Latest news with #FoodforKids
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How SNAP federal funding cuts could change free lunch at Knox County Schools
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act was signed into law July 4, 2025, paving the way for sweeping federal budget cuts, including to SNAP, commonly known as food stamps. As a result, free and reduced-price school lunches could become more difficult for families to access. Cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will amount to around $300 billion through 2034, according to the nonpartisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. As of June, 34,268 people in Knox County rely on the program for a regular stipend to use for groceries, according to Tennessee Department of Human Services data. SNAP is a way kids get access to free and reduced-price school meals through the National School Lunch Program. SNAP is part of why 63 Knox County schools can offer every student free breakfast and lunch During the 2025-26 academic year, every student at 63 Knox County schools can receive free breakfast and lunch through the Community Eligibility Provision, which gives all students at a designated school two free meals regardless of family income and without collecting individual applications. The provision uses data from federal benefit programs, including SNAP, to determine the rate of students already receiving assistance. For a school to qualify for the Community Eligibility Provision, at least 25% of students have receive government assistance by April 1 of the prior school year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the National School Lunch Program. With fewer families receiving SNAP benefits, the number of schools that provide meals through the Community Eligibility Provision could drop next school year along with the identified student percentage. If a school were no longer covered through the Community Eligibility Provision, some students would continue to qualify individually for free and reduced-price lunch, but the benefit would not be extended to all. How to apply for free school lunch in Knox County If you child's school doesn't automatically offer free meals, families can apply for help. "Free and reduced meal applications will be available all school year, based on the information we have currently," Knox County School spokesperson Carly Harrington told Knox News. Families can submit a an application anytime during the school year to see if they qualify. Applications should be submitted annually, and only one application is needed for all students in a household. Other ways children in Knox County can receive food Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee's Food for Kids program helps to fill the weekend gap when children can't get meals at school. Every Friday, students are given a bag filled with foods that are easy to access and prepare. Teachers at individual schools help identify students who could benefit from Food for Kids, which operates around the region, including in 76 Knox County Schools facilities for the 2025-26 school year, Second Harvest's chief marketing officer Michael Torano told Knox News in an email. Hayden Dunbar is the storyteller reporter. Email Support strong local journalism by subscribing at This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: SNAP funding cuts could mean fewer Knox County students get free lunch Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas Food Bank gets massive mac and cheese donation
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Nothing says comfort food like mac and cheese, and thanks to a massive 40,000-pound donation from Land O'Lakes, the Kansas Food Bank is about to get a whole lot cheesier. With school out and pantry shelves running low, the timing couldn't be better. Brian Walker, President & CEO of the Kansas Food Bank, said, 'It could not have come at a better time. More households than ever are turning to us for support.' Walker said the mac and cheese, which will be distributed to pantries across the region, is an easy win for busy families—simple to heat, familiar to kids, and ready to serve in a pinch. 'You just zap it in the microwave and it's ready to go,' Walker said. 'Let's face it, everybody loves mac and cheese.' Walker said the donation will help fill empty shelves and serve as a quick, comforting meal option for struggling families. 'You know this time of year, donations like this are very important,' Walker said. 'Lots of folks think about hunger during the holiday season… but it's May, school's out, and we do see an increase in demand. This just helps us get started and hopefully get through the summer months.' Wichita nonprofit helps inspire Hispanic students to dream big Walker noted that the need for assistance has surged across age groups. The Food for Kids program reached a record of 6,500 weekly bags, while some areas are now seeing up to 25% of food bank users over the age of 60. 'With inflation, our purchasing dollars don't go as far,' Walker said. 'Anytime we receive a donation like this from corporate citizens like Land O'Lakes, it just helps—not only the food bank, but definitely helps the people who see that on their table.' Despite the scale of the donation, Walker said the warehouse turns over roughly every 28 days, so the need for food remains constant, and the mac and cheese will go fast. 'That's a semi-trailer full of mac and cheese,' Walker said. 'It will go a long way, but it will go out pretty quickly.' For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Second Harvest continues to feel federal cuts impact ahead of summer months
BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — It has been two months since federal cuts were announced, and Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee continues to be impacted. 'In March we received 301,122 pounds of USDA product, and then in April we only received 198,171 pounds of product which was a decrease of 102,951 pounds of food from USDA,' said Kendra Lindsay with Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. USDA inspects livestock for flesh-eating parasite in Strawberry Plains The food bank has several programs including a mobile food pantry that travels across different East Tennessee counties. The mobile pantry uses USDA products. 'We've limited a little bit, and we have adapted a little bit. We are trying to make sure all of the agencies have access to the product,' Lindsay said. 'We are still going out to our mobile distributions. We're still giving out food. We're currently working on different ways to find funding to bring in more food to help those agencies that may be struggling budget wise.' For instance, on Tuesday, the mobile pantry was in Cocke County. Cocke County Mayor Rob Mathis estimates that 600 families were served. 'We are doing our best, and we are going to work as hard as we can for our agency partners to make sure they can get the needs they have to meet their neighbors' needs,' Lindsay said. As school is out, some are concerned the federal cuts could impact the Food for Kids program. Lindsay tells 6 News it will not be impacted. At least one dead after crash on Pellissippi Parkway near Alcoa 'We do not use USDA products for our Summer Food for Kids program. Our program will be working as usual,' Lindsay said. Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee is taking in donations. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
UT students raise money for Second Harvest amid federal funding cuts
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Four students at University of Tennessee are raising money for Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. It started off as a project for English Class but it grew into a passion to help others. Luke McCrossin, Maeve Miller, Cecilia Fermann and Jackson Martin hope to raise $1,500 for Second Harvest's Food for Kids program. This money will help provide children with weekend meals. What is AmeriCorps? Federal cuts may impact Knoxville service programs 'We saw that they had a program going on underneath it which raises money to provide food bag for kids in need in the local area, so we decided to help with that,' Luke McCrossin said. Maeve Miller added, 'Currently raising money for Second Harvest specifically for their Food for Kids Program, which focuses on helping kids who might not have parent help at home, so that they have access to food when they're not at school.' Food for Kids serves over 15,000 students across 18 counties in East Tennessee. 'We raised right now about $1,100, which is feeding 11 kids for a year straight, which is very nice. We like doing it,' McCrossin said. 'It's good to help out the community.' East TN family starts charitable foundation as daughter battles rare disease The fundraiser comes at a time of uncertainty for the food bank. Last week, we visited Second Harvest and saw empty shelves due to federal funding cuts. Second Harvest told 6 News they are receiving 43% less food than before, with the USDA going back to pre-pandemic levels. 'Their Food for Kids program is the most expensive program at Second Harvest because its so important for so many kids,' Miller said. 'With everything going on with inflation and everything, it's a lot harder to collect food and and the money gets kind of cut in half.' 6 News reporter Naomi Hillmer spoke with Director Elaine Streno about the cuts on April 17. 'The demand for food has risen about 20% in the last couple years,' Streno said. 'The cost of food, all of the entities that are going into when we go to the grocery store our clients are feeling it.' East Tennessee food banks, pantries seek community support after federal funding cuts The food bank went say 21 truckloads of USDA food were canceled due to federal funding cuts late last month. 'They seem very grateful for it obviously and we are happy to help out with that,' McCrossin said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
