It is nearly summer, and time to go to bat for those struggling with hunger in New Mexico.
This Saturday, letter carriers with the U.S. Postal Service will collect nonperishable food items on the doorsteps of customers as part of "Stamp Out Hunger," the nation's largest one-day food drive.
Marie Montano, a letter carrier and member of the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 504 in Albuquerque, participates each year because she said it is a chance to give back to the community.
"The end of April, I start talking about it to my customers, letting my customers know," Montano explained. "Every little bit counts. One day alone, at one station, we get close to about 500 pounds per carrier."
Feeding America's 2023 "Map the Meal Gap" study found one in five children and one in seven people overall are at risk of hunger in New Mexico.
Those who want to help can fill a sturdy bag or box with nonperishable food and leave it next to their mailbox on Saturday before their usual mail delivery.
The drive in Albuquerque will benefit Roadrunner Food Bank, which distributes food within the city and also statewide.
Sonya Warwick, director of communications and events for the food bank, knows there is a significant need right now, because more people are showing up at distribution sites.
"It's one of the largest food drives that happens all across the country," Warwick pointed out. "Going into the summer months is very critical food for us, given that we do see hunger spike with little kiddos out of school and they may not have access to those free and reduced (price) meals that they typically would get at school."
In addition to Roadrunner, food banks in other parts of the state including Santa Fe and Artesia are participating. Warwick emphasized New Mexico's food banks are always working to close the state's meal gap.
"It can be difficult simply because there are so many communities across the state who have so much need, particularly rural communities in our state," Warwick stressed. "They tend to see much larger hunger rates especially among the most vulnerable, like children."
For those who cannot participate, Warwick added a monetary donation is always helpful because it allows Roadrunner to purchase food in categories not donated as often.
Disclosure: Roadrunner Food Bank contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Community Issues and Volunteering, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, and Poverty Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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Tennessee has expanded food assistance for Northeast Tennessee residents still cleaning up after Hurricane Helene.
What's known as the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is in effect for current SNAP recipients in the eight counties affected.
Signe Anderson, senior director of nutrition advocacy for the Tennessee Justice Center, said benefits are provided through an electronic debit card and can be used to purchase food items at grocery stores and other authorized retailers who accept electronic benefit transfer.
"The state has been able to secure an automatic mass reimbursement of 65% to SNAP participants who are already part of the program," Anderson reported. "With the knowledge that so many people lost power, there was major devastation."
The Tennessee Department of Human Services has also temporarily allowed SNAP recipients in 13 counties to use their benefits to purchase hot foods due to the challenges of hurricane recovery.
Anderson thinks the 65% reimbursement is a good start but pointed out the USDA approved more waivers for households to get the full 100% reimbursement back by filling out an affidavit on its website. The waiver covers Carter, Hawkins, Johnson, Unicoi and Washington counties.
She added Cocke, Greene and Hamblen counties were not approved in the waiver.
"The state did say, even if you're not in one of these listed counties but you're in one of those bordering counties, you should apply through the affidavit and make your case," Anderson explained. "Unfortunately, those individuals in the surrounding counties aren't automatically reimbursed but if they reach out to DHS through the affidavit, they're likely to get help."
She added President Joe Biden's FEMA disaster declaration allows the state to do even more. The assistance includes grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.
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It is National School Lunch Week and groups in Oregon are taking the opportunity to encourage lawmakers to make school meals available to every kid in the state.
The School Meals for All coalition is calling for legislation to make breakfast and lunch free for all Oregon students. The coalition wants lawmakers to adopt the policy during the 2025 session.
David Wieland, policy advocate for the group Partners for a Hunger-Free Oregon, said the state is already close to the goal.
"About 1,191 schools in the state are already participating and we're only 65 schools away," Wieland reported. "We're so close to the finish line in realizing this vision."
Nine states have adopted universal school meals. Opponents have pointed to the high cost of providing meals to every student in the state but one in six Oregon children faces hunger, according to Feeding America data.
Loren Naldoza, public policy advocate for Oregon Food Bank, said free school meals have a number of benefits, including helping students academically.
"Our fight for a universal school meals program ensures that any student who doesn't have a lunch that day won't have to worry about being hungry because one will be ready for them," Naldoza emphasized. "We're going to see this pay off, in the short term and in the long term."
Wieland added the policy the School Meals for All coalition is pushing for would also improve food quality.
"Moving to free a breakfast and lunch program gets rid of the administrative overhead," Wieland noted. "Our proposal is going to slightly increase funding so that more money is going to fresh ingredients that are scratch cooked, and children enjoy and deserve."
Disclosure: Oregon Food Bank contributes to our fund for reporting on Community Issues and Volunteering, Education, Health Issues, and Hunger/Food/Nutrition. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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A New Mexico food bank has expanded outreach to the state's Indigenous communities by hiring a Director of Tribal Relations.
Candice Griego will help Roadrunner Food Bank collaborate more closely with tribal communities to better identify food insecurity and find culturally responsive solutions that respect their needs.
New Mexico is one of the most rural states in the country, and Griego said tribal community members must often travel 50 miles or more to get groceries.
"A lot of these tribal communities are located in rural areas," said Griego, "where they're in food deserts, where there's not necessarily a lot of grocery stores. That's experienced a lot on the Navajo Reservation."
Griego, whose background is primarily in healthcare, is enrolled as a Zia Pueblo tribal member. She said the food bank already has started seven new food distributions on the Navajo Nation.
Griego said she hopes to gain a better understanding of which tribes need monthly or bimonthly food distributions from Roadrunner and provide them with culturally appropriate foods when possible.
She said that requires regular outreach to tribal leaders and communities.
"They feel comfortable in connecting with me and asking me for certain food products," said Griego. "So, just building that relationship and having that comfort level, and them knowing they can reach out to me."
Native Americans make up nearly 11% of the New Mexico population. In addition to the Navajo Reservation, the state is home to 23 Indian tribes, 19 Pueblos, and three Apache tribes.
The food bank anticipates hosting a tribal community focused event in early November during Native American Heritage Month.
Disclosure: Roadrunner Food Bank contributes to our fund for reporting on Children's Issues, Community Issues and Volunteering, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Poverty Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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