Lawmakers in Congress want to slash by half funding for the nation s AmeriCorps programs. Ohio groups opposed to that move say it would have wide-ranging effects for places like food banks. The AmeriCorps budget would dwindle to around $660 million for fiscal year 2024. .
A new $40 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will boost the resources and assistance for farmers and food businesses in Appalachia. According to Rural Action, the new Appalachian Regional Food Business Center s goals include reaching at least 10,000 food and farm businesses through grants, technical assistance, and assistance with land access. .
As anti-hunger advocates gather today at the state Capitol to launch Feeding Kentucky s Hunger Action Month kickoff, experts say the next Farm Bill the nation s largest nutrition and agricultural legislation will decide the fate of many of the federal food programs Kentuckians rely on. Cassidy Wheeler, advocacy coordinator for Feeding Kentucky, said new work reporting requirements are expected to impact many Kentuckians 50 and older who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP. "13,000 Kentuckians who are between the ages of 50 and 55, they re at risk of losing their SNAP benefits because of these new requirements that got put into place with the debt ceiling negotiations," Wheeler explained. " .
Minnesota saw a record 5.7 million people people visit food shelves last year. While there is still great concern about households not having enough to eat, new community-level solutions are taking shape, thanks to pandemic aid. Minnesota received nearly $14 million in American Rescue Plan funding to assist hunger relief efforts. .