As the holiday season approaches, many of us look forward to gathering with our loved ones around tables filled with food, love, and laughter. However, many families across Virginia are struggling. As many as 1 in 7 children in Virginia could be facing food insecurity. According to the USDA, almost 14 million children across the country are living with hunger – an increase over last year.
This is unacceptable. For children, food insecurity affects not only their physical health, but their cognitive development, emotional wellbeing, and academic performance. These hardships can follow children throughout their life.
We know how to end child hunger in Virginia and across the country. In 2021, we saw a record-low number of children living with hunger due to policies supported by No Kid Hungry, including Pandemic EBT and an enhanced Child Tax Credit. When many of those policies ended in 2022, child hunger increased.
While work remains, this past year proves that when our leaders work together, there can be transformational improvements for our kids. Last school year, a record-high 25,000 additional students started their day with school breakfast, thanks to vision and support from Virginia’s education leaders, elected officials, and school nutrition experts. In the summer months, with the launch of SUN Bucks, Virginia reached over 700,000 children with $84 million in summer grocery support. And in the second year of rural non-congregate flexibilities for summer meals programs, schools and community organizations were able to reach more students and families in rural areas in Virginia.
We must build on that momentum. No Kid Hungry Virginia is here to support schools and community organizations who are interested in boosting school breakfast participation, promoting SUN Bucks, and launching summer non-congregate meals programs. We also must ensure Congress protects and strengthens programs that support families, so we can ensure that Virginia’s kids have the resources they need to grow up healthy and strong.
Helping to ensure that no child goes hungry is one of the greatest gifts we can give, not just during the holidays, but all year round. By raising awareness, sharing our strengths, and advocating for systemic change, we can all work together to create a better future – one where every child in Virginia has the opportunity to thrive.
Thank you to all the nutrition professionals, community partners, and supporters in Virginia that are working to make No Kid Hungry a reality. We see you, and we are grateful for you.
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