# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Acknowledgments
FRAC and AAP gratefully acknowledge the Elevance Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health Inc., for support of their work to help medical providers screen and intervene to address food insecurity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Screen and Intervene: A Toolkit for Pediatricians to Address Food Insecurity - Food Research & Action Center

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Acknowledgments FRAC and AAP gratefully acknowledge the Elevance Health Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Elevance Health Inc., for support of their work to help medical providers screen and intervene to address food insecurity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Food Insecurity Overview

Food insecurity - the limited or uncertain access to enough food - is a critical child health issue that impacts millions of infants, children, youth, and families in all communities across the U.S. Children of all ages who live in households with food insecurity, even at the least severe levels of food insecurity, are likely to be sick more often, recover from illness more slowly, and be hospitalized more frequently. Unfortunately, 1 in 7 U.S. children lives in a household struggling against food insecurity. Pediatricians can play a critical role in addressing food insecurity, a health-related unmet social need with harmful impacts on child health, development, and well-being.

AAP Recommendations

In a policy statement, Promoting Food Security for All Children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that pediatricians :

Screen and identify children at risk for food insecurity;

Connect families to needed community resources; and

Advocate with other key partners and stakeholders for federal, state, and local policies that support access to adequate and healthy food so that all children and their families can be nourished, active, and healthy

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Food insecurity - the limited or uncertain access to enough food - is a critical child health issue that impacts millions of infants, children, youth, and families in all communities across the U.S.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Hunger Vital Sign™ - Children’s HealthWatch

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Evidence and analysis from the frontlines of pediatric care.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Addressing Stolen SNAP Benefits

FNS is working closely with our state and federal partners, SNAP retailers, EBT processors, and other industry experts to protect SNAP benefits and combat SNAP fraud.

USDA's Focus on Nutrition Security

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service is working to ensure all communities have access to foods that support good health and well-being. Watch our video, which highlights how FNS nutrition assistance programs help all Americans thrive.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Addressing Stolen SNAP Benefits FNS is working closely with our state and federal partners, SNAP retailers, EBT processors, and other industry experts to protect SNAP benefits and combat SNAP fraud. USDA's Focus on Nutrition Security The USDA Food and Nutrition Service is working to ensure all communities have access to foods that support good health and well-being.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Input your zip code to find your local food bank.

They will be happy to help you:

Find free groceries near your home

Sign up for nutrition benefits like SNAP (food stamps)

Connect to other helpful services

If your zip code is not listed above, please contact us to find your local food bank.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Input your zip code to find your local food bank. They will be happy to help you: Find free groceries near your home Sign up for nutrition benefits like SNAP (food stamps) Connect to other helpful services If your zip code is not listed above, please contact us to find your local food bank.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
2-1-1 Texas | 2-1-1 Texas - Connecting People and Services

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
2-1-1 Texas | Texas Health And Human Services Commission

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find Help A search term is required to find resources for food, health, housing, and more Enter Search Term Enter Your Zip Code SEARCH Not seeing what you are looking for? Try our Guided Search or search here by agency name.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(3):143-145

Author disclosure: No relevant financial affiliations.

Food security is defined as access by all persons at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life. Limited availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food or the inability to acquire these foods in socially acceptable ways is called food insecurity (FI).1

Prior to the Great Recession (2007 to 2009), the rate of FI was 11.1%; FI peaked at 14.9% in 2011 before declining to 12.3% (almost 16 million American households) in 2016.2 FI occurs most often in households with income near or below the federal poverty line or with a person living alone, in households containing children, or in households headed by a black or Hispanic person or single parent. In addition, the prevalence of FI is higher among those living in principal cities of metropolitan areas (14.2%) or in rural areas (15.0%), with the highest prevalence occurring in the South (13.5%), followed by the Midwest (12.2%), the West (11.5%), and the Northeast (10.8%).2

The interaction between FI and chronic disease is cyclical. FI results in constrained dietary options and compensatory strategies, as well as competing demands for limited resources (e.g., postponement of needed health care). Changes in health status and stress from FI can result in development and progression of chronic diseases, causing further competing demands that exacerbate FI.3 Obesity is associated with FI, especially in women and in persons with diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, or depression.4- 10 Adults with very low food security have a higher 10-year risk of cardiovascular events than those with traditional risk factors.11 In children and adolescents, FI increases the risks of hypertension, asthma, obesity, poor nutrition, infection, anemia, untreated dental caries, poorly developed social-emotional skills (in young children), poor academic achievement, and behavioral problems (in adolescent males).12

Physicians can improve the health of patients who experience FI by following the SEARCH (screen, educate, adjust, recognize, connect, help) mnemonic13 and by using the resources outlined in Table 1.

Screen all patients for FI, especially in practices that serve at-risk populations, and document findings in the electronic health record. Although the preferred screening tool for FI is an 18-item survey, two questions have been identified that can quickly assess for FI.14, 15 An affirmative response ("often true" or "sometimes true" vs. "never true") to either of the following statements can identify FI with 97% sensitivity and 83% specificity: (1) Within the past 12 months we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more, and (2) Within the past 12 months the food we bought just didn't last, and we didn't have money to get more.15 Screening could be completed during the intake process so that physicians can focus their time on helping patients who screen positive.16

Educate patients at risk of FI about appropriate coping strategies. Although some individuals with limited resources manage without major disruptions to food intake, many eat less or eat less healthy foods to get by. Physicians can help patients avoid other unhealthy coping strategies such as prioritizing food quantity over quality; stretching or diluting food and beverages; avoiding medical care or filling prescriptions; eating one large, highly satiating meal per day; choosing a small variety of low-cost or fast foods; fasting or skipping meals; and overeating when food is available. Some individuals may go to the emergency department to obtain food or may commit a petty crime to get a jail meal.13

Educate patients with diabetes who are at increased risk of hypoglycemia to coordinate hypoglycemic medications (e.g., sulfonylureas, prandial insulin) with meals rather than time of day. Patients should avoid taking these medications if they are not going to eat a meal, no matter the reason. Educate patients with hypertension or heart disease about sodium restriction because sodium levels may be higher in prepackaged donated food or low-cost fast food.

Adjust the patient's medication if it should be taken with food. Prescribe medications that minimize the likelihood of hypoglycemia for patients with FI who have diabetes.13 Hypoglycemia may occur more often toward the end of the month because of the lack of financial resources to buy food.17

A physician or registered dietitian nutritionist can help patients adjust meal plans and timing of meals to reduce negative interactions between the patient's diet and prescribed medications for chronic conditions.18 Prescribe medications that are effective and affordable and that promote optimal adherence.

Recognize that FI is typically recurrent but is usually not chronic. Patients should be screened at each visit to ensure appropriate evaluation and management of intermittent or recurrent FI.

Connect patients with assistance programs and encourage patients with FI to use food banks. See eTable A for more information on available programs.

Help other health care professionals recognize that poor health and FI often exacerbate one another. Addressing FI during medical education enables faculty and trainees to understand the role of FI in population health and to propose solutions.19 Physicians should advocate for food security resources in clinics, hospitals, and communities (Table 1).

