El número de estadounidenses mayores que viven solos debido al autoaislamiento o a la pérdida de su cónyuge está aumentando. Estos factores pueden impedirles recibir comidas saludables. La organización sin fines de lucro Meals on Wheels entrega comida caliente empaquetada individualmente a personas mayores de Illinois confinadas en sus hogares, que también pueden estar recuperándose de una enfermedad o cirugía. La directora ejecutiva, Andrea Proulx Buinicki, dice que hay sitios para comer remotos en todo Illinois disponibles para atender a este grupo demográfico, con entrada gratuita.

"Cada uno de nuestros 23 sitios en los suburbios de Cook, los condados de Will, Kendall y Grundy ofrecen (una) experiencia gastronómica en persona en nuestros cafés para personas mayores, para que pueda disfrutar de una comida nutritiva y relacionarse con nuevos amigos," enfatizó la entrevistada.

Buinicki dice que el hambre afecta a todos, pero a menudo se olvida al grupo demográfico de mayor edad. El Departamento de Servicios Humanos de Illinois afirma que antes de la pandemia, casi el 9% de las personas mayores de Illinois padecían inseguridad alimentaria. Y la investigación reveló un aumento de casi el 60% en la inseguridad alimentaria de los adultos mayores durante la COVID-19.

Buinicki agrega que los conductores voluntarios de reparto de comidas son una fuente importante de socialización diaria para los residentes mayores de Illinois que viven solos. Ella menciona que los voluntarios hacen más que llevar comida caliente a los necesitados.

"Primero, son los alimentos nutritivos que las personas necesitan para prosperar. Pero la segunda razón es que se trata de una conexión social importante. Y es una oportunidad para que personas fuera de la familia inmediata, o fuera de ese hogar, pongan ojos y oídos en alguien que podría estar aislado de otras personas," insistió además la entrevistada.

Buinicki argumenta que sus clientes esperan una visita todos los días. Actualmente, la organización está buscando voluntarios que puedan ayudar a llevar comidas a las personas mayores durante un par de horas de lunes a viernes en su comunidad. Community Nutrition Network supervisa el programa Meals on Wheels en Illinois.

Families gathered at the Oregon State Capitol for what they called a "snack-in" last week to call attention to child hunger across Oregon.

Participants handed out snacks while urging lawmakers to pass the Food for All Oregonians bill.

The bill would extend food benefits to all children under the age of six living in the state, including immigrants and refugees.

Rachael Lucille, network communication strategist with Oregon Food Bank, said state lawmakers need to respond to rising hunger and possible cuts to food stamps by the Trump administration.

"Seeing kids at the Capitol building was really powerful to show these are the people that we're advocating for," said Lucille, "and it shouldn't matter where you were born, every child deserves nourishing, familiar food."

Research shows one in six children in Oregon don't have enough food, with visits to the food bank increasing over 30% last year.

Opponents of the bill worry about the added cost, but supporters argue data shows every purchase made with food stamps generates $1.50 for Oregon's economy.

Lucille said many parents across the state are having to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table, and she said she knows first-hand what that feels like.

"And now that I am not in that situation," said Lucille, "I still want to make sure that all of my neighbors and everybody across the state of Oregon is also not having to make those really hard decisions."

Andrea Williams is also with Oregon Food Bank, serving as president.

She said during the pandemic, rates of hunger fell thanks to government supports, and have since increased since the funding stopped. She said feeding the hungry is a policy decision.

"It is a choice that decision-makers, lawmakers can make," said Williams, "whether or not kids should have access to enough food to eat."

Williams said the fate of the Food for All Oregonians bill hinges on an upcoming Ways and Means Committee decision.

Congressional Republicans are poised to move forward with a proposal that would bring major cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

In Minnesota, groups aligned with farmers warn that the economic pain would run deep. SNAP benefits cover certain grocery costs for low-income Americans, and the program could be swept up in $230 billion worth of funding cuts over the next decade, if the plan passes. One provision calls on states to pick up some of the funding even though many Legislatures would face difficulties in finding the money.

Sophia Lenarz-Coy, executive director with The Food Group in Minnesota, said beyond recipients, local economies would be disrupted, too.

"Certainly, folks are going to farmers' markets to use their SNAP [benefits], so that's gonna be an impact to farmers' bottom lines," she explained.

She said it's also likely local grocery stores will see reduced activity, especially in rural areas, where program participation is higher. A coalition opposed to the plan says every dollar in SNAP benefits generates about $1.50 in local economic activity.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture argues the Trump administration is trying to "right-size" the program. But even some House Republicans express worry.

Farmers markets began accepting SNAP benefits around 20 years ago. Willa Sheikh, acting director of the Farmers Market Coalition, said nationally, numbers show how much of a force this option has become.

"Just using data from 2023, we know that SNAP users made over 1.7 million purchases at farmer's markets," Sheikh said. "That's a contribution of over $42 million into local economies."

Last year's total contribution level tapered off from the previous year, but it's still triple what was seen prior to the pandemic. Sheikh said vendors who are beginning or historically marginalized farmers rely heavily on SNAP customers. She noted that transportation and packaging companies could suffer if fewer products are moved.

The budget blueprint is part of larger discussions about ways to offset tax-cut extensions prioritized by the White House.

As the national debate intensifies over cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance benefits and school meal funding, Missouri food system leaders are stepping up to help underserved communities thrive.

Birthed out of the 2014 Ferguson uprising over the shooting death of Mike Brown, the nonprofit group A Red Circle tackles racial and economic disparities in North St. Louis County through food, education, wellness and the arts.

Erica Williams, founder of A Red Circle and co-author of a policy report addressing the issue, explained with limited access to affordable, healthy food being one of the area's biggest challenges, community leaders stepped up to help where national systems failed.

"We reached out to some other grocery stores and they told us that we were not their demographic, they would not bring a store into our region, and so we said we're going to open our own store," Williams recounted. "The idea of a 'People's Harvest' came from us and the community, to open a grocery store."

The "People's Harvest" store opens this summer. Right now, through "A Red Circle's Farm House," community members can receive free bags of fresh fruits, veggies and eggs. Cooking and gardening classes are available, as well as weekly programs under Good Food Fridays.

North St. Louis County faces stark disparities, with poverty rates topping 20% in some areas. Williams stressed the importance of making sure people are educated about the issues and the solutions.

"The medical community is beginning to understand the link between healthy food and nutrition," Williams observed. "Not just treating things with medicine and prescriptions, but also prescribing fruits and vegetables. So that's one of the gaps we really need to close: the education piece."

Williams added she plans to raise public awareness this year, meet one-on-one with lawmakers during the off-season, involve stakeholders and advocacy groups and lobby for related legislation in 2026.


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