Public News Service

Hunger Action Month started in 2008 when Feeding America's food banks came together to encourage individuals to take action against hunger in their local communities. (Adobe stock)

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry calls for action as food insecurity worsens

Hoosiers are marking Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign led by the Feeding America Network, to raise awareness and fight hunger across the U.…

On Tuesday, each candidate for Lieutenant Governor presented a distinct vision for Indiana, setting the stage for a heated race. (Adobe Stock)

IN Lt. Governor candidates present starkly different visions

In a debate in the race for Indiana's next Lieutenant Governor, the candidates clashed over the future of the state. Micah Beckwith, the Republican …

According to the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Hoosier State ranks ninth as the largest farming state in the nation. (Adobe Stock)

IN farmers markets help food deserts, economy

This week is National Farmers Market Week, as fresh jams, jellies, fruits and vegetables draw thousands of people to more than 8,000 farmers markets …

Food Bank of Northwest Indiana reminds the community food support is crucial year-round, not just during the holidays. (Adobe Stock)

Increasing demand devours IN food bank resources

Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is facing a surge in demand for food assistance, despite the end of the pandemic. The facility serves about 60,000 …

According to Indiana Career Explorer, 1,300 job openings as chefs and head cooks are projected through 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Culinary camp teaches IN teens cooking, business skills

Kids' summer camp means horseback riding, hiking and scavenger hunts. But one Indianapolis chef is using the school break to teach youths cooking and …

According to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Indiana saw the fifth-highest decrease nationally in uninsured children between 2019 and 2022. (Adobe stock)

Report: Overall child well-being ranking slightly slips in IN

Indiana ranks 27th in child well-being, according to the 2024 Kids Count Data Book by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, slipping three spots from last …

The current Farm Bill is set to expire Sept. 30, 2024. (Adobe Stock)

IN food banks concerned about draft Farm Bill

Groups fighting hunger in Indiana said they are deeply concerned about proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and other nutrit…

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends infants be exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life, with continued breastfeeding combined with the introduction of soft foods for at least one year. (Adobe Stock)

Milk Bank secures breastmilk for IN newborns, premature babies

Newborns benefit the most from their mother's milk but may not always receive it. An Indiana nonprofit group works to get breastmilk donations for …

Families will have 120 days from when they receive their SUN Bucks cards to use the money. (Adobe stock)

New program provides healthy summer meals for IN students

A new program in Indiana will ensure year-round access to nutritious meals for students statewide. The Summer Electronic Transfer program provides a …

National Nutrition Month is an annual campaign established in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. (Adobe stock)

IN students fed tasty lessons for healthy eating habits

Schools play a critical role in nurturing Hoosier children's health and well-being which lay the foundation for lifelong eating habits. Throughout …

The 2024 Kids Count Data Book serves as a call to action in Indiana. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IN youth making progress despite challenges

The newly released 2024 Kids Count Data Book finds the well-being of Indiana is better this year than last. More than 1.5 million children live in …

Food banks universally need four things: Donations of food, financial donations, volunteers and advocates. (Adobe stock)

Indiana's 30th 'Soup Bowl' sells out in effort to sack hunger

A fundraiser timed to kick off on the heels of Super Bowl 58 will help tackle food insecurity in Indiana. Since 1994, Hoosier Hills Food Bank has …

The Nobel Foundation notes from 1957 until he died in 1968, King traveled more than six million miles, wrote five books and spoke more than 2,500 times about civil rights and injustice. (Adobe Stock)

IN city honors MLK's message of unity through community giving

Today is the nationally recognized birthday of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who advocated for nonviolent methods to fight injustice…

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources launched the Sportsmen's Benevolence Fund, recently renamed Indiana Hunt for Hunger, in 2008 to create an easy way for hunters to help fight food insecurity in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Hoosier hunters team with food banks to fight hunger

Indiana food banks are in dire need of meat for families who simply cannot afford to buy it at the grocery store and local hunters are doing their par…

The Emergency Food Assistance Program determines the amount of food Indiana and other states receive. The totals are based on the number of unemployed persons and number of people with incomes below the poverty level in a state. (Adobe Stock)

IN Food Banks Question Congress' Inactivity on Farm Bill

The Farm Bill is federal legislation governing many nutrition, agriculture and rural development programs, and as the clock ticks down toward its …

Federal spending on USDA's food and nutrition assistance programs totaled $183 billion in fiscal year 2022. Adjusted for inflation, that's 6% less than the previous year. (Adobe Stock)

Indiana Food Banks Step Up to Use Funding from Legislature

It has been one month since Indiana announced food banks across the state will share $2 million in state funds, and those food banks say it cannot …

A bipartisan group of attorneys general in 31 states and the District of Columbia are partnering with USDA to enhance competition and protect consumers in food and agricultural markets. (Adobe stock)

