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Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Study shows an increase in child food insecurity in Cass County
Like nearly every county in in the United States, Cass County is affected by child food insecurity daily. According to a study released last week by Feeding America called Map the Meal Gap, about 1 in 6, or 18.1%, of children in Cass County are experiencing food insecurity. The numbers mirror Food Finders Food Bank's overall 16-county service area, which is about 1 in 5 children (20%). The service area includes Cass, Howard, Miami, Carroll, Fulton and Pulaski counties. 'Leveraging the data in this year's study will help us address challenges shared with us by people facing hunger and identify local ways to support our community,' said Kier Crites Muller, president/CEO of Food Finders. 'Hunger remains an urgent crisis throughout our 16-county service area. When we listen to our neighbors facing hunger and use the study's findings, we can unite to create a future where everyone, including children, can access the nutritious food they need to thrive. 'This mission becomes even more critical as threats to vital social safety net programs like SNAP, TEFAP, and Medicaid could worsen food insecurity for our most vulnerable populations, particularly children who rely on these essential services.' Map the Meal Gap, now in its 15th year, is the only study that provides local-level estimates of food insecurity and food costs for every county and congressional district. The study builds upon USDA's most recent national and state data report, which showed 47 million people, including 14 million children, experienced food insecurity in 2023, the highest rate in over a decade. Map the Meal Gap emphasizes the need for the public to join the movement to end hunger. 'Food Finders is thankful to our agency partners in Cass County for being an essential partner in the fight against hunger,' the press release said. 'Their determination and countless volunteer hours have a tangible impact on our communities.' Food Finders' partners in Cass County include: • Emmaus Mission Center ( 19 W. Richardville St., Logansport. Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mon., Wed., Fri.; 4 to 6 p.m. Wed. • Felix's Pantry, 410 W. Miami Ave., Logansport. Hours: 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thurs. • Logansport Salvation Army ( 620 Wilkinson St., Logansport. Hours: 1 to 4 p.m. Tues. and Thurs. • Trinity Episcopal Church, 319 Seventh St., Logansport. Hours: 3 to 5:30 p.m. on second and fourth Wednesday of month, or call 574-753-2733 for appt. Other key findings of Map the Meal Gap include: • Overall, food insecurity rates increased in Cass County, with 15.8%, or 1 in 7 residents experiencing food insecurity. • Nationally, more than 2 out of 5 people facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP benefits due to income limits. In Cass County, 46% of people facing hunger may not qualify for SNAP. • Food Finders serves communities with food insecurity ranging from 13% in Clinton County to 16.7% in Miami County. • Food insecurity also varies for different age groups. Among children, food insecurity in Food Finders 16-county service area ranges from 14.2% in Clinton County to 23.4% in Howard County. • In Food Finders' 16-county service area, available data by race/ethnicity shows that 14% of white individuals, 33% of Black individuals, and 24% of Latino individuals experienced food insecurity in 2023. Map the Meal Gap used publicly available data from USDA Economic Research Service, U.S. Census Bureau and Bureau of Labor Statistics to estimate local food insecurity at the county, congressional district and state levels. The study also estimates local meal costs and food budget shortfalls using food price data from NIQ, based on USDA's Thrifty Food Plan, and grocery sales tax data for every county and state in the country. To see more information and view the map, visit For more information about Food Finders Food Bank, visit
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal cuts affect regional food access; more uncertainty to come
Ashley Baker, strategic initiatives coordinator at the Great Plains Food Bank, stocks food in a wellness pantry. (Courtesy of Great Plains Food Bank) Proposed cuts to the federal food assistance program are coming at a time when agencies addressing hunger in North Dakota are already facing lost revenue and increased need. 'There's a lot of uncertainty right now,' said Darby Njos, spokeswoman for Great Plains Food Bank in Fargo. 'We're still urging lawmakers to support programs that help people get back on their feet while knowing that the needs of people continue to shift.' The most recent hit to federal food assistance are proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Known as SNAP, this is a federally funded program that gives money for groceries to eligible low-income households – mostly older adults, people with disabilities, and families with children. A budget bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives last week would end federal nutrition benefits for millions and shift some costs to states, according to an analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The bill still needs to be considered by the U.S. Senate. More than 3 million people would lose SNAP benefits under GOP bill, nonpartisan report says Great Plains Food Bank is the only food bank in North Dakota and distributes food to those in need throughout the state and Clay County, Minnesota. Earlier this year it lost about $1.3 million in funding and food because of federal cuts, Njos said. Some of those cuts were through a program that allowed the food bank to purchase meat and produce from local farmers. This year Great Plains Food Bank expected three rounds of funding, each around $1 million. The first round came through, the second round of funding was paused and then reinstated. The food bank has been informed it won't receive the third round, Njos said. 