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Food Insecurity: How You Can Help Your Patients

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Am Fam Physician. 2018;98(3):143-145 Author disclosure: No relevant financial affiliations. Food security is defined as access by all persons at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Texas Children are the state's greatest resource. The Texas Pediatric Society provides a forum for pediatricians to join colleagues in advocating for children as well as their profession. The tools below provide an easier way to integrate advocacy into your practice and to learn more about the current activities of the TPS advocacy team.

The 86th Texas Legislative session runs from January 12, 2021 to May 31, 2021. TPS staff and pediatrician members will be actively advocating for Texas children and the pediatric practice of medicine. Click above for our legislative priorities and all TPS testimony provided to lawmakers.

Advocating for children doesn't stop with the end of the legislative session. TPS remains active during the interim by implementing legislation, commenting on proposed rules and provided interim testimony.

The Texas Pediatric Society works closely with our partners at the American Academy of Pediatrics to ensure Texas pediatrician voices are heard on Capitol Hill. Click the link above to see our latest advocacy alerts and notices on issues as they pertain to federal pediatric healthcare issues.

Every pediatrician can be an advocate for children. Visit our advocacy resources page to find out how to engage with your lawmakers, look up your representatives, and learn more about the Texas legislature.

Find information on TPS's legislative agenda, priorities, activities, and outcomes from previous sessions.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Texas Children are the state's greatest resource. The Texas Pediatric Society provides a forum for pediatricians to join colleagues in advocating for children as well as their profession. The tools below provide an easier way to integrate advocacy into your practice and to learn more about the current activities of the TPS advocacy team.

# data[].attributes.attachment_caption
Screening for Social Determinants of Health Guide

# data[].attributes.body
Dr. Claire Bocchini
cb135591@bcm.edu

Dr. Michelle Lopez
malopez@texaschildrens.org

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
However, people in rural communities and the South are often more likely to lack access to enough food. This is because of many factors like poverty, unemployment, and the cost of living,

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
34 million people are food insecure in the United States. That's millions of people facing hunger. Learn more about hunger in America.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Household Food Security in the United States

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Promoting Food Security for All Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Stay Involved

Learn more about how you can get involved in ending hunger in Texas.

Get Help

Find your local food bank by entering your zip code:

Solutions

Our solutions are designed to address the root causes of hunger so that every Texan can live an active, healthy life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learn more about how you can get involved in ending hunger in Texas. Find your local food bank by entering your zip code: Our solutions are designed to address the root causes of hunger so that every Texan can live an active, healthy life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Food Insecurity: What Texas Health Steps Providers Need to Know > Food Insecurity: What Texas Health Steps Providers Need to Know

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How to identify, screen, and assist children and adolescents who lack adequate nutritious food for an active, healthy life.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ranges of Food Security and Food Insecurity

In 2006, USDA introduced new language to describe ranges of severity of food insecurity. USDA made these changes in response to recommendations of an expert panel convened at USDA's request by the Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) of the National Academies. Although new labels were introduced, the methods used to assess households' food security remained unchanged, so statistics for 2005 to now are directly comparable with those for earlier years. The following labels define ranges of food security:

Food Security

High food security (old label = Food security): no reported indications of food-access problems or limitations.

Marginal food security (old label = Food security): one or two reported indications-typically of anxiety over food sufficiency or shortage of food in the house. Little or no indication of changes in diets or food intake.

Food Insecurity

Low food security (old label = Food insecurity without hunger): reports of reduced quality, variety, or desirability of diet. Little or no indication of reduced food intake.

Very low food security (old label = Food insecurity with hunger): reports of multiple indications of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.

CNSTAT Review and Recommendations

USDA requested the review by CNSTAT to ensure that the measurement methods USDA uses to assess households' access-or lack of access-to adequate food and the language used to describe those conditions are conceptually and operationally sound and that they convey relevant information to policy officials and the public. The CNSTAT panel that conducted this study included economists, sociologists, nutritionists, statisticians, and other researchers. One of the central issues the panel addressed was whether the concepts and definitions underlying the measurement methods-especially the concept and definition of hunger and the relationship between hunger and food insecurity-were appropriate for the policy context in which food security statistics are used.

The CNSTAT panel:

Recommended that USDA continue to measure and monitor food insecurity regularly in a household survey.

Affirmed that the general methodology used to measure food insecurity is appropriate.

Suggested several ways to refine the methodology (contingent on additional research). USDA, ERS published technical research reports on potential refinements and continues to conduct research on these issues. See:

The CNSTAT panel also recommended that USDA make a clear and explicit distinction between food insecurity and hunger:

Food insecurity-the condition assessed in the food security survey and represented in USDA food security reports-is a household-level economic and social condition of limited or uncertain access to adequate food.

Hunger is an individual-level physiological condition that may result from food insecurity.

The word "hunger," the panel stated in its final report, "...should refer to a potential consequence of food insecurity that, because of prolonged, involuntary lack of food, results in discomfort, illness, weakness, or pain that goes beyond the usual uneasy sensation." To measure hunger in this sense would require collecting more detailed and extensive information on physiological experiences of individual household members than could be accomplished effectively in the Current Population Survey (CPS). The panel recommended, therefore, that new methods be developed to measure hunger and that a national assessment of hunger be conducted using an appropriate survey of individuals rather than a survey of households.

The CNSTAT panel also recommended that USDA consider alternative labels to convey the severity of food insecurity without using the word "hunger," since hunger is not adequately assessed in the food security survey. USDA concurred and introduced the labels "low food security" and "very low food security" in 2006.

For more information on CNSTAT Recommendations...

Characteristics of Households with Very Low Food Security

Conditions reported by households with very low food security are compared with those reported by food-secure households and by households with low (but not very low) food security in the following chart:

Download chart data in Excel format

The defining characteristic of very low food security is that-at times during the year-food intake of household members is reduced and their normal eating patterns are disrupted because the household lacks money and other resources for food. Very low food security is characterized in terms of the conditions that households in this category typically reported in the annual survey. In 2022:

98 percent reported having worried their food would run out before they had money to buy more.

97 percent reported the food they bought just did not last, and they did not have money to get more.

96 percent reported they could not afford to eat balanced meals.

96 percent reported an adult had cut the size of meals or skipped meals because there was not enough money for food; 87 percent reported this had occurred in 3 or more months.

95 percent reported they had eaten less than they felt they should because there was not enough money for food.

65 percent reported they had been hungry but did not eat because they could not afford enough food.

46 percent reported having lost weight because they did not have enough money for food.

29 percent reported an adult did not eat for a whole day because there was not enough money for food; 22 percent reported this had occurred in 3 or more months.

All households without children that were classified as having very low food security reported at least 6 of these conditions, and most households with very low food security, 65 percent, reported 7 or more food-insecure conditions. Food-insecure conditions in households with children followed a similar pattern.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In 2006, USDA introduced new language to describe ranges of severity of food insecurity in response to recommendations by an expert panel convened at USDA's request by the Committee on National Statistics (CNSTAT) of the National Academies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What Hunger Looks Like in

In , people are facing hunger - and of them are children.

people

face hunger.

People facing hunger in are estimated to report needing more per year to meet their food needs.

The average cost of a meal in is . Data from Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study. Learn more ›

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in

Charitable programs are unable to fully support those facing hunger. The combination of charity and government assistance programs are necessary to help bridge the meal gap.

SNAP, formerly food stamps, provides temporary help for people going through hard times - providing supplemental money to buy food until they can get back on their feet.

