Food Research & Action Center Commends USDA Decision to Extend Child Nutrition Waivers, But Warns More Must be Done to Mitigate Hunger

WASHINGTON, August 31, 2020 — The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) commends the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for heeding the anti-hunger, education, youth-serving communities’ and bi-partisan call to extend waivers for critical child nutrition programs that ensure the growing number of children at risk of hunger can get the nutrition they need.

Food Research & Action Center Urges Secretary Perdue to Heed the Bipartisan Call to Extend Child Nutrition Waivers

WASHINGTON, August 19, 2020 — The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) is calling on Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue to use his authority to extend the child nutrition waivers that were available in the spring through the 2020-2021 school year to ensure schools and private nonprofit organizations have the flexibility needed to ensure that children who rely on free and reduced-price school meals still get the nutrition they need while schools are shuttered or have schedules that include both remote and in-classroom learning.

Summer Meal Programs Put Food on the Table, but Increased Participation is Needed to Offset COVID-19 Hunger, Report Finds

WASHINGTON, August 4, 2020 — Too many children across the country are missing out on the nutrition they need during the summer months when the school year — and access to school breakfast and lunch — ends, according to a new report released today by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). The Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report finds 2.8 million children received summer lunch on an average weekday in July 2019, reaching only one child for every 7 low-income children who participated in school lunch during the 2018-2019 school year. Even fewer children — 1.5 million — ate breakfast at a summer meals site in July 2019, according to a companion report.

Leader McConnell’s Proposal Falls Woefully Short of Investments Needed to Address Food and Economic Hardship

WASHINGTON, July 27, 2020 — Senate Majority Leader McConnell’s proposed COVID-19 response omits Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit boosts and falls woefully short of the investments needed to address food and economic hardship and jump-start economic recovery. The pandemic relief proposal fails to meet the needs of the growing number of hungry households that have been significantly impacted by this public health and economic crisis. The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) calls on lawmakers to reject the McConnell proposal and instead redouble efforts to quickly craft and enact a package with SNAP boosts that would get meals onto struggling Americans’ kitchen tables and stimulate economic growth.

‘Rolling Rally’ Lights Up Senate Phone Lines and Social Media, Urges Boosts to SNAP in Next COVID-19 Recovery Package

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2020 — #BoostSNAPNow trended on Twitter today as numerous organizations and individuals from across the country welcomed back their Senators from recess with posted videos and photos urging them to act quickly to pass a COVID-19 recovery package that boosts SNAP benefits. The ‘Rolling Rally’ campaign led by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), in coordination with the Children’s Defense Fund, Coalition on Human Needs, and First Focus Campaign for Children, also mobilized individuals and organizations to “ring and rally” their Senators in conjunction with the digital push.