'We worked directly with several farmers, and we had to have some tough conversations,' she said. 'We don't have the ability to make those purchases without that funding.' In addition, the food bank will not receive summer deliveries of food through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). These deliveries equaled about $300,000 in food. The nonprofit was able to raise about $250,000 in private funds to help offset those losses, but the cuts are still felt. 'Those cuts impact our day-to-day work,' Njos said. 'We're working hard to fill in those gaps.' States on the hook for billions under U.S. House GOP bill making them help pay for SNAP In 2024, the food bank served 151,000 people in North Dakota and Clay County. About one-third of those served are children; 16% are seniors, Njos said. 'These are vulnerable populations that don't have a lot of options if they're hungry,' Njos said. 'You don't want them worrying about where to get their next meal.' About 28% of Great Plains Food Bank's food sourcing traditionally comes through government programs. While some funding and commodities are still being received, the loss of purchasing power strains resources. 'We've had to adapt quickly,' Njos said. 'These cuts are real, and they're being felt at every level.' Susie Boelter is executive director of North Country Food Bank, which serves part of Grand Forks County in North Dakota and 21 counties in northwestern and western Minnesota. This food bank has seen what Boelter calls 'staggering increases' of use over the past three years. Cutting federal food assistance would add to that need. 'If there are cuts to SNAP that would have a huge impact on us,' Boelter said. 'For every meal we provide (through the food bank), SNAP provides nine.' North Country Food Bank has seen some shifts in which federal contracts are funded but it hasn't seen a loss in overall federal revenue. Boelter said it's still time for additional help – not less. 'Any additional cuts will put a ton of pressure on our emergency food system,' she said. 'Food banks are good at getting food into the hands of people who need it, but it's time to sound the alarm.' One bright spot in food assistance is that federal funding for summer food programs remains in place, according to Melissa Anderson, assistant director for Child Nutrition and Food Distribution Programs at the state Department of Public Instruction. Two federal programs – Summer Food Service and the Summer EBT – provide nutrition for North Dakota students who have access to free and reduced-cost meals during the school year. This summer 42 schools and nonprofits are offering a free meal or snack at over 130 sites throughout North Dakota. In addition, the state Department of Public Instruction works with the Department of Health and Human Services to distribute EBT cards worth $120 to eligible students. Households have 120 days to use those dollars to purchase groceries, Anderson said. The state expects about 44,000 students will be eligible. These summer programs are successful in getting food to those who need it, and Anderson is optimistic the funding will remain. She also acknowledges that policies and funding streams can change quickly. 'Every day there's new information,' Anderson said. 'We're trying to stay positive but there are a lot of unknowns.' Lawmakers earlier this year approved $5 million in grant funding for the Great Plains Food Bank through the state Department of Agriculture to support the construction of a new statewide distribution center. The state's investment will be matched by private donations raised by the agency. The food bank is preparing to break ground in 2027. This investment reflects the region's commitment to taking care of their neighbors, Njos said. 'We've always thrived in times of crisis,' said Njos. 'North Dakotans stand up when their neighbors are in need, and we'll continue doing whatever it takes to ensure no one goes hungry.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New York's food banks brace for triple whammy of federal cuts, tariffs and even higher costs
A tiny storefront in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, has been a lifeline for Marco Ramirez and his family of four. Three years ago, the 56-year-old began visiting the food pantry operated by Reaching-Out Community Services after his hours as a restaurant cook were cut. Every two weeks, he stops by to select items from a computer kiosk and waits for staff to wheel out his order, free of charge. On a recent Wednesday afternoon, Ramirez packed his bags with staples like rice, meat, cooking oil and juice. Without the pantry's help, he said, his family wouldn't be able to afford pricey items like eggs. The pantry is part of a vast network supported by the Food Bank for New York City, which recently lost 75 tractor trailer loads of food — 2.5 million meals — due to cancelled shipments from the US Department of Agriculture following President Donald Trump's abrupt cancellation of over $1 billion in nutrition funding in March. 