As Colorado lawmakers grapple with $1.2 billion in budget cuts, child nutrition advocates are turning to voters to protect funding for the state's Healthy School Meals for All program.

Dr. Sandra Hoyt Stenmark, clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Colorado, said when a child has inadequate nutrition, they are more susceptible to acute and chronic illness, and more likely to miss school and fall behind academically and socially.

"We know that malnourishment and stress impair a child's immune function, and worsens chronic diseases such as asthma," Hoyt Stenmark explained.

Healthy School Meals for All serves more than 600,000 meals every school day, regardless of a student's ability to pay. Funding was meant to come from capping tax deductions on people earning $300,000 or more per year but the program's popularity has driven up projected costs. House Bill 1274 would put two measures on November's ballot asking voters to maintain existing funding and ensure long-term stability.

Thai Nguyen, executive director of Kaizen Food Rescue in Denver, said investing in students now will help them be better prepared to land jobs that pay enough to be financially independent as adults. She pointed out for many Colorado kids, the only real meal they get all day is at school.

"It improves students' academics performance," Nguyen emphasized. "Once they have full stomachs, they tend to focus better, score higher on assessments and have fewer behavioral problems."

The ballot measures would also expand the Local Food Purchasing Program, which allows schools to purchase fresh foods directly from Colorado farmers and ranchers.

Roberto Meza, a first generation farmer and CEO of the food distributor Hearty Provisions, believes the program is critical to maintain the viability of independent food producers.

"They have a reliable market for their product," Meza stressed. "That just eases so much stress and uncertainty on the farmer's part. And to know that it's going to feed kids, is just that extra layer of purpose and meaning."


get more stories like this via email

With the start of summer, organizations across Arkansas are ramping up programs to ensure kids have access to healthy food. The No Kid Hungry campaign, operated by Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and Share Our Strength, connects kids to federal food programs.

Patty Barker, director of Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and Share Our Strength, said students can receive meals at designated sites such as a schools or community centers, through the Summer EBT program that provides families with 120 dollars per student each month or the non-congregate meals for students in rural areas.

"That's a several meal day package - a box - [it] could be for a few days or even for a week's worth of meals provided for pick-up by the parents or distribution straight to the home of the students," she explained.

There are USDA authorized Summer Meals Sites in almost every Arkansas county. A link to find meal sites is available on the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance website.

Arkansas ranks fourth highest in the nation for childhood hunger, with nearly one in four children facing food hardship, that's down 19% in the last ten years. Barker said more children are being helped because of the programs.

"We see it for sure through the participation of the various types of partners that are participating in the program offering meal in these new ways, in rural areas especially," she continued. "And the same for even on-site meals, those districts recognize the need."

She added that sponsors are still needed. School districts, faith-based and nonprofit organizations and local civic groups can still sign up to be a food distribution site.


get more stories like this via email

The city of Cleveland, Ohio, has joined a global pact to improve urban food systems. Officials say the step builds on efforts to assess food access and policy in the region.

Cleveland recently completed its first Food Policy Landscape and Audit, a citywide review of food-related programs and policies.

Zainab Pixler, local food system strategies coordinator at the city's Department of Public Health, said the move is part of a broader strategy to better understand and shape the local food system.

"Cleveland has been at the forefront of food-systems development for quite some time," she said, "but now we're really taking a holistic view - looking at how it impacts our local economy, how it impacts public health, also take ownership over their food system and promote food sovereignty here in Cleveland."

Cleveland joins Columbus and Cincinnati as Ohio cities that are now part of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, which includes more than 300 cities worldwide. The organization emphasizes six food-related areas: governance, nutrition, equity, production, distribution and waste.

City leaders have said joining the pact not only reflects Cleveland's values but boosts its visibility on a global scale. City public information officer Richard Stewart said the pact provides a framework for collaboration and shared learning across cities.

"For Cleveland to join a progressive movement such as this says that we're serious about improving the health and nutrition of our residents," Stewart explained. "It just puts us in a different echelon when it comes to best practices."

He said the city plans to release a deeper analysis next month with recommendations to guide local policy decisions around food access, distribution and sustainability and hopes its work will inspire similar strategies in other communities, in Ohio and beyond.

This story was produced in association with Media in the Public Interest and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


get more stories like this via email

Grocery stores serving rural settings are seen as the lifeblood of their communities. But concerns about them closing haven't gone away. Nearly a decade in, Minnesota is providing grants to keep more from disappearing. Through the University of Minnesota Extension, the Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships initiative helps these smaller outlets navigate resources.

Since 2017, loans and grants have been available to cover equipment costs and other needs. On the western edge of the state, Bonnie's Hometown Grocery has used state aid to replace refrigerators and pay for roof repairs. Without that support, owner Bonnie Maas doubts they'd still be serving customers.

"We still have a lot of elderly clientele that come up there, and they really have nice access to good food," she explained. "We will deliver if they need it."

She said they continue to work around challenges, pointing out that rising food costs and the popularity of online shopping will keep the pressure up on these independent stores. According to Hunger Solutions, 235,000 Minnesotans live more than ten miles away from a large grocery store or supermarket.

Kathy Draeger, statewide director, University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, said the proliferation of discount stores is another obstacle for smaller grocery stores. Ownership transitions are, too.

"Just like we see an aging population in farmers, we're seeing aging population in rural grocery store owners," she said.

Maas says in her town of Clinton and its population of nearly 400, the grocery store is a place to maintain social connections while stocking up on food.

"It's like the hub of the community, especially Sundays after church," she jested.


get more stories like this via email