FRAC Chat

It is well-established that food insecurity contributes to poor health, poor disease management, higher health care utilization, and increased health care costs. This is especially true for people with special health care needs, such as cystic fibrosis.

CF, which affects an estimated 30,000 people in the U.S., is a genetic disorder that causes persistent lung infections and over time limits the ability to breathe. The condition results in damage to the lungs as well as complications for the digestive system and other organs. People living with CF have complex medical needs requiring specialized care and treatment, including consuming a diet high in calories. Living with CF can be very expensive due to high out-of-pocket costs, which can further complicate and compound the challenges that patients and their families face.

National participation in the Afterschool Nutrition Programs — which are key to closing the hunger gap that exists afterschool for many children across the country — continues to grow, according to a new FRAC report.

Despite signs that the U.S. is experiencing modest progress in driving down rates of food insecurity and poverty, it’s evident that far too many households still struggle to meet basic needs, like food and utilities. Ignoring that fact, the Trump administration has proposed its third Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rule this year, this one threatening to deepen the heating or eating dilemma for many more low-income households.

It’s National School Lunch Week, and we want to celebrate all the school districts that have adopted community eligibility!

As the number of grandfamilies continues to rise, data on the state of grandfamilies is growing, including alarming data pointing to grandfamilies’ vulnerability to poverty and hunger. To elevate the unique challenges grandfamilies face — and to highlight the importance of the federal nutrition programs to addressing those challenges — FRAC, in collaboration with Generations United, collected and shared real-life narratives of grandparents raising grandchildren. Below is a selection of these narratives, first shared during this year’s Grandparents Day (September 8).