In ,

53.4% of households receiving SNAP benefits have children

$4,767,112,796
distributed through 8,104,091,753 in economic activity*.
SNAP generated

*Economists estimate that every dollar a household redeems through SNAP generates about $1.70 in economic activity.

Make a Difference in

The Feeding America network is able to reach 40 million people, largely thanks to the commitment of volunteers. Our communities are stronger when we join together - help give your neighbors a hand up by volunteering at your local food bank.
Pledge to volunteer ›
To make progress toward ending hunger in , we need to make sure our lawmakers in Washington are fighting for those struggling back home. You can help make sure they see how great the need is in - call on lawmakers to make ending hunger a priority.
Contact your member of Congress today ›

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In , people are facing hunger - and of them are children. people face hunger. People facing hunger in are estimated to report needing more per year to meet their food needs. The average cost of a meal in is . Data from Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap study.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Whether it's SNAP food benefits on the Lone Star Card, TANF cash assistance or the Summer Lunch Program for kids, HHS is there for people who need help buying food. You may even find classes in your area to help you live healthy and provide tips on saving money when you buy groceries.

Feeding Texas is a statewide, nonprofit leading a unified effort for a hunger-free Texas.

SNAP food benefits, formerly known as food stamps, are put on to the Lone Star Card and can be used just like a credit card at any store that accepts SNAP.

Texas Department of Agriculture partners in the Summer Meal Programs to provide meals at no cost to children and teens 18 years old and younger and enrolled students with disabilities up to 21 years old. Visit SummerFood.org to find a meal site near you.

Texas Food Bank Network

Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) is a health and nutrition program that help improve the diets of infants and children as well as pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women.

Mobile Mercado Provides Healthy Options for Texans

Operated by the San Antonio Food Bank and in partnership with SNAP-Ed, the Mobile Mercado brings fresh groceries to people who may have limited access in their own communities. A chef or nutritionist travels with the truck to provide education on healthy eating and demonstrate recipes. L earn more on the San Antonio Food Bank website.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Whether it's SNAP food benefits on the Lone Star Card, TANF cash assistance or the Summer Lunch Program for kids, HHS is there for people who need help buying food. You may even find classes in your area to help you live healthy and provide tips on saving money when you buy groceries.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Contact one of the providers listed below for assistance in filling out an application for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as "food stamps", or to learn more about SNAP and other nutrition programs in your area.

North Texas Food Bank
214-269-0906
855-719-7627
4500 D. Cockrell Hill Road
Dallas, Texas 75236
Counties covered: Collin, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Lamar, Navarro and Rockwall

San Antonio Food Bank
210-431-8326
800-246-9121
5200 Old Highway 90 W.
San Antonio, Texas 78227
Counties covered: Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Edwards, Frio, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, La Salle, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Wilson and Zavala

Tarrant Area Food Bank
817-857-7100
866-430-6143
2600 Cullen St.
Fort Worth, Texas 76107
Counties covered: Bosque, Cooke, Denton, Erath, Hamilton, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant and Wise

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Texas Food Bank Network Provider | Texas Health and Human Services

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Texas Food Bank Network Provider page includes a contact list of food banks that can assist in filling out a SNAP application and provide more information about SNAP and other nutrition programs in your area.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What it Offers

SNAP helps people buy the food they need for good health. People also can buy garden seeds with SNAP benefits.

SNAP food benefits are put on a Lone Star Card and can be used just like a credit card at any store that accepts SNAP.

SNAP can't be used to:

Buy tobacco.

Buy alcoholic drinks.

Buy things you can't eat or drink.

Pay for food bills you owe.

Who is it for?

People who don't have a lot of money and meet program rules.

Most adults ages 18 to 49 with no children in their home can get SNAP for only three months in a three-year period. The benefit period might be longer if the person works at least 20 hours a week or is in a job or training program. Some adults might not have to work to get benefits, such as those who have a disability or are pregnant.

Households in which all members are either older adults (age 60 and older) or people with disabilities are eligible to participate in the Texas Simplified Application Project (TSAP), which makes the SNAP application process easier and provides three years of benefits at a time instead of six months.

Maximum Monthly Income Limits

Other Rules

Most people ages 16 to 59 must follow work rules to get SNAP benefits. Work rules mean a person must look for a job or be in an approved work program. If the person has a job, they can't quit without a good reason.

Maximum Monthly SNAP Amount

Learn More

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SNAP helps people buy the food they need for good health. People also can buy garden seeds with SNAP benefits. SNAP food benefits are put on a Lone Star Card and can be used just like a credit card at any store that accepts SNAP. SNAP can't be used to: Buy tobacco.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
There is a recall of Kate Farms pediatric and adult formula products and Abbott PediaSure Harvest. If you have one of these formulas, visit texashhs.org/wicfoodupdates. These are specialty formulas that require a prescription.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The School Breakfast Program (SBP) reimburses the approved meals contracting entities serve to more than 1.5 million qualifying Texan children daily. The SBP also encourages the consumption of domestically produced agricultural commodities and foods.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program that provides lunches to more than 3 million Texas children in school and residential child care institutions.

The NSLP serves nutritious, low-cost or free lunches to students in public and non-profit private schools in Texas. Lunches must meet federal nutrition guidelines, and are reimbursable to schools based on number of meals served.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) is a federally assisted meal program that provides lunches to more than 3 million Texas children. The NSLP serves nutritious, low-cost or free lunches to students in public and non-profit private schools in Texas.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Children need nutritious meals to learn, grow and thrive - even when school is out. With the can continue to eat healthy throughout the summer at no cost at any participating meal site. Summer Meal Programs, children and teens ages 18 and younger, and enrolled students with disabilities up to 21 years old

Need food assistance now? Visit your child's school website to learn more about how meals are being served or locate a nearby meal site by using the texting tool below:

For more information on other food assistance for families in Texas, click here.

Assistance available in English and Spanish. Please call ) for help.877-TEX-MEAL ( 877-839-6325

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or

2. Fax: (833) 256-1665 or(202) 690-7442 ; or

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
where can i find food for the summer in texas

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Summer meals are now being served in a community near you in Texas! Healthy, no-cost meals are available to kids 18 and younger and enrolled students with disabilities up to 21 years old. Use the interactive map to find a summer meal site.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program

Helping school children learn more about healthful eating habits and introducing them to a variety of produce

The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federally assisted invitation-only program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to students in participating elementary schools during the school day. The FFVP helps schools create healthier school environments by providing healthier food choices, expanding the variety of fruits and vegetables children experience, and increasing children's fruit and vegetable consumption.

Click below to see USDA's fact sheet about FFVP

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant's name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Helping school children learn more about healthful eating habits and introducing them to a variety of produce The Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP) is a federally assisted invitation-only program providing free fresh fruits and vegetables to students in participating elementary schools during the school day.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses child care centers, day care home providers, and adult day care centers for part of the cost associated with serving more than 400,000 approved meals and snacks to children and adults in Texas every day.

The goal of the CACFP is to improve and maintain the health and nutritional status of children and adults, promote development of good eating habits, and integrate nutritious food service with organized child and adult day care services.

