The Biden administration is stepping up with a hefty $1.7 billion initiative announced Tuesday morning, targeting the ambitious goal of putting an end to hunger in the United States by 2030.
Ending Hunger by 2030: A Realistic Goal?
This initiative, as stated by the White House, will benefit 141 different projects across the nation. The spotlight will be on Doug Emhoff, the spouse of Vice President Kamala Harris, as he presents the detailed plan at a White House gathering later in the day.
Playgrounds and Courts
This new funding adds to the $8 billion earmarked for hunger relief efforts in September 2022. It includes a public awareness initiative led by the Harlem Globetrotters and the charity KABOOM!, aiming to construct at least 30 playgrounds in underserved communities over three years.
Additionally, the National Collegiate Athletic Association has committed to refurbishing 15 courts by 2030.
10 Million Meals
The funding effort extends an additional $3.5 million to the Chicago-based charity Bigger Table, facilitating the delivery of 10 million nutritional meals to Midwest food banks by 2030, and supporting a non-profit focused on rescuing fruit and vegetables from going to waste.
Private Sector Steps Up
Significant contributions also come from the private sector, non-profits, and local governments. Notably, About Fresh will dedicate $60 million to advancing food prescription research, and Caring For Others will distribute 9 million pounds of fresh food to families in need.
Food Delivery for Those in Need
DoorDash and Uber are contributing as well, with DoorDash partnering with grocers to expand food choices and Uber embedding SNAP information in its app, along with a pilot program to distribute excess food to food banks.
90,000 Meals for Massachusetts
Food For Free, a non-profit organization, has committed to providing 90,000 meals and 250,000 pounds of nutritious food to communities in eastern Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the start-up Dinnertime is offering its artificial intelligence-driven meal planning and budgeting tools at no cost to Medicaid-enrolled families.
Local Initiatives
These commitments are part of broader action plans by local governments in places like Cleveland, Ohio, and Dearborn, Michigan, to fight hunger.
Sports Leagues Join the Fight
This follows Doug Emhoff’s announcement of collaborations with major sports leagues, including the NFL and NBA, to foster healthy living and nutrition education.
A Setback for Hunger Initiatives
Despite the enthusiasm, some White House-led efforts, like the pre-paid card initiative rejected by Oklahoma’s Governor Kevin Stitt, have faced opposition, illustrating the complexities of addressing food insecurity at different governmental levels.
The Daily Struggle
In 2022, the challenge of simply putting three meals on the table each day became an uphill battle for millions in the U.S., as detailed in a new report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
A Disturbing Rise
The findings indicate a significant uptick in hunger, with 44.2 million people living in food-insecure households, up from 33.8 million in the prior year. This distressing scenario includes over 13 million children facing food insecurity, marking a nearly 45% increase from 2021.
The Harsh Reality
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack emphasized, “These numbers are more than statistics. They paint a picture of just how many Americans faced the heartbreaking challenge last year of struggling to meet a basic need for themselves and their children.”
Pandemic Support Wanes
The report underscores a reversal in the long-term trend of declining hunger and food insecurity in the nation, attributed to the phasing out of several pandemic-era support measures, according to Elaine Waxman from the Urban Institute.
Stark Disparity in Hunger Rates
Households with children and those from minority communities are facing food insecurity at alarmingly higher rates than the national average, with Black and Latino families experiencing more than double the hunger rates of white families.
Social Safety-Nets
Advocates for food access stress the critical role of social safety-net programs, especially now, with the spotlight on the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which supports pregnant mothers and young children.
Rising Demand for WIC
The end of increased SNAP benefits during the pandemic has led more families to seek assistance from WIC, according to Nell Menefee-Libey, a public policy manager at the National WIC Association.
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