Alabama is one of 14 states opting out of the 2024 summer electronic benefit program.

As summer rolls around, there will be no programs in place to help low-income families with grocery costs.

LaTrell Clifford Wood, hunger policy advocate for the group Alabama Arise, said as a result, more than 500,000 children who usually receive free or reduced lunch could go without meals. She noted while summer feeding programs will be available, they will not reach everyone in need.

"Ninety-four percent of Alabama children who rely on free and reduced-price meals won't have access to them over the summer," Clifford Wood reported. "That means that only 6% of the children who rely on those meals during the school year are going to be fed through summer feeding programs."

Clifford Wood warned limited hours, transportation and strict program rules will hinder many families from benefiting from such vital programs. The Alabama Legislature did not allocate the necessary $15 million for the program by the end of the last session. However, Clifford Wood noted there is a chance the program will be funded in the summer of 2025.

As legislators focus on next year's budgets, Clifford Wood stressed the need for funding next summer's EBT program. She pointed out Alabama Arise is calling for lawmakers to allocate funds from the Education Trust Fund to combat child hunger, affecting one in four children in the state.

"This is a program that's been tested for 13 years," Clifford Wood emphasized. "It's had three rigorous evaluation periods, and it was shown to improve the diet of children and decrease children's food hardship by a third."

Clifford Wood believes prioritizing children's needs and addressing food insecurity is a form of preventive care and serves as an early investment in the state's overall wellness.

The Food Research and Action Center said funding the e-benefits program would also benefit the economy - adding anywhere from $98 million to $117 million. The Alabama Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee is expected to vote on the budget next week.

A New York City nonprofit is helping communities fight food insecurity.

Rethink Food began in 2017 with the mission of taking excess food from top restaurants such as Eleven Madison Park to be redistributed to food-insecure communities across the city. Despite declines, post-pandemic food insecurity in the city remains high as one in nine families doesn't often have enough to eat.

Matt Jozwiak, founder and CEO of Rethink Food, said the organization filled a unique niche during the pandemic.

"There's not a lot of nonprofits that are working with, like, a soul-food restaurant in Harlem and a community center down the street," Jozwiak pointed out. "We were really ready and prepared even before the lockdown. We put together a plan to basically grant capital resources to small businesses to make meals for local community centers."

As beneficial as the group's work is, Jozwiak acknowledged some neighborhoods do not care for certain meals. He noted some areas might not care for couscous while others are not big on dairy-based dishes. The feedback has helped guide Rethink Food's work. He added they are branching out to work in other areas, such as developing medically tailored meals.

Beyond food excess, Rethink Food is looking to see how it can improve food procurement in New York City. The city has been seeking out ways to diversify its food procurement systems.

Ken Baker, culinary director for the group, said Rethink Food and the coalition of primarily independent, minority, women-owned restaurants they work with can do it.

"We know restaurants run on tight margins; us being the primary cudgel that holds that capacity in place, and then we subcontract out that capacity to restaurant partners," Baker explained. "(It) gives them a meaningful way to have a stakehold in their community and demonstrate their ability to compete with your big players."

The challenge in doing it is lacking trust in getting paid on time by the city. Reports showed the number of procurement contracts registered late has grown since 2021. For the first half of 2024, 77% of contracts were registered late, resulting in payment delays for numerous businesses.

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks has recently sounded the alarm over worsening conditions in the state's hunger relief network, with food insecurity continuing to rise. A new report says Ohioans are forced to make difficult choices between food and other essential needs.

Joree Novotny, executive director, Ohio Association of Foodbanks, said this concerning trend is not limited to Ohio but reflects a broader national struggle.

"Things for us in the Charitable Hunger Relief Network in Ohio and across the rest of the country are not getting better. They're actually worsening," Novotny said.

Despite these challenges, the federal government has yet to reauthorize the Farm Bill, which Novotny says is vital for funding programs such as the Emergency Food Assistance Program. As a result, food banks are receiving less food, even as demand increases.

Novotny emphasized the need for both state and federal action to prevent further hardship.

"About two-thirds of the households that we're serving across Ohio told us that the adults in their households are skipping meals or cutting the size of meals because they didn't have enough food," she stressed.

With Ohio's state budget discussions underway and the Farm Bill still pending, the future of hunger relief efforts remains uncertain. Novotny says the recent report shows why more consistent support to address food insecurity is increasingly urgent.

Colorado students will not go hungry this school year, thanks to the Healthy School Meals for All initiative approved by voters in 2022.

Their parents will need to fill out some paperwork to tap critical federal dollars to help pay for the popular program.

Laura Segura, a community council member of Hunger Free Colorado and a parent, urged parents to complete their child's school benefits form no later than Sept. 30.

"We need to fill out those forms, no matter what," Segura stressed. "If the parents don't do their job, which is to advocate for their kid's needs, who else is going to do that?"

The one-page application goes by many names depending on the school district: school, meal, community or educational benefits. Segura emphasized if parents and caregivers do not know how to access the form, they should contact their child's school.

Filling out the form helps bring federal taxes already paid by Coloradans back to the state to help pay for school meals. It also helps families and schools get Summer EBT benefits, get discounts on school fees and activities and other community benefits.

School districts have until Sept. 16 to officially opt into the meal program and most of the state's largest districts are already on board. Segura noted investing in children's nutrition pays significant dividends in their health, academic success and lifetime earning potential. She added it is much harder to stay focused in the classroom on an empty stomach.

"If the kids don't have what they need, they are going to suffer mentally, emotionally and physically," Segura asserted. "Most importantly, they are not going to be focused on their academics."

A recent poll found 70% of Republicans, 79% of independents and 91% of Democrats support Healthy School Meals for All, which is paid for by Coloradans earning $300,000 or more per year.

Since its launch, participation in school breakfasts has grown by 36%, and lunch participation is up by 31%.