MARSING, Idaho -- About one-in-ten seniors in Idaho isn't sure where they will find their next meal, according to a new report.

The National Foundation to End Senior Hunger found that senior hunger levels went down only slightly between 2014 and 2015 in Idaho, declining by a little more than 1/2 percentage point.

Kathy Gardner, director of the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force, said any percentage of hungry seniors above zero is too high. She said the data reveals it's actually seniors on the younger side who suffer most.

"They're ages 60 - 69, and that surprises many,” Gardner said. "Good news: there are pockets of innovation in Idaho and in rural Idaho. So, we do have models of success right here in Idaho that we can look to to make a difference."

The report said nationwide, hunger rates for people ages 60 to 64 are 50 percent higher than for people over the age of 80. Gardner said that's a disturbing trend as Baby Boomers get older in large numbers.

But, she said, Idahoans are fighting back. The Sandbar Restaurant served Marsing, a town of 7,000 in rural Owyhee County, for 40 years before closing its doors in 2015. Now it's been revived as the nonprofit Sandbar - Cafe with a Cause to help serve the area's senior population.

Pete Smit is president of the board at Senior Citizens Inc., which runs the nonprofit restaurant. He said the cafe is open to people of all ages, and it's been a vital alternative to a senior center.

"We felt leaving the name as the Sandbar was important to entice everyone to come and join us at the Sandbar without any segregating off the seniors alone,” Smit said.

Those 60 and older can choose whether or not to pay for their meals. All the money earned goes back to the nonprofit so that it can fund meals for seniors in need. The Sandbar also prepares food for the Meals on Wheels program.

Smit said with funding for programs like Meals on Wheels declining and as senior centers close their doors, places like the Sandbar could be a new and effective way to help communities meet their senior populations' needs.

"Fresh food and warm food and then just talking to the people to make sure they're OK is a huge part of it,” he said. “And so I see the traditional senior center in the decline."


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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.


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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.


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