'We're the country's largest USDA-supplied food bank, and anytime there's a cut or a rollback or a pause, the impact to us is that much more exponential,' said president Leslie Gordon. The organization serves the New York City area, where a recent study estimated the poverty rate hit a new high of 25 percent. For food banks across New York state, the state of emergency that began with the pandemic in 2020 never ended. Already stretched thin from years of rising food costs and food insecurity, hunger relief organizations are now contending with a panoply of federal cuts and tariffs, which are expected to severely disrupt supply chains and further hike prices. Headlines about steep declines in port activity have renewed fears that shelves nationwide could go empty in a matter of weeks. Trump's cuts have derailed programs like the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA), which allowed food banks to purchase food from local farms, and the Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which ships food directly to banks and helps cover operational costs. In recent years, the USDA has expanded TEFAP to meet increased demand from more Americans turning to pantries to stay afloat. New York's newly passed state budget provided little relief. For months, advocates had urged Governor Kathy Hochul to join the legislature in increasing funding for two state-run hunger programs as a way to cushion the blow of federal cuts. But funding for both programs remained largely unchanged in the final deal released last week. Nourish New York will see a modest increase of $750,000 for a total of $55 million, while the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program will remain flat at $57.8 million. The legislature had proposed funding the programs at $75 million each. In the wake of federal cuts, the Regional Food Bank will distribute 2 million less meals across 23 eastern New York counties, which span from just north of Westchester to the Canadian border — after opening a new 50,000-square-foot distribution center in Montgomery in December. 'These cuts mean families going hungry; kids, veterans, and seniors going hungry, and farmers going out of business,' said Congressman Pat Ryan after visiting the food bank last month. 'Trump needs to put country before politics, reverse these cuts immediately, and restore the food shipments to put money back in our farmers' pockets and nutritious meals back on Hudson Valley families' tables.' Over 16 million pounds of food across the state will no longer be distributed due to federal cuts, according to Ryan Healy, advocacy manager of Feeding New York State, which represents 10 food banks across the state, including the ones interviewed for this story. 'Not only is the impact of these cuts felt by our food banks and community partners, it's felt by the farmers and agricultural producers,' Healy said. In addition to USDA shipments, eight of the network's food banks received LFPA funding, which has been a boon to local farms across the state. 'We had about a million pounds of food that were cancelled that we were expected to be distributing right about now,' said Ryan Brisk, vice president of operations and procurement at Feeding Westchester. 'A million pounds is 25 tractor trailer loads of food.' That particular shipment included what Brisk called the 'most highly coveted items' sought by food pantry users, like fresh produce and frozen meat. TEFAP shipments have accounted for a quarter of the organization's food supply. In 2024, Feeding Westchester saw an average of 229,000 visits each month, including 80,000 children and 36,000 seniors. Many visits come from families where adults work multiple jobs, as well as veterans and seniors living on fixed incomes, Brisk said. That need has not tapered off since the onset of Covid-19: 'It was the pandemic passing the torch to inflation.' In Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties, Island Harvest has doubled the amount of food it distributes since 2019. 'The need for emergency food is greater now than it was during the pandemic,' said Gregory May, director of government and community relations. 'The trends are really going in the wrong direction.' Island Harvest relies heavily on donated food, which makes up roughly 75 percent of its stock. May worries whether those donations will continue as businesses feel the crunch of a tightening economy. The situation could become even more grim if the federal government moves forward with cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program(SNAP), also known as food stamps, May said. Congressional Republicans are now considering a drastic overhaul of the program as a way to partially cover another round of Trump tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy. 'I don't think a lot of people realize how connected they are to the emergency food system,' May said. 'A cut to one program is really a cut to every program.' Staff at FeedMore Western New York are still trying to make sense of how a variety of cuts — TEFAP, LFPA, and funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has also been paused — will impact their bottom line. Feedmore serves Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties. 'We are being impacted in every way you can imagine by decisions being made by the federal government,' said public relations manager Catherine Shick. Last year, the organization received nearly $15 million in federal support to operate its food bank network, provide SNAP outreach, deliver meals to the homebound, and supply community kitchens. FeedMore has increased the number of people it serves by 46 percent since 2021. Tariffs add yet another 'unknown' that FeedMore has to monitor, with some vendors warning of potential food price increases, Shick said. Inflation was cited as a top affordability concern for Billi-Jo Mendez, a first-time pantry user in Brooklyn who was next in line to Ramirez on Wednesday. 'In all my years, I've never come to a pantry,' said Mendez, 52. 'I came for extra help.' Mendez said she and her husband have been making do on their own, but recently received custody of their three grandchildren. Her basket included sacks of apples and carrots, as well as cereal and baked chips for the kids. 'It's so sad,' Mendez said of federal cuts. 'A lot of people are going to go hungry without assistance from a program like this.' Gordon at Food Bank for New York City said it's too soon to tell exactly what impact tariffs will have, but the the current situation is unlike past 'rough patches.' 'There's a lack of predictability that is causing things to be more upended than they have been before,' Gordon said. 'We definitely have not seen this convergence of external factors to this degree, and all at once, impacting the good work we're trying to do for people who need us.'
