July 16, 2019
Summer is a time for lounging by the pool, enjoying a picnic or barbeque, and, of course, catching up on the latest research on hunger, nutrition, and poverty! Strengthen your anti-hunger advocacy muscle this summer by diving into some of FRAC’s newest research, reports, and resources.
2019 Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation Reports: Summer Nutrition and Summer Breakfast: Summer meals provided through the federally funded Summer Nutrition Programs play a critical role in closing the summer nutrition gap that exists for far too many low-income families when the school year — and access to school meals — end. FRAC’s 2019 Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation reports measure the reach of the Summer Nutrition Programs — lunch and breakfast — in July 2018 (nationally and in each state) and detail strategies for boosting summer meals participation.
Also, be sure to check out the complementary interactive map and tables with state-by-state data on participation in breakfast and lunch service through the Summer Nutrition Programs.
A Primer for Advocates on the National Voter Registration Act: It’s time to close the voter registration gap to ensure the voices of communities impacted by hunger; poverty; lack of resources for nutrition, health care, or housing; and racial discrimination are elevated — and anti-hunger, anti-poverty, and health care access advocates can help! This primer from FRAC and Demos features information on how advocates can support opportunities to register people to vote through public assistance agencies.
Community Eligibility: The Key to Hunger-Free Schools, School Year 2018–2019: The Community Eligibility Provision is only five years old, but it’s already making a big difference by providing more students in thousands of schools across the nation with access to school meals at no cost. This FRAC report provides an analysis of community eligibility implementation — nationally and for each state and the District of Columbia — in the 2018–2019 school year. (A teaser: community eligibility participation is growing!)
Making WIC Work Better: Strategies to Reach More Women and Children and Strengthen Benefits Use: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides millions of women, infants, and young children with resources to maintain good nutrition — a critical building block for a healthy, bright future. However, the reach of the program could be considerably greater. This comprehensive FRAC report offers information on how to break down barriers to WIC participation, including strategies for your state, community, or program, and guidance on how to make the case for WIC.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Initiatives to Make SNAP Benefits More Adequate Significantly Improve Food Security, Nutrition, and Health: Reduces food insecurity? Check. Improves dietary intake? Check. Lifts millions out of poverty? Check. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a powerhouse program, but the monthly benefits are often too low to support an adequate, healthy diet for participating households. Heather Hartline-Grafton, FRAC’s senior nutrition policy and research analyst, summarizes research that confirms increasing SNAP benefit adequacy is possible and comes with high returns. Also, read The Price Is (Not) Right and It’s Time to Build on SNAP’s Effectiveness for Disaster Recovery to learn more about the need to boost SNAP benefits.
Need more reads to explore? Check out FRAC’s Resource Library for more research, reports, and resources!
Click to Tweet: Summer is now in full swing! Get your summer read on and check out @fractweets’ 2019 Summer Must-Read List: bit.ly/2SnQR59 #EndHunger
