By Leah Shepard / Broadcast version by Nadia Ramlagan reporting for the Kent State-Ohio News Connection Collaboration. At Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries in Youngstown, chief program officer April Alexander has seen countless people struggle to feed their families. According to Feeding America, Mahoning County, where Youngstown is located, had a food insecurity rate of 13.4% in 2021, meaning 30,670 people were without "access, at times, to enough food for a healthy, active life." And Alexander said the problem seems to be getting worse. .
Anti-hunger advocates are closely watching negotiations over the 2023 Farm Bill. Every five years, Congress considers this large piece of legislation - but it doesn t just impact agriculture. The Farm Bill also contains funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP - the country s largest food aid program. .
Three years on from the start of the pandemic, securing food is one of the biggest challenges facing households in Washington state. The Washington State Food Security Survey, which focuses on low-income households, found about half struggled to afford food. Rising food prices are compounding the problem. .