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
How Was Brett Favre Involved in the Mississippi Welfare Scandal? Inside One of the Biggest Public Fraud Cases in History
In 2020, Brett Favre was embroiled in the Mississippi welfare scandal The scandal exposed state employees who were taking money from funds dedicated to families in need for personal use and the use of high-profile athletes Favre was never arrested or charged in the case, but he was named as a defendant in a civil caseIn 2020, Brett Favre found himself at the center of the Mississippi welfare scandal. The fraud case made headlines when several Mississippi government employees were accused of embezzlement. The scheme, which became the biggest public fraud case in the state's history, was exposed after at least $77 million from a program helping poor families was misused. 'The funds that were illegally obtained in this case were intended to help the poorest among us," Mississippi state auditor Shad White said in February 2020 while announcing the charges, according to The New York Times. "The funds were instead taken by a group of influential people for their own benefit, and the scheme is massive. It ends today." Favre's name arose while authorities investigated where the money was redirected. In May 2020, a state audit revealed that the Hall of Famer was paid $1.1 million for speaking events where he was not present. Favre was also accused of working with state officials to redirect $5 million from the funds to build a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater and the school where his daughter played the sport. The former Green Bay Packers athlete was never arrested or charged with a crime, but he had to pay the state back for the $1.1 million in unattended speaking event fees. He has denied any involvement in the fraud or any knowledge of where the money was coming from for the volleyball stadium, although prosecutors have suggested that text messages between Favre and one nonprofit director prove the former NFL star was aware of the scheme. Favre's history with the scandal was investigated in the Netflix documentary Untold: The Fall of Favre, which premiered May 20. Here's everything to know about the Mississippi Welfare Scandal and what happened to Brett Favre after he became a key figure in the case. The Mississippi Welfare Scandal is the biggest case of public fraud in state history, per WTOK. The scheme took place from 2016 to 2019 when $77 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) fund and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) were misappropriated and used on projects unrelated to helping Mississippi families. The scandal involved several high-profile state officials who were named in a lawsuit filed by the Mississippi state auditor. Former Mississippi Department of Human Services official John Davis was at the center of the scheme and eventually pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, and one count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, per a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. Davis was accused of misusing the funds for his "personal use and benefit." In September 2022, he was sentenced to 32 years in prison, according to PBS. The former head of the Mississippi Community Education Center, Nancy New, also pleaded guilty to wire fraud, bribery of a public official and racketeering. Nancy and her son Zachary, who also pleaded guilty to fraud and bribery, ran a nonprofit that obtained more than $2 million from state funding and used the money for their private lives. The mother-son duo both accepted plea deals which would ensure they only serve the time sentenced from the federal case, per Mississippi Today. In addition to Davis and the News, five other people were indicted in the scheme. Former professional wrestler Brett DiBiase was one of the key players arrested in 2020. He was accused of fraud and embezzlement for accepting money from the welfare agency to pay for his drug treatment at a rehabilitation facility in Malibu, Calif., according to Mississippi Today. In March 2023, DiBiase pleaded guilty to one federal charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States. He could face up to five years in prison, but he has not been sentenced. As of September 2023, all seven criminal defendants in the case remained out of prison as federal litigation was ongoing, per Mississippi Today. In May 2020, it was revealed that $5 million of TANF funds were used to help build a volleyball arena at Favre's alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, where his daughter also played the sport. In 2022, a text message between Favre and New from five years prior became public. In the 2017 text, Favre asked New, "If you were to pay me is there anyway the media can find out where it came from and how much?" Favre has denied all wrongdoing and said that he was unaware where the government funds were coming from. "I have been unjustly smeared in the media. I have done nothing wrong, and it is past time to set the record straight," he said in a 2022 statement, per Fox News. "No one ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me." In addition to the volleyball stadium, Favre was also named in the scheme for two other multimillion-dollar payments. State auditors claimed that $1.7 million from TANF had gone toward developing a treatment for concussions at a company supported by Favre, per NBC News. Favre was also accused of receiving $1.1 million for speeches he did not make. He denied all allegations. In September 2024, Favre testified in front of the Congress' House Ways and Means Committee about advocating for additional ways to protect TANF funds. 