Utahns Against Hunger is joining Feeding America and the Food Research and Action Center in the Fill Empty Plates campaign to boost SNAP benefits.
The Salt Lake Tribune is covering the ongoing roll-out of P-EBT benefits in Utah.
Utahns Against Hunger will be working with DWS to conduct outreach for the program, which will provide $308 per child for eligible families to spend on groceries.
Families who were eligible for Free or Reduced school meals from March 16th through May 29th, and Utahs Against Hunger will be providing more information for potential applicants as outreach ramps up in August.
Join us Thursday, July 21st on Facebook Live as we talk to Sen. Romney's office about further legislative responses to the COVID-19 crisis!
DWS has issued a public notice here on extending maximum benefits to SNAP customers through June. Benfits will continue being issued up to the maximum allotment. Click the link above for more details.
Utahns Against Hunger joins with other social justice organizations to stand with Black, Indigenous and People of Color in their pursuit of justice and their fight to dismantle racism. We believe that we all have the right to feel safe in our homes, parks and streets. The color of one’s skin should not make anyone a target for violence.
Recent incidents of racism have shown that we still have a lot of work to do make the United States a place where Black, Indigenous and People of Color are safe from the fear of violence and brutality. We believe that we must work with our community leaders and take guidance from them on how best to achieve that goal. As an organization, we recognize there is more work to do to address the kind of inequality that leads communities of color to experience higher incidences of poverty, food insecurity and hunger.
For 40 years Utahns Against Hunger has been working to increase access to food through advocacy, outreach and education, and we recognize that our work must be more deliberate in addressing the inequities in the food system. As a board, and staff we will look to community leaders for guidance and leadership as we confront these problems.
As we all navigate these turbulent waters, we extend our love, share your rage and hope to come through this together to a more just and equitable world for all.
Utahns Against Hunger Board:
Kevin Mass - Board Chair
Afton January
Tracy Price
Kristie Thorp
Utahns Against Hunger Staff:
Gina Cornia - Executive Director
Alex Cragun - Food Security Advocate
Neil Rickard - Child Nutrition Advocate
More...
In an effort to understand how emergency food pantries are being impacted by the economic fallout from the COVID 19 pandemic Utahns Against Hunger conducted an informal survey of 120 emergency food pantries statewide. The survey was conducted between April 1-14, 2020. The results provide some insight about the challenges being faced by pantries, the changes to their food distribution structures and identify critical needs they will need in order to continue to provide food for their communities.
Utahns Against Hunger expresses its appreciation for the Governor Gary Herbert’s support of HB222, Start Smart Utah Breakfast Program. This legislation will increase access to school breakfast in hundreds of schools across the State. Offering breakfast after the bell will improve the lives of thousands of Utah children and ensure more Utah students will start the day ready to learn. Without the hard work of Representative Dan Johnson, Senator Lyle Hillyard, Senator Dan McCay and Senator David Hinkins, this important legislation would have waited another year. We also want to emphasize the important work by State Superintendent Sydnee Dickson, her leadership of the Board and Child Nutrition team, made HB 222 a priority. Community partners, the public and the media also played a critical role in elevating the importance of school breakfast and how it contributes to the success of all students.
Truly, this legislation was a successful team effort. We look forward to working with USBE on the implementation of this program.