If you'd like more information on Getting Started with CACFP,fill out the Pre-Eligibility Form here.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses child care centers, day care home providers, and adult day care centers for part of the cost associated with serving more than 400,000 approved meals and snacks to children and adults in Texas every day.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Pediatricians can and should play a critical role in addressing food insecurity, a health-related social need with harmful impacts on child health, development, and well-being. 1 Food insecurity is a term defined by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) that indicates that the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, or the ability to acquire such food, is limited or uncertain for a household. 2 A variety of strategies exist for pediatricians to address food insecurity among children in the United States, including screening for food insecurity in health care settings, connecting children and their families to the benefits in the federal nutrition programs, and advocating for policies to alleviate food insecurity and its root causes. 1 This commentary will briefly describe the prevalence of and risk factors for food insecurity among children, consequences of food insecurity for children, federal nutrition programs that improve household food security and child health, and actions pediatricians can take in their practice and through advocacy to meaningfully address food insecurity among children.

Food Insecurity Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Consequences

Food insecurity is a significant public health concern given the high prevalence and negative consequences for nutrition, health, and well-being. In 2018, approximately 11.2 million children lived in food-insecure households. 2 This represents 15.2% of all children. Research shows that certain households with children are more vulnerable to food insecurity, including those headed by a single female, Black or Hispanic, and households with incomes under 185% of the federal poverty line. 2 US-citizen children of immigrant mothers also face an increased risk of household food insecurity. 3 Furthermore, an emerging body of evidence indicates that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased food insecurity among US families and children, with one report concluding that, based on April 2020 data, "young children are experiencing food insecurity to an extent unprecedented in modern times." 4,5

While food insecurity has direct and indirect consequences across the lifespan, food insecurity-and even marginal food security (a less severe level of food insecurity) 6,7-is especially detrimental to the health, development, and well-being of children. 1,8 Research shows a link for children between food insecurity and low birth weight, 9,10 birth defects, 11 iron deficiency anemia, 12,13 poor or fair health status, 14,15 poor dietary quality and less physical activity, 16 cardiometabolic risk factors, 17 high blood pressure, 18 more frequent colds and stomachaches, 19 asthma, 20 lower bone density (among boys), 21 untreated dental caries (ie, tooth decay), 22 developmental risk, 23 behavioral and social-emotional problems (eg, hyperactivity), 24,25 mental health problems (eg, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation), 26,27 poor educational performance and academic outcomes, 28,29 and increased hospitalizations and hospital charges. 6,30

Research also links food insecurity in households with young children to unfavorable outcomes for the family unit, including increased maternal depressive symptoms and parental arguing. 31 These findings are not surprising given the heightened stress and pressure facing parents with low incomes who struggle to feed their families. 1 Furthermore, because of limited financial resources, families who are food insecure may use coping strategies to stretch budgets that are harmful for health and nutrition, such as diluting or rationing infant formula 32 or making trade-offs between food and other basic necessities (eg, housing, medicine). 33

Finally, food insecurity can complicate and compound the health challenges and expenses faced by households with children who have special health care needs-populations at high risk for food insecurity. 34,35 For example, children with epilepsy living in food-insecure households have significantly worse health-related quality of life and more medication side effects than their counterparts in food-secure households. 36

Federal Nutrition Programs That Improve Child Health and Well-Being

One critical strategy to address food insecurity and its negative consequences is to connect children and their families to the major federal nutrition programs that benefit children and their families - that is, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); National School Lunch Program; School Breakfast Program; Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP); Summer Nutrition Programs; and Afterschool Nutrition Programs. The Table provides descriptions of these programs, all of which are administered by the USDA.

Table

Program Name

General Program Eligibility†

Program Description

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
The program may be called something else in your state.

Low-income individuals of all ages who meet income and asset tests (that can vary by state)

Monthly benefits are provided on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to purchase food at grocery stores, farmers' markets, and other food retail outlets across the country that accept SNAP

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women, and infants and children up to age five deemed nutritionally at risk by a health care professional

Nutritionally tailored monthly food packages are provided to families and redeemed in grocery stores and food retailers that accept WIC; additional services include breastfeeding support, nutrition education and counseling, and health referrals

National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program

School-aged children of families at low or moderate income levels can qualify for free or reduced-price meals

Breakfasts and lunches meeting federal nutrition standards are provided in participating schools

Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP)

Children, typically up to age five, attending eligible child care centers and homes, Head Start, and Early Head Start

Up to two free meals and a snack meeting federal nutrition standards are provided to infants and young children at participating centers

Summer Nutrition Programs
(available through the Summer Food Service Program or the National School Lunch Program)

Children 18 years of age and under visiting participating sites

Up to two free meals meeting federal nutrition standards are provided at approved school and community sites during summer vacation

Afterschool Nutrition Programs
(available through CACFP or the National School Lunch Program)

Children 18 years of age and under visiting participating sites

Free, healthy snacks and/or meals meeting federal nutrition standards are provided in participating enrichment programs running afterschool, on weekends, or during school holidays

There is considerable evidence about the effective role that participation in the federal nutrition programs plays in alleviating food insecurity and poverty. For instance, children in households that participated in SNAP for 6 months are approximately one-third less likely to be food insecure than children in households recently approved for SNAP but not yet receiving it, based on a national sample of SNAP households with children. 37 WIC reduces the prevalence of household food insecurity by at least 20%, based on a national sample of children under the age of 5 who lived in households that were income-eligible for WIC. 38 Additional peer-reviewed studies demonstrate improvements in food security with school breakfast, 39,40 school lunch, 41,42 summer meals, 43,44 and CACFP 45 participation.

In terms of poverty, SNAP, school lunch, and WIC lifted 3.2 million, 1.4 million, and 302,000 people above the poverty line in 2018, respectively, based on Census Bureau data on poverty and income in the United States. 46 These national figures include approximately 1.3 million, 800,000, and 169,000 children, respectively.

Beyond their antihunger and antipoverty impacts, the federal nutrition programs are important health interventions for children in the short and long terms. For instance, children participating in SNAP are less likely to have obesity, underweight, developmental risk, nutritional risk, or fair or poor health status 47,48; less likely to be hospitalized 49; and their families are less likely to report health cost sacrifices. 48 Access to SNAP in utero and in early childhood also reduces the incidence of metabolic syndrome in adulthood and, for women, increases economic self-sufficiency and reports of being in good health in adulthood. 50

Prenatal or early childhood participation in WIC is associated with improved dietary intake and quality, 51,52 weight outcomes, 53 immunization rates, 54,55 cognitive development and school performance, 56 and birth outcomes (including a lower risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and perinatal death). 57,58 WIC is cost-saving, too, investing $1 in prenatal WIC services saves about $2.48 in medical, educational, and productivity costs over a newborn's lifetime by preventing preterm birth, based on simulations of WIC participation in California. 59

Participation in CACFP, a program primarily targeting infants and young children, is associated with better dietary intake, 60,61 improved weight outcomes, 60,62 and a lower likelihood of being hospitalized or in fair or poor health. 63

For school-aged children, national and local studies demonstrate the value of school breakfast and lunch in improving student dietary intake and quality. 64,65 The programs support and improve student health, including weight-related outcomes such as overweight or obesity, 41,66 and program participation, particularly for school breakfast, is associated with improved school attendance and academic performance. 67,68 Furthermore, summer nutrition programs are an important strategy for preventing summer weight gain 69,70 and learning loss among school-aged children. 71,72 Similarly, the afterschool nutrition programs provide good nutrition and enrichment activities during out-of-school time periods. 73

Pediatricians' Role in Addressing Food Insecurity

In a 2015 policy statement, Promoting Food Security for All Children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended that "pediatricians engage in efforts to mitigate food insecurity at the practice level and beyond," including connecting families to and advocating for the federal nutrition programs. 1 To assist pediatricians in implementing the policy statement, AAP partnered with the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) to develop, Addressing Food Insecurity: A Toolkit for Pediatricians (available at https://frac.org/aaptoolkit). The toolkit provides a variety of tools and resources to help pediatricians and their practice teams engage in the following activities: screen, intervene, and advocate.