IN Joins Bipartisan Effort to Investigate Food Prices

Indiana is part of a bipartisan effort among law enforcement leaders around the U.S. to beef up enforcement and prevent antitrust activity within the …

For more than 40 years, the Summer Food Service Program in Indiana has provided children ages 18 and under with free, nutritious meals and snacks during the summer months. (Adobe Stock)

Indiana's Summer Meal Programs in Full Swing

Children living in income-restricted households do not always have regular access to healthy meals, especially when school is out. Almost 200 summer …

Food banks and soup kitchens depend on donations to make nutritious food available for people experiencing food insecurity. About one in nine Americans lacks regular access to healthy foods to meet their basic needs. (Adobe Stock)

Hoosiers Who Harvest Can Help Fight Hunger

One organization is taking a hands-on approach to addressing food insecurity in Indiana by working alongside farmers. And it could use some more …

According to the Kids Count Data Book, in 2020-21, 9% of children between birth and age five in Indiana lived in families in which someone quit, changed or refused a job because of child care problems. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Child Care Remains Out of Reach for Many Hoosiers

Working Hoosiers are fighting to find child care to mesh with their work schedules, placing Indiana 24th in child well-being, according to a new …

In today's economy, new research suggests families making less than $75,000 annually may sometimes struggle to feed their families. (Adobe stock)

Research: Tech Opportunities Could Reduce IN Food Insecurity

New research by an Indiana nonprofit coalition reveals areas for innovation which could help minimize food insecurity. The report showed technology …

The latest data from the nonprofit Feeding America finds one in seven Indiana children experiences food insecurity, and one in nine people overall in the state. (Adobe Stock)

Inflation, Benefit Cuts Spur Demand at IN Food Banks

The federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will reduce benefits by almost $90 per person at the end of March, but the change does not …

According to USDA data, more than 33% of SNAP beneficiaries are in families with members who are older adults or are disabled. (Adobe Stock)

IN Legislature Advances Bill to Improve Seniors' Access to SNAP Benefits

The Indiana Senate has approved a bill to simplify access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for people older than 60 or those with disa…

Direct payments under the 2021 Expanded Child Tax Credit program cut in half the number of American children living in poverty. (Wikimedia Commons)

Indiana Child Advocates Demand Action on Renewing Child Tax Credit

As Congress moves toward the mid-December deadline to pass a new budget, advocates are urging lawmakers to reinstate the Enhanced Child Tax Credit…

Hoosier Hills Food Bank distributes approximately five million pounds of food per year through partner agencies. (Adobe Stock)

Million Meals Program Helping Needy Hoosiers

While the most extreme impacts of the pandemic have eased, the demand at Indiana food banks has not. Indiana pork producers and Feeding Indiana's …

The new National Strategy on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health calls on states to attempt to process all SNAP applications within one week. (Mikhailov Studio/Adobe Stock)

Indiana Group Cheers New National Strategy on Hunger

At least one in 10 people in Indiana is considered food insecure, so the Biden administration's announcement of a new National Strategy on Hunger…

More than 726,000 people, including almost 224,000 children, are facing hunger in Indiana, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Investment to Boost Emergency Food Aid in Indiana

Amid struggles with higher food and transportation costs, fewer donations and increased demand, food banks in Indiana will soon have additional …

According to Feeding America, more than 834,000 Hoosiers are considered food insecure. (Adobe Stock)

Enhanced SNAP Benefits for IN Residents Come to End

Indiana has ended its participation in the federally enhanced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), so going forward, many food-insecure …

Per state data, there were nearly 625-thousand Hoosiers on SNAP as of March. (Adobe Stock)

IN Food Aid Groups Work to Meet College Students' Food Needs

The end of the semester is approaching for Hoosier students, and food aid groups across the state are working to ensure folks have enough to eat …

Help is Available for IN Students Facing Food Insecurity

This week, the holiday break is over for many Indiana students, and local food banks say their goal is to ensure kids have enough to eat this …

Advocates for ending hunger say pandemic-related SNAP increases played a role in keeping food insecurity numbers stable in 2020. (jetcityimage/Adobe Stock)

Hoosiers to See Increase in SNAP Benefits Next Month

INDIANAPOLIS -- Hoosiers enrolled in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will see an increase in their monthly benefits start…

The latest USDA statistics say 40% of single-parent households led by women faced food insecurity in 2020. (habrovich/Adobe Stock)

New Numbers Shed Light on Who's Going Hungry in Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS -- Overall food insecurity in Indiana remained steady in 2020 in terms of numbers, but disparities remain. Data from the U.S. …

Prior to the pandemic, nearly 120,000 Indiana families with children lacked health insurance. That reflected progress in reducing the overall rate, but a new report says the pandemic has reversed it. (Adobe Stock)