'Instead, I'm here to share what I've now seen up close, about how reforms are needed to stop the misspending of TANF funds," he said at the time. Although he was there to focus on additional guardrails, Favre also revealed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Favre was never arrested or charged in the Mississippi Welfare Scandal. However, in May 2022, the Mississippi state auditor named Favre as one of the defendants in a civil lawsuit filed in an attempt to regain the misappropriated funds. Shortly afterwards, Favre's legal team filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit and claimed that the lawsuit was attempting to use his status as a "national celebrity" to "deflect responsibility" from the government, according to CNN. In April 2023, a judge denied the dismissal and ruled that Favre would continue as one of the defendants. His spokesperson later said that Favre was "disappointed in the court's ruling," per The Washington Post. Just one month later, a local judge filed a gag order and demanded that all parties not speak about the case ahead of the trial, according to The Magnolia Tribune. As of July 2024, a trial date for the civil lawsuit has not been set, per The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Favre also filed a defamation suit against the state auditor, White, for statements he made surrounding the case, per the Associated Press. Shortly after the misappropriated funds came to light, Favre repaid the $1.1 million he allegedly received for the speaking events he didn't attend, per the AP. He repaid $500,000 in May 2020 and the remaining $600,000 in October 2021. However, the state auditor claimed that Favre never paid interest and sued him in 2024 for an unpaid $729,000, according to Forbes. Mississippi state attorneys have also claimed that Favre never repaid the $1.7 million they alleged was invested in the concussion treatment company or the $5 million allegedly given to the University of Southern Mississippi's volleyball stadium, according to The Guardian. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal funding cuts leading to crisis in local food pantries
Cuts to federal funding are impacting Second Harvest Food Bank of the Metrolina, and trickling down to other local organizations. Channel 9's Gina Esposito found that even in Union County, smaller food pantries are facing big problems. Common Heart in Union County said their back wall is normally filled with food, but some of the shelves were bare on Friday, and a normally-stocked fridge was diminished. But while the supplies are fewer, the bustling of carts was non-stop at the food pantry in Waxhaw. Box after box went into about 200 cars that were lined up. 'My husband and I are seniors, and the grocery store prices have risen. We come out to get a supplement,' said Doris Mills. Behind the scenes, Ryan Kolbe with Common Heart says he wasn't sure if they'd even have meat to give out. 'It's really difficult with all the uncertainty and I'm glad this pantry turned out well. Second Harvest was able to get this together, but going through the weeks leading up to it, not knowing if there was going to be enough,' Kolbe said. On April 13, the nonprofit sent Common Heart a letter saying cuts at the U.S. Department of Agriculture slashed funding for the Emergency Food Assistance Program, or TEFAP, by 50%. As a result, Second Harvest is distributing less produce, dairy and frozen meat to its partner agencies, like Common Heart. For this quarter, there wouldn't be any milk, eggs, or cheese. The following week, Common Heart got a notice that it wouldn't get its TEFAP food allocation for the rest of the month. 'On May 2, looking at our freezer, we had four boxes of ground beef left that was enough to serve one or two pantries, then we would have nothing,' Kolbe said. He says they were able to pick up some TEFAP food last week, but he worries it may not be enough to feed all of the people who really need it. Common Heart says because of the uncertainty with their meat supply, they need people to donate canned meat like tuna fish. They're also asking for people to donate to cover the costs cut by the federal government. You can help by taking part in Channel 9's Food Drive at this link. (VIDEO: Community helps rebuild food truck swept away in Hurricane Helene)