First, pediatricians should screen for food insecurity in their practice settings using the Hunger Vital Sign, a two-question, validated tool that is widely used in clinical and community-based settings across the nation. 74,75 Next, when a child or family screens positive for food insecurity risk in a practice setting, or otherwise shows an interest in or need for food resources, the health care team should intervene by connecting the family to emergency food resources and the federal nutrition programs to address short-term and long-term food needs, respectively. These connections can happen at the practice level, or through referrals or partnerships with external organizations. However, research shows that not every family who reports food insecurity will want to be connected to food resources, and, conversely, some families may not endorse food insecurity in a screening tool yet desire a referral for food resources. 76 The latter reinforces the importance of an open dialogue with patients. The toolkit provides more details on strategies for effectively addressing food insecurity in clinical settings.

Policy Recommendations for Protecting and Strengthening the Federal Nutrition Programs

While screening and intervening are critical actions, it also is essential for pediatricians to advocate for systems- and policy-level changes that address food insecurity and its root causes, such as poverty. "Upstream" strategies for tackling food insecurity include creating jobs (especially full-time jobs), raising wages, improving government income-support programs for struggling families, and improving access to and strengthening the federal nutrition programs. A more detailed discussion of the latter follows.

Given the effectiveness and importance of the federal nutrition programs to child health and development, pediatricians should engage in efforts to protect and strengthen these programs during program reauthorization and other legislative vehicles at the state and federal levels. These are important opportunities for pediatricians to weigh in and provide their unique expertise and perspective. Typically, every 5 years SNAP is reauthorized by Congress as part of the Farm Bill. The reauthorization establishes who is eligible for SNAP and addresses program access, benefit levels, and other matters. Similarly, WIC, school meals, and the other Child Nutrition Programs typically are reauthorized every 5 years by Congress as part of the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act (CNR). CNR provides an opportunity to improve and strengthen the Child Nutrition Programs so that they better meet the needs of the nation's children in early care and education, preschool, school-based, and out-of-school time settings.

In addition to the reauthorization process, federal or state regulatory or administrative actions, budgets and annual appropriations can positively or negatively affect the programs and their participants. For instance, annual appropriations efforts secure funding to support WIC participation and the important targeted funding for breastfeeding education, research, peer counseling, and public health partnerships.

Pediatricians can engage in advocacy in a number of ways during program reauthorization and other legislative opportunities, such as writing an op-ed in their local newspaper about food insecurity and time-sensitive legislation, providing expert testimony to legislators about the consequences of food insecurity and the importance of the federal nutrition programs for their patients, or submitting written comments to government agencies during public comment periods on proposed rules that could harm or improve federal nutrition programs. The aforementioned toolkit provides additional information on and examples of advocacy actions for pediatricians.

Regardless of the legislative or administrative vehicle used to address or modify program eligibility, access, or benefits, key policy recommendations to protect and strengthen the federal nutrition programs are provided below.

Improve the adequacy of monthly SNAP benefits. The inadequacy of SNAP monthly benefit allotments - SNAP's key shortcoming - severely limit the program's ability to do even more to improve the food security, health, and well-being of the nation's children and their families. For most households, SNAP benefits are not enough to get through the entire month without hunger or being forced to sacrifice nutrition quality. 77,78

Oppose rollbacks on policies that allow states to get SNAP benefits to people in need. A number of harmful proposals have been issued in recent years that would reduce or eliminate SNAP benefits for certain individuals and households, including those who are unemployed, underemployed, or earning their way up the economic ladder. 79 For example, a proposal to restrict broad-based categorical eligibility for SNAP would have implications for more than 2 million people living in households with children. 80 The proposal will contribute not only to the loss of SNAP benefits, but also compromise access to school meals for students who are directly certified (ie, automatically eligible for free school meals because they live in a household receiving SNAP benefits). In short, the loss of SNAP benefits from this proposal will make it more difficult for affected children to access free school meals.

Improve Child Nutrition Program access and participation by underserved children and communities. Too many children, especially children from low-income households, are missing out on the nutritional and health benefits from participating in WIC and federal food programs in school, summer, afterschool, and child care settings. Fortunately, a number of evidence-based strategies exist to connect more children to these effective programs, such as the Community Eligibility Provision for school meals. 81 Under the Community Eligibility Provision created by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, high-poverty schools and school districts can offer school meals at no charge to all students.

Ensure nutrition quality in the Child Nutrition Programs through science-based standards. This is especially relevant for the school meals program. Schools and advocates have made tremendous progress in improving the nutrition quality of foods and beverages available to students during the school day, but this progress is being undermined. Despite widespread support, overwhelming evidence of compliance, and positive nutrition impacts, efforts have been underway to rollback the science-based school meal nutrition standards issued in January 2012. 82,83 If successful, the end result will be a weakening of the standards for whole grains, sodium, milk, fruits, and vegetables. These rollbacks, some of which have been contested in lawsuits, are inconsistent with the current scientific literature as well as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which recommends serving whole-grain foods, fruits and vegetables, and limiting sodium and saturated fat.

Protect immigrant families from policies that, directly or indirectly, threaten their health, nutrition, and well-being. One in 4 children in the United States has at least one foreign-born parent. 84 A host of anti-immigrant threats are creating a climate of fear in many immigrant communities, making it more difficult for families to access federal nutrition programs and other safety net programs. 85,86 Pediatricians should provide up-to-date information to immigrant families about their eligibility for program benefits as well as what benefits do not count against immigration status. The Table provides information on eligibility for the federal nutrition programs (see footnote for immigrant eligibility).

Pediatricians can stay abreast of the latest news, research, and policy action on these and other pressing issues related to food insecurity by subscribing to policy updates from national health and advocacy groups, such as AAP, FRAC, or Children's HealthWatch.

Conclusions

Food insecurity has serious consequences on the health, development, and well-being of children, and has negative effects on the health care system and economy. Pediatricians can support and improve the health of their patients, as well as children across the nation, by addressing food insecurity and its root causes at the practice level and through policy advocacy.

Footnotes

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

References

85. Zallman L, Finnegan KE, Himmelstein DU. Implications of changing public charge immigration rules for children who need medical care. JAMA Pediatr. 2019 [[ PMC free article] [ PubMed] Google Scholar]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Food Insecurity and Health: Practices and Policies to Address Food Insecurity among Children

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Pediatricians can and should play a critical role in addressing food insecurity, a health-related social need with harmful impacts on child health, development, and well-being. 1 Food insecurity is a term defined by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) that indicates that the availability of nutritionally adequate and safe food, or the ability to acquire such food, is limited or uncertain for a household.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Sorry, something about your browser or browsing activity made us think you were a robot.

