Greater Investments Needed to Combat Hunger in Nation’s Capital
Media Contact:
Colleen Barton
703-203-7843
cbarton@frac.org
Statement attributable to LaMonika Jones, Director, D.C. Hunger Solutions
WASHINGTON, September 12, 2024 — D.C. Hunger Solutions is deeply concerned that nearly 9 percent of District households continue to struggle with food insecurity in 2023. The latest Household Food Security report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service confirms D.C. Hunger Solutions’ ongoing warning: Without greater investments in anti-poverty and anti-hunger programs, hunger in the nation’s capital will continue to climb.
Far too many District households are experiencing food insecurity. Much of this has been driven by inflation and the rollback of critical COVID-19 pandemic relief efforts such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Emergency Allotments and Pandemic EBT that provided temporary boosts to SNAP benefits.
Even though household food insecurity in 2023 is significantly lower in the District at 8.8 percent compared to the national average of 13.5 percent, and statistically lower among households in the Northeast region of the U.S. at 12.0 percent, more needs to be done to ensure District residents have continued access to critical programs and resources addressing hunger and poverty.
We know that food insecurity in the District of Columbia and across the country would be even worse without the federal nutrition programs and initiatives aimed at addressing poverty.
SNAP is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger, but the benefit levels are still too low. Advancements were made during the 2023 District of Columbia Budget season increasing the maximum benefit amount a SNAP recipient receives by 10 percent through Give SNAP a Raise. D.C. Councilmembers must build on this proven intervention so that all households may continue to thrive.
Additionally, D.C. Hunger Solutions is urging Councilmembers to make universal schools meals available to all students in the District, following in the footsteps of the eight states that have passed Healthy School Meals for All policies.
In addition to investing in the proven federal nutrition programs, Councilmembers must pass a permanent expanded and inclusive Child Tax Credit to create a more prosperous, nourished, and equitable city. We have the tools needed to end hunger. We must use them to make hunger in the District of Columbia a thing of the past.
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About D.C. Hunger Solutions
D.C. Hunger Solutions, founded in 2002 as an initiative of the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), works to create a hunger-free community and improve the nutrition, health, economic security, and well-being of low-income people in the District of Columbia. To learn more about D.C. Hunger Solutions, visit www.dchunger.org.