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Oregon is rolling out new child care supports, but advocates say it's ‘just a drop in the bucket’ for a crisis that’s hampering economic growth. ....
Maine is seeking proposals for a grant opportunity to support local food producers and production and assist low-income residents in accessing local food. A bill passed and signed into law last year allocated $25,000 to provide incentives for residents receiving food and nutrition benefits to purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables, and increased outreach about them. Genna Cherichello, Maine Senior FarmShare program manager for the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, said nutrition incentives are critical because local producers often have higher costs than large agriculture corporations. . ....
Virginia s food banks are facing a perfect storm of issues. High inflation for everyday goods is driving up food costs for lower-income families, all while food banks are working to overcome supply-chain issues to keep their shelves stocked. Eddie Oliver, executive director of the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, which oversees seven regional food banks across the state, said since many pandemic stimulus benefits have expired, the financial reserves lower-income families built have started to drop off. . ....
Oregonians are casting their ballots for Tuesday s primary election. One issue affecting many voters is access to child care. Courtney Helstein, senior political director with the organization Family Forward Oregon, said child-care affordability was a problem before COVID-19 and the pandemic has only exacerbated it. . ....