Not a robot? Let us know to keep searching:

After completing the CAPTCHA below, you will immediately regain access to the site again.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Search COVID-19/Coronavirus assistance programs in your ZIP code. Programs helping with food, paying bills, and more.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Kids Meals Inc - End Childhood Hunger Today

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Since 2006, Kids' Meals has been making and delivering free, healthy meals directly to the homes of hungry children. Since inception, we have given more than 6.7 million free meals to food insecure children in 43 Houston-area zip codes. Kids' Meals is a first-responder to children ages five years-old and under facing debilitating hunger due to extreme poverty.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Brighter Bites is a nonprofit that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families' hands. We teach them how to use it and track their behavior change. We make it fun. We make it free. And we make it happen via a simple, three-part formula:

Our Not-So-Secret Formula

Produce Distribution + Nutrition Education + Fun Food Experience

1

Fill the Plate

Produce Distribution

&plus;

2

Educate

Nutrition Education

&plus;

3

Make It Great

Fun Food Experience

&plus;

Replicate

Weekly & Widely

&plus;

Replicate our three-part formula weekly and widely.

The science behind Brighter Bites tells us that it takes the weekly continuity of our formula to really make an impact. So we divide our program into three seasons: sixteen weeks during the school year and eight weeks during the summer.

Embedded within our formula is the implicit mitigation of food waste. We increase the recovery of produce from growers, distributors, and food banks, and reduce food waste at the consumer level by teaching families how to use it.

Our goal is to link the school and home environments to create a larger community around nutrition, health, and behavior change.

Replicate our three-part formula weekly and widely.

The science behind Brighter Bites tells us that it takes the weekly continuity of our formula to really make an impact. So we divide our program into three seasons: sixteen weeks during the school year and eight weeks during the summer.

Embedded within our formula is the implicit mitigation of food waste. We increase the recovery of produce from growers, distributors, and food banks, and reduce food waste at the consumer level by teaching families how to use it.

Our goal is to link the school and home environments to create a larger community around nutrition, health, and behavior change.

"By giving kids access to fresh, nutritious food and showing them how to make the most of it, we help turn healthy habits into something even better: healthy lifestyles."

Lisa Helfman, Founder
READ HER STORY

What's in the Bag?

This little brown bag is chock full of brighter benefits.
Scroll down to learn more.

Two Healthy Handfuls

Each week, a family leaves with two bags containing approximately 50 servings of fresh produce. Why 50 servings? It's enough for two servings of fruits and vegetables a day. For a family of four. For one week.

Color Matters

When you fill your plate with color, you fill your meals with nutrients. Bags contain a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables that vary with what's in season. Whether it's spinach, starfruit, squash, or strawberries, it's always fresh.

More Than a Meal

Expert educational resources for kids and parents arm families with nutritious know-how, ranging from simple recipes to clever techniques for improving their health.

Free & Fresh

This beautiful bounty, which costs a Brighter Bites family $0, also saves them on average $34.30 at the grocery store each week. Thank you to our partners for making this possible!

Loads of Lightness

More than 150,000 bags of brightness are distributed every semester (and counting!). That's 20-25 pounds of delicious and nutritious, per family, per week.

50,000,000

pounds of fresh produce delivered so far!

130,623+

nutrition lessons, produce activities, and PE activities executed since 2017

100,000+

of at-home nutrition education materials distributed!

Our Vision

Brighter Bites is rooted in the belief that if we give our kids something better to munch on, they will. And the lives they lead will be as vibrant as the foods they crave.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brighter Bites is a Houston-based nonprofit founded in 2012 that delivers fresh fruits and vegetables directly into families' hands, while teaching them how to use and choose a different kind of fast food. The mission of Brighter Bites is to create communities of health through fresh food.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
L.I.F.E. HOUSTON IS GOING ORANGE

​

We are Houston's ONLY Infant Food Bank.
L.I.F.E. Houston has been providing FREE emergency infant formula and support services

to the greater Houston area since 1988.

​

Click here for more information on how to get FREE formula

​

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
L.I.F.E. HOUSTON IS GOING ORANGE ​ We are Houston's ONLY Infant Food Bank. L.I.F.E. Houston has been providing FREE emergency infant formula and support services to the greater Houston area since 1988. ​ Click here for more information on how to get FREE formula ​

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Increasing meals available to children and their families by integrating nutrition assistance and food access into health care's preventative services and investments in social determinants of health

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Nuts and Bolts of a Health Food Pantry Toolkit is a direct education and PSE change intervention that is designed to support pantries in improving the food environment so their clients can choose healthy food and beverage items. The components of the Toolkit include a resource guide, baseline and follow-up assessments to explore opportunities for PSE, training modules for food pantry staff and volunteers, action planning tools for sustaining PSE changes, and promotional materials, such as signage and "nudge" cards to influence healthy choices. The Toolkit equips partners to share best practices when collaborating with food pantries.

The Ingredients for a Welcoming Farmers Market Toolkit is a PSE change intervention that uses best practices to contribute to a more welcoming farmers market environment for all community members. The Toolkit outlines a 7-step process designed to assist with data collection, analysis, and action planning. The baseline assessment determines whether the market is implementing the healthy practice in question or if the market needs some improvement in that area. The resource guide helps staff better understand why questions are included in the assessment , and how the market can improve its practices related to each question. Using the Community Food Survey included in the Toolkit, staff collect responses from community members to better understand why individuals might not attend the farmer's market or what foods they might be interested in buying at the market.

Supporting Wellness at Pantries (SWAP) is a PSE intervention designed to promote the donation and selection of nutritious foods throughout the charitable food system. The program is based on the theory that categorizing food using simple, intuitive labels and communicating this information at each decision point while food travels through the system (donor, food bank, food pantry, & client) has the potential to transform the policy, systems, and environment of food banks and food pantries. SWAP consists of a suite of tools for food banks and food pantries to rank their inventory using a traffic light nutrition system. SWAP was developed in 2016 and revised in 2020 to align with and use the Healthy Eating Research (HER) Nutrition Guidelines for the Charitable Food System. These guidelines place foods into 11 categories and assign green=choose often; yellow=choose sometimes; and red=choose rarely based on levels of saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. SWAP can be used as an intervention in multiple levels of the charitable food system to promote food justice and health equity.

The State Nutrition Action Council: Farmers Market Initiative (SNAC) is policy, systems, and environmental change intervention designed to:

Increase knowledge of Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) programs available at farmers markets.

Increase knowledge of locally grown fruits and vegetables and how to use, cook, and store them.

Increase the use of Market Match and CalFresh redemption vouchers to support low-income shoppers in maximizing their purchasing power.

Increase state and local partnerships of FNS funded programs to support a welcoming market environment that accepts multiple FNS food benefits.

In 2018, SNAC focused on increasing low-income shoppers' utilization of their food and nutrition program benefits at local Farmers Markets, and in 2019, SNAC expanded its Farmers Market Initiative (FMI) into additional counties and markets, as well as added an on-site navigator component. The navigator model was tested at three markets, and the CalFresh Healthy Living (CFHL) Navigators were found to address barriers to shopping at farmers markets, including lack of knowledge and comfort using food assistance benefits. CFHL Navigators provided support to shoppers by distributing materials, promoting accepted FNS benefits, providing information on how to use FNS benefits, explaining Market Match, and providing interactive nutrition and health education activities on-site at the market for six consecutive weeks. The FMI has continued to expand into new counties in California since 2019 and increases in food benefit redemptions at FMI markets has sustained.

Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Food Insecurity/Food Assistance

Intervention Type: PSE Change

The Farmers Market Food Navigator Program is a direct education and policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change intervention designed to increase use of farmers markets to purchase affordable produce, increase frequency of vegetables consumed by farmers market shoppers, and improve access to farmers markets through PSE initiatives. The program follows a social ecological framework and has four key components:

Conduct community outreach to build awareness of farmers markets and increase awareness of the food assistance programs available

Work with farmers market managers and vendors to implement policy, systems, and environmental changes that are supportive of healthy behaviors

Help shoppers effectively use their food budgets at farmers markets through tours that may include introductions to vendors, tips, and support

Provide resources and experiential nutrition education to shoppers at farmers markets, including tastings and cooking demonstrations

Food Navigators attend a one-day training and are equipped with a program Playbook that provides direction on how to carry out each of the four key components of their role, as well as provides guidance to farmers market managers and community partner organizations.

Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Food Insecurity/Food Assistance, Other: Food Resource Management

Intervention Type: Direct Education, PSE Change

The Text2LiveHealthy (T2LH) intervention is a direct education and social marketing intervention designed to increase family consumption of fruits and vegetables, increase physical activity among the entire family, and increase family consumption of water while decreasing consumption of sugary beverages. T2LH is a nutrition and physical activity digital health outreach effort that links the Integrated Nutrition Education Program (INEP) and Culture of Wellness in Preschools (COWP) youth education provided in classrooms to home s via text messaging , in order to influence behavior change for economically disadvantaged families across Colorado. There are four text message cycles in Year 1 with each cycle containing approximately 30 core texts that address the following themes: fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity and sedentary behaviors, sugar-sweetened beverages , and water consumption. Each cycle contains approximately seven to eight core messages and two to three evaluation messages. In general, the messages are easy to use and include goal-setting for healthy behavior change , fun and easy recipes , family-friendly physical activity ideas , motivational messages , and links to resources. In Year 2 , participants receive one text per week with a focus on maintaining behavior changes. In Year 3, participants receive that focus on mindful eating, stress reduction and living an active lifestyle. In addition to the intervention messages, participants receive thematic messages based on the time of year as well as local messages for resources, for example farmer's markets and Double Up Food Bucks and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Reducing Screen Time, Food Insecurity/Food Assistanc e
Intervention Type: Direct Education, Social Marketing

The Nutrition Pantry Program (NPP) is a trauma-informed PSE change intervention designed to improve the food environment and client engagement within food pantries and other charitable distribution environments . NPP provides training and resources to support the implementation of strategies for increasing access and utilization of healthy food by pantry clients, engagement of clients and other stakeholders, and sustaining healthy changes over time. Implementers are encouraged to follow a four-stage process; Planning, Needs & Current Work Assessment, Implementation , and Certification & Maintenance. SNAP-Ed implementers work in collaboration with food pantry staff, volunteers, and other stakeholders to use the NPP framework and resources to organize and complete the intervention. Pantry Need and Readiness is assessed and supported using a validated Healthy Food Pantry Assessment, a Client Needs Assessment questionnaire, and client feedback strategies. Based on needs and input, a work plan of PSE changes is created. NPP resources are available to support a variety of PSE changes. Pantries completing the NPP process are recognized and awarded as Bronze, Silver or Gold Certified Nutrition Pantries and celebrated in the community.

The Veggie Van (VV) Toolkit is a policy, systems, and environmental change intervention designed to:

Increase access to healthy, affordable fruits and vegetables in lower income and/or food insecure communities

Help the target population improve their diets through skill building

Address the interplay between the physical food environment, individual perceptions of that environment, and self-efficacy

Address multiple dimensions of access to fresh produce for lower-income and under-served communities, including availability, affordability, accessibility (geographic and financial), and accommodation

Improve self-efficacy for finding, purchasing, and preparing fruits and vegetables or other healthy foods via cooking and nutrition education interventions

VV achieves these goals via mobile farmers markets that present cooking demonstrations, recipes, taste tests, and nutrition education to help customers better use the produce they receive. VV mobile markets also accept SNAP benefits, electronic benefits (EBT), and other relevant local food incentive and benefit programs, as well as employ a bundling model in addition to a la carte purchasing. The bundling model allows the VV mobile markets to sell more items at a lower cost and expose participants to a greater variety of fruits and vegetables. Markets operate a minimum of 10 months out of the year and typically source produce locally or regionally.

Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Food Insecurity/Food Assistance

Intervention Type: PSE Change

Cooking Matters for Healthcare Partners (CMHP) is a direct education and policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) change intervention designed to increase participant consumption of fruits and vegetables by 15% based on the pre-post program surveys, increase participant access to direct nutrition education, and link SNAP/WIC eligible individuals to preventative community health interventions. To achieve these goals, the program couples the evidence-based Cooking Matters for Adults (CMA) curriculum with produce distribution at the end of each class so that participants can practice their cooking skills at home. For six months after completing the CMA class, participants have monthly nutrition education sessions with clinic nutritionists and redeem their produce via voucher redemption at Fresh MARTA Markets. Overall, the program increases access to direct nutrition education and produce in locations where SNAP/WIC eligible individuals seek health services, in order to change participant behaviors relating to fruit and vegetable consumption and food resource management.

Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Food Insecurity/Food Assistance, Other: Food Resource Management

Intervention Type: Direct Education, PSE Change

The Child Health Initiative for Lifelong Eating and Exercise (CHILE) Plus is a multi-component nutrition and physical activity education program for preschool age children and their families. CHILE Plus is the dissemination project of CHILE, a randomized control trial conducted by the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center (UNM PRC). CHILE Plus is based on the socioecological model and includes 6 components that fit into this model: the classroom curriculum, staff professional development, food service, family engagement, grocery store collaboration, and partnership with local health care providers and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program providers.

Target Behavior: Healthy Eating, Physical Activity and Reducing Screen Time, Food Insecurity/Food Assistance

Intervention Type: Direct Education, PSE Change

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Food Insecurity/Food Assistance - SNAP-Ed Toolkit

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Nuts and Bolts of a Health Food Pantry Toolkit is a direct education and PSE change intervention that is designed to support pantries in improving the food environment so their clients can choose healthy food and beverage items. The components of the Toolkit include a resource guide, baseline and follow-up assessments to explore opportunities for PSE, training modules for food pantry staff and volunteers, action planning tools for sustaining PSE changes, and promotional materials, such as signage and "nudge" cards to influence healthy choices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Hospitals can play a vital role in connecting patients to resources that address a household's food needs to support patient health and wellbeing. There are various points of intervention, both clinical and nonclinical, that can shape a hospital's approach.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Given the link between nutrition and health, the AAP is a leading voice in support of strong, science-based nutrition programs to help promote children’s lifelong health and combat food insecurity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This July, the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) released Child Nutrition Reauthorization: Strengthening Programs in Tribal Communities, a policy brief that outlines recommendations aimed at improving the impact of the federal Child Nutrition Programs in Indian Country through the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) process.

The Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act authorizes the federal child nutrition programs, which reach millions of children each day and support educational achievement, economic security, nutrition, and health. Although most of the programs are permanently authorized, about every five years, Congress reviews the laws governing these programs through the reauthorization process.
CNR presents a unique opportunity to improve federal policies that have exacerbated food insecurity in Indian Country. This can be done by focusing on supporting access to the Child Nutrition Programs for Native youth and incorporating Tribal sovereignty into efforts to improve program operations.

Millions of children eat school breakfast and lunch daily at schools across the nation. To better understand the far-reaching benefits of the School Nutrition Programs, The Rockefeller Foundation and The Center for Good Food Purchasing published True Cost of Food: School Meals Case Study in November 2021. The report used a True Cost Accounting methodology, which considers the multiple dimensions of a food product, program, or system, to examine the School Nutrition Programs.

This season marks the five-year anniversary of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria that hit the United States hard and gave rise to major recovery operations, including on the food relief front. There are some clear lessons from those operations that can inform disaster preparation and recovery efforts in the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This July, the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) and the Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) released Child Nutrition Reauthorization: Strengthening Programs in Tribal Communities, a policy brief that outlines recommendations aimed at improving the impact of the federal Child Nutrition Programs in Indian Country through the Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) process.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Healthy, Accessible Food and Drinks

"I always say we are a social movement, not a program or a project," explained Paula Kreissler, who lives in Savannah. "To have a culture of health in our community, it must be easy for people to make healthy choices. Our mission is rooted in health equity - everyone, regardless of income, neighborhood, race, age or ability, should be able to live long, healthy, fulfilling lives."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Voices for Healthy Kids: making each day healthier for all children!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Healthy, Accessible Food and Drinks "I always say we are a social movement, not a program or a project," explained Paula Kreissler, who lives in Savannah. "To have a culture of health in our community, it must be easy for people to make healthy choices.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty | Baylor University

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty utilizes the tools of research, policy, and practice to cultivate evidence-based solutions to the challenges of food and economic injustice.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, we work at the federal, state and local level to bridge the gap between the resources that exist and the people that need them most.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
1.8 million Texas children live in households where access to food is limited. Source: Feeding America In a state as great as Texas, no one should have to worry about where they will find their next meal. Yet over 4 million Texans experience food insecurity, or a difficulty meeting basic food needs.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tips & Considerations For Serving Remote Learners Well-nourished children learn better, tend to have higher test scores and less behavioral [...]

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
This toolkit is intended to be a practical, user-friendly guide for those planning and operating produce prescription programs in rural areas. It provides an important framework and steps to consider if you're thinking of establishing a produce prescription program in your community. Additionally, current produce prescription program implementers will find key considerations for program scaling and sustainability. Topics covered in this toolkit include:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This toolkit is intended to be a practical, user-friendly guide for those planning and operating produce prescription programs in rural areas. It provides an important framework and steps to consider if you're thinking of establishing a produce prescription program in your community. Additionally, current produce prescription program implementers will find key considerations for program scaling and sustainability.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Contact: Johanna Elsemore, jelsemore@strength.org

No Kid Hungry Texas today announced $180,000 in funding to address childhood hunger in rural communities through its Rural School District Cohort, a collaboration with the Texas Rural Education Association. This marks the second cohort of school districts to participate in the initiative, first launched in 2021.

Six school districts across the state will participate in the year-long program, designed to support peer-to-peer collaboration and innovation around the unique challenges and opportunities associated with feeding students in rural school districts. No Kid Hungry Texas awarded a $30,000 grant to each school district to expand and improve their child nutrition programs. The cohort will bring together the child nutrition director from each district to share best practices and then adapt them locally with their own team.

"Child hunger exists in every Texas community, but we know it to be an even bigger challenge in rural parts of our state. At the same time, the challenges facing our entire nation, like supply chain disruptions and the increased cost of food and fuel, are oftentimes even more pronounced, making it that much harder to keep school nutrition programs afloat," said No Kid Hungry Texas Program Manager Mia Medina. "The Rural School District Cohort is an investment in developing and sharing innovative solutions to those challenges so that kids in the most remote parts of our state can still count on nutritious food."

"Since teaming up with No Kid Hungry Texas last year to launch the first of its kind Rural School District Cohort, we've been incredibly impressed with the innovative solutions our rural school nutrition directors have come up with to solve the unique challenges facing their districts. We're excited to partner once again to assist our membership in making their school meal programs stronger than ever to combat childhood hunger" said Bill Tarleton, Executive Director of Texas Rural Education Association

The following school districts were selected to participate in this year's No Kid Hungry Texas Rural School District Cohort: Junction ISD, Brookesmith ISD, Bland ISD, Smithville ISD, Slaton ISD and Henderson ISD.

Even prior to the coronavirus pandemic, childhood hunger was a huge problem in many rural parts of the country: 84% of U.S. counties with the highest rate of childhood hunger are rural, according to the USDA. Given the devastating economic impact the coronavirus pandemic and its aftermath have had on rural communities, we expect that disparity has grown. Texas is home to more rural students than any other state with 3,300 schools in rural communities. Approximately 700,000 school aged children live in a rural Texas community, many of which live in food-insecure households.

###
About No Kid Hungry
No child should go hungry in America. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, 1 in 4 kids could face hunger this year. No Kid Hungry is working to end childhood hunger by helping launch and improve programs that give all kids the healthy food they need to thrive. This is a problem we know how to solve. No Kid Hungry is a campaign of Share Our Strength, an organization committed to ending hunger and poverty. Join us at NoKidHungry.org.

About the Texas Rural Education Association
TREA is a statewide organization with a formal affiliation with the National Rural Education Association. TREA promotes quality educational opportunities and experiences for all children from rural public schools which will enable them to live and compete in a global society. Visit txrea.com for more information

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
RELEASE: No Kid Hungry announces $180,000 investment to fight child hunger in rural Texas - TEXAS

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Contact: Johanna Elsemore, jelsemore@strength.org No Kid Hungry Texas today announced $180,000 in funding to address childhood hunger in rural communities through its Rural School District Cohort, a collaboration with the Texas Rural Education Association. This marks the second cohort of school districts to participate in the initiative, first launched in 2021.

# data[].attributes.headline
Complete our Food Insecurity Action Plan! This tool is meant to help you optimize the food insecurity screening process. We would like to help you achieve your goals if you are interested, and hope this form can allow us to work together/ share resources when applicable. You will also be able to download a copy of your response for your records when you complete the worksheet. 

# data[].attributes.subject
Complete our Food Insecurity Action Plan! This tool is meant to help you optimize the food insecurity screening process. We would like to help you achieve your goals if you are interested, and hope this form can allow us to work together/ share resources when applicable. You will also be able to download a copy of your response for your records when you complete the worksheet. 

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
This tool is meant to help you optimize the food insecurity screening process at your clinical practice. We would like to help you achieve your goals if you are interested, and hope this form can allow us to work together/ share resources when applicable.

# data[].attributes.headline
Prefer the Food Insecurity Action Plan via a word document? 

# data[].attributes.subject
Prefer the Food Insecurity Action Plan via a word document? 