A new report shows food insecurity in Nebraska increased in 2022 over the year before. Feeding America's latest "Map the Meal Gap" survey showed the number of Nebraskans who experienced food insecurity rose from 10% to almost 14%.

For Nebraska children, the picture was even bleaker, increasing from 12% to more than 19%.

This comes as no surprise to those at Food Bank for the Heartland, where they have been dealing with rising demand and rising costs for quite some time.

Stephanie Sullivan, assistant director of marketing and communications for the food bank, said although the report reflects 2022 data, there is no sign yet of a decline in the need for food assistance.

"We are talking to our network partners who are telling us that they're seeing more people in line than ever, even since the height of the pandemic," Sullivan explained. "They are seeing more first-timers in line; people who never thought they would need food assistance."

The report showed food insecurity percentages for every county in the country. In Nebraska, Sarpy County's 11% was the lowest in the state, and Thurston County's nearly 18% was the highest.

Sullivan emphasized Food Bank for the Heartland is advocating for "a clean and strong Farm Bill with no cut to key nutrition programs." The bill needs to include access to food assistance, she added, pointing out that for every meal provided by a food bank in the Feeding America network, SNAP can provide nine meals.

"That makes it one of the most effective and efficient tools in our fight against hunger," Sullivan asserted. "The public support of these programs and their inclusion in the Farm Bill is critical to alleviating hunger."

Food Bank for the Heartland has been responding to a huge increase in demand since 2019, starting with the flooding and not long after, the pandemic. However, Sullivan acknowledged donations have not kept pace since the pandemic ended.

"When we are dealing with a greater need on top of elevated prices in all aspects of our operations, we are not meeting the need," Sullivan stressed. "We need community support now more than ever, because we've never seen food insecurity levels this high."

With its 555 partners, Food Bank for the Heartland serves 77 of Nebraska's 93 counties and 16 counties in western Iowa. This is the second-largest service area among Feeding America's 200 food banks. In fiscal year 2023, its distribution fleet drove more than 300,000 miles, delivering more than 22 million meals.


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Families gathered at the Oregon State Capitol for what they called a "snack-in" last week to call attention to child hunger across Oregon.

Participants handed out snacks while urging lawmakers to pass the Food for All Oregonians bill.

The bill would extend food benefits to all children under the age of six living in the state, including immigrants and refugees.

Rachael Lucille, network communication strategist with Oregon Food Bank, said state lawmakers need to respond to rising hunger and possible cuts to food stamps by the Trump administration.

"Seeing kids at the Capitol building was really powerful to show these are the people that we're advocating for," said Lucille, "and it shouldn't matter where you were born, every child deserves nourishing, familiar food."

Research shows one in six children in Oregon don't have enough food, with visits to the food bank increasing over 30% last year.

Opponents of the bill worry about the added cost, but supporters argue data shows every purchase made with food stamps generates $1.50 for Oregon's economy.

Lucille said many parents across the state are having to choose between paying rent and putting food on the table, and she said she knows first-hand what that feels like.

"And now that I am not in that situation," said Lucille, "I still want to make sure that all of my neighbors and everybody across the state of Oregon is also not having to make those really hard decisions."

Andrea Williams is also with Oregon Food Bank, serving as president.

She said during the pandemic, rates of hunger fell thanks to government supports, and have since increased since the funding stopped. She said feeding the hungry is a policy decision.

"It is a choice that decision-makers, lawmakers can make," said Williams, "whether or not kids should have access to enough food to eat."

Williams said the fate of the Food for All Oregonians bill hinges on an upcoming Ways and Means Committee decision.

Congressional Republicans are poised to move forward with a proposal that would bring major cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

In Minnesota, groups aligned with farmers warn that the economic pain would run deep. SNAP benefits cover certain grocery costs for low-income Americans, and the program could be swept up in $230 billion worth of funding cuts over the next decade, if the plan passes. One provision calls on states to pick up some of the funding even though many Legislatures would face difficulties in finding the money.

Sophia Lenarz-Coy, executive director with The Food Group in Minnesota, said beyond recipients, local economies would be disrupted, too.

"Certainly, folks are going to farmers' markets to use their SNAP [benefits], so that's gonna be an impact to farmers' bottom lines," she explained.

She said it's also likely local grocery stores will see reduced activity, especially in rural areas, where program participation is higher. A coalition opposed to the plan says every dollar in SNAP benefits generates about $1.50 in local economic activity.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture argues the Trump administration is trying to "right-size" the program. But even some House Republicans express worry.

Farmers markets began accepting SNAP benefits around 20 years ago. Willa Sheikh, acting director of the Farmers Market Coalition, said nationally, numbers show how much of a force this option has become.

"Just using data from 2023, we know that SNAP users made over 1.7 million purchases at farmer's markets," Sheikh said. "That's a contribution of over $42 million into local economies."

Last year's total contribution level tapered off from the previous year, but it's still triple what was seen prior to the pandemic. Sheikh said vendors who are beginning or historically marginalized farmers rely heavily on SNAP customers. She noted that transportation and packaging companies could suffer if fewer products are moved.

The budget blueprint is part of larger discussions about ways to offset tax-cut extensions prioritized by the White House.

As the national debate intensifies over cuts to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance benefits and school meal funding, Missouri food system leaders are stepping up to help underserved communities thrive.

Birthed out of the 2014 Ferguson uprising over the shooting death of Mike Brown, the nonprofit group A Red Circle tackles racial and economic disparities in North St. Louis County through food, education, wellness and the arts.

Erica Williams, founder of A Red Circle and co-author of a policy report addressing the issue, explained with limited access to affordable, healthy food being one of the area's biggest challenges, community leaders stepped up to help where national systems failed.

"We reached out to some other grocery stores and they told us that we were not their demographic, they would not bring a store into our region, and so we said we're going to open our own store," Williams recounted. "The idea of a 'People's Harvest' came from us and the community, to open a grocery store."

The "People's Harvest" store opens this summer. Right now, through "A Red Circle's Farm House," community members can receive free bags of fresh fruits, veggies and eggs. Cooking and gardening classes are available, as well as weekly programs under Good Food Fridays.

North St. Louis County faces stark disparities, with poverty rates topping 20% in some areas. Williams stressed the importance of making sure people are educated about the issues and the solutions.

"The medical community is beginning to understand the link between healthy food and nutrition," Williams observed. "Not just treating things with medicine and prescriptions, but also prescribing fruits and vegetables. So that's one of the gaps we really need to close: the education piece."

Williams added she plans to raise public awareness this year, meet one-on-one with lawmakers during the off-season, involve stakeholders and advocacy groups and lobby for related legislation in 2026.


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