By Reyna Revelle for WISH-TV.
Broadcast version by Joe Ulery for Indiana News Service reporting for the WISH-TV-Free Press Indiana-Public News Service Collaboration

Indiana state government has canceled a summer groceries program for families with kids.

The decision has raised concerns about food security for families.

Last summer, some Hoosier families a crucial boost of $120 per child for grocery assistance while schools were closed. It benefited around 669,000 children.

Kate Howe, executive director for Indy Hunger Network, spoke with News 8 on Wednesday about the U.S. Department of Agriculture summer grocery service program, known as SUN Bucks. “We’re not really sure why Indiana decided not to participate. The information we’ve been hearing is that it’s expensive for the state to administer. But, it’s actually relatively cheap compared to some other things, and most of the cost is covered by the federal government.”

Groceries purchased with SUN Bucks could be paired with free summer meals and meal-to-go options to help ensure kids do not go hungry while schools aren’t in session for the summer. However, Indiana has cut the federal program after just one year, and, for many, the only remaining option is meal sites.

Howe said, “Some counties don’t have very many sites. Kids might have to walk a really long way to get to a meal site. I’ve heard of some counties where the closest meals might be 15 miles away. You don’t always know that the food that will be available is food that you like or can eat, based on allergies, dietary restrictions, etc. Those free meal sites are only for the kids as well, only for kids who are under 18.”

“There are a lot of cuts happening that could really impact Hoosiers and food access. We’re really nervous about what we’re seeing. We’re already seeing record lines at food pantries across the city.”

Gov. Mike Braun’s office and the Indiana Department of Agriculture did not immediately reply to News 8 requests to find out why the program was cut and what was the cost to operate it. The Department of Education shared a statement.

“While Sunbucks will be discontinued for 2025, students in low-income areas of the state can still receive free summer meals at approximately 1,000 locations (schools and other organizations) through the USDA’s Summer Food Service Program,” said Molly Williams, a spokeswoman for Indiana Department of Education.

Throughout the summer, families can find Summer Food Service Program locations through the Site Finder Map or through the Hunger Hotline. The Hunger Hotline can be reached from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. ET weekdays at 866-348-6479 for English language or 877-842-6273 for Spanish language.


Reyna Revelle wrote this article for WISH-TV.


get more stories like this via email

Groups working to end hunger in Nebraska are reaching out to all parts of the state to train food insecure people to advocate for others facing similar issues.

The advocacy group Nebraska Appleseed's Food Access Community Advocates Cohort educates people over nine months how to build advocacy, community organizing and storytelling skills, so they are better equipped to understand policies affecting the state's most food insecure people.

Megan Hamann, senior community organizer of food and nutrition access for Nebraska Appleseed, said having experienced hunger puts them in a better position to understand and talk about policy issues affecting hungry people in Nebraska.

"They have this lived experience that is really useful, I think, when it comes to making sure that our decision-makers know the impact of the policies they are considering," Hamann explained.

Nebraska Appleseed will start taking applications for new program participants Friday.

Hamann pointed out the number of food insecure people in Nebraska is greater now than it was during the pandemic, when demand at food banks was already high.

"I think with the passage of the recent federal budget reconciliation bill, we are looking forward to a period of time where that need is going to reach new extremes," Hamann projected.

This will be the fourth year of the cohort program. Many past participants have taken leadership roles in their communities and are now leading local efforts to educate others about the best ways to address food insecurity.


get more stories like this via email

It has been about three weeks since the Rowena Fire in Oregon's Columbia Gorge was put out, and the local food bank remains vital to recovery efforts.

The fire burned 3,600 acres in Wasco County, destroying 56 homes and 100 other structures.

Breen Goodwin, executive director of the Columbia Gorge Food Bank, said they are always prepared to assist during disasters with ready-to-eat emergency food boxes and water. She added many displaced families are living with relatives, in hotels, or camping and remain uncertain about their next steps.

"It is difficult in a community of our size to absorb housing needs for that many families who have lost homes," Goodwin acknowledged. "That next step of the recovery process of truly: 'How are those families being supported with more long term recovery efforts?'"

Breen pointed out the food bank has been serving as a distribution site to hand out supplies from Adventist Health of the Columbia Gorge and other organizations who donated nonfood items, including air purifiers, generators, hygiene supplies and stuffed animals for kids.

One of the biggest challenges, Breen noted, is keeping a supply of drinking water flowing once people start to return home.

"We're able to drop full pallets of water directly into the impacted communities because most of the time the drinking water is no longer safe until enough testing has been done," Breen explained.

The Columbia Gorge Food Bank is one of 21 regional food banks in the Oregon Food Bank Network. Breen emphasized the number of people visiting the food bank rose to about 6,500 per month during the pandemic and has remained at that level. People can visit OregonFoodFinder.org to find pantry locations in their area.

Indiana families are navigating the summer without SUN Bucks, a federal grocery benefit which delivered $120 per child last summer.

Gov. Mike Braun's administration chose not to participate in 2025, citing prior planning gaps.

Mark Lynch, director of advocacy for the Indy Hunger Network, said the funding blackout hit the state hard.

"We really are feeling and seeing the impacts of not having the SUN Bucks program this year," Lynch emphasized. "That $120 per summer for those students that they had last year have created some longer lines at our food pantries."

State leaders said administrative hurdles kept Indiana out of the program. Supporters argued skipping SUN Bucks puts pressure on food banks and leaves low-income families with fewer options.

Lynch noted to help bridge the gap, Indiana expanded its summer meal sites to include prepackaged meals, which do not require daily pickups.

"But there's school starting soon and they're giving their workers some time off for the summer, so that might be ending in the next week or two," Lynch explained. "That's just an example and that happens around the state in rural, suburban, and in city communities."

The Indy Hunger Network and other partners continue to support Hoosiers through tools like the Community Compass app, which shows nearby meal sites and grocery assistance programs.


get more stories like this via email