizens of the three nations are allowed to work in the U.S. as legal residents, but since the passage of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act in 1996, they had been denied the opportunity to receive food benefits through SNAP. which improves food security and health.

Summer is finally here, bringing with it long days, warm sunshine, and a break from the school routine. As students and their families transition from the structured schedules of the school year to the relaxed vibe of summer, our meal planning needs to adapt too.  

The Food Research & Action Center interviewed Patrick Tutwile, Massachusetts’ Secretary of Education, to learn how the state’s Healthy School Meals for All policy has impacted students, families, and schools.  

In a commendable move toward ensuring the nutritional well-being of our nation’s youth, five additional states will begin certifying children as eligible for free or reduced-price school meals using Medicaid data: Idaho, Maine, New Jersey, North Dakota, and Rhode Island.

Schools have until Sunday, June 30, to apply for the Community Eligibility Provision for the 2024–2025 school year. The Community Eligibility Provision, commonly referred to as CEP, allows high-need schools to offer school breakfast and lunch at no charge to all students. Starting next school year, any school, group of schools, or school district with an Identified Student Percentage above 25 percent — the percentage of students eligible for free school meals without a household application — is eligible to participate in CEP. Visit the Food Research & Action Center’s (FRAC) Community Eligibility Map to see which schools are eligible for CEP in your state.