Child Well-Being Report: More IN Families without Health Insurance

INDIANAPOLIS -- Like many other states, Indiana saw progress in improving children's lives before the pandemic, but an annual report said the crisis …

Food banks have distributed millions of pounds of food over the past 18 months as demand soared during the pandemic. (Aerogondo/Adobestock)

Indiana Food Banks Preparing to Upgrade, Expand

INDIANAPOLIS -- Food banks across Indiana are prepping to make good use of a million dollars in funding over the next fiscal year; money that starts r…

The Pandemic EBT program is expected to reach nearly 650,000 children in Indiana this summer. (Olesya/Adobe Stock)

Pandemic EBT to Help Feed Indiana Families This Summer

INDIANAPOLIS -- Many Indiana families will have an easier time feeding their children this summer. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has …

Food banks in Indiana distributed enough food to provide 125 million meals in 2020. (USDA/Flickr)

Federal Hunger Relief Heads to Indiana

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana's food-assistance network is welcoming parts of the new federal COVID-relief package that will help in the fight against hunger…

Dieticians say preparing meals at home makes it easier to keep track of added sugars, fats and sodium in your diet. (Adobe Stock)

Indiana Dietician: Nutrition Standards Need to be Realistic

INDIANAPOLIS -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its new dietary guidelines for the next five years, which experts say can help people …

In recent U.S. Census Bureau community surveys, one in five Indiana families reported feeling

COVID Pain Points Put Pressure on Hoosier Families

INDIANAPOLIS - The ability to meet basic needs is increasingly out-of-reach for many Hoosier families because of the pandemic. The challenges …

Indiana distributed nearly $144 million in SNAP benefits in July, more than twice the amount than in July 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Indiana Food Banks Applaud Proposed SNAP Increase

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana's hunger-fighting network is applauding congressional leaders for boosting food assistance in the latest COVID-19 relief propos…

Indiana's food banks turned their normal distribution system on its head to quickly adapt to the pandemic. (Foodbank of Northwest Indiana)

Indiana Food Banks Shift Gears to Keep Pace with Pandemic

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana's hunger-fighting network continues to shift gears to keep pace with the evolving challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic…

Indiana's food banks distributed more than 12 million pounds of food in June. (Adobe Stock)

Groups Say Senate COVID Aid Proposal Falls Short of Helping Hoosiers

INDIANAPOLIS - The U.S. Senate has proposed a fourth round of legislation to stave off further economic damage from the novel coronavirus pandemic…

A 2019 USDA study found that higher 2012 nutrition standards did not increase food waste from school lunches. (Adobe Stock)

USDA Could Roll Back School Lunch Nutrition Standards

INDIANAPOLIS - School cafeterias around Indiana, and in other states, could be serving up fewer fruits and vegetables in the future if a proposal by …

Corn and other crops in Indiana sustained weather-related damage due to excessive rain and flooding in 2019. (courane/Flickr)

Will Extreme Weather Become the Norm for Indiana's Farmers?

INDIANAPOLIS - Hoosier farmers will not be surprised to hear that 2019 was one of the wettest on record, and some experts predict the impact of …

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue says changes to SNAP work requirements will move participants toward self-sufficiency. (USDA/Flickr)

USDA Head Visits Indy Amid Food-Stamp Cuts

INDIANAPOLIS — Hunger-fighting groups say they're disappointed the head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture used an Indiana visit to tout …

More than 650 colleges in the United States report having a food pantry for students facing hunger. (AdobeStock)

Indiana Students Learn About Hunger and Homelessness on Campus

INDIANAPOLIS – Anecdotes about starving college students are actually no laughing matter, as research reveals hunger on campus is not uncommon…

Much of the food bought by the United States government from farmers to reduce the impact of trade disputes ends up going to food banks. (Greg Vojtko/U.S. Navy/Wikipedia)

Trade Fights Mean More Food for Indiana Food Pantries

INDIANAPOLIS – International trade fights are having an unexpected upside for Indiana programs that focus on feeding the hungry. To make up …

The abundance at a well-stocked grocery store is only an ideal for some parts of Indiana. (ElasticComputeFarm/Pixabay)

Legislation Aims to Help Folks Stuck "Buying Their Dinner at a Gas Station"

INDIANAPOLIS – Congress is considering steps to bring healthy groceries to food deserts in Indiana and across the country. Grocery stores …

In 2017, 7.7% of American seniors were at risk of going hungry. (Feeding America)

Senior Hunger Remains Stubbornly High in Indiana, Nation

INDIANAPOLIS – Despite a strong economy, the number of seniors at risk of going hungry remains stubbornly high. According to a new report from …

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PNS Daily Newscast: Afternoon Update - September 20, 2024

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IN: Hunger/Food/Nutrition