Feeding America

SNAP participation has dropped by over 4.5 million people since July 2025, straining food banks and state agencies. Regulatory changes, including stricter eligibility rules and error rate penalties, have made the program harder to access, leading to increased demand for food bank assistance.

Food insecurity has increased in west Tennessee this summer, with hunger relief groups reporting higher demand for assistance, particularly for children out of school. Tennessee opted out of the federal Summer EBT program, limiting meal support to 13 counties, while organizations like the Northwest Tennessee Local Food Network and Southwest Human Resources Agency expand outreach to address the gap.

Local 4 volunteers and partners helped pack food boxes for Gleaners Community Food Bank's Hunger Free Summer initiative in Taylor, aiming to address food insecurity for children during school breaks. The event, supported by Citizens Bank and Rocket Community Fund, focused on providing meals to families facing summer financial challenges, with volunteers assembling boxes containing 24 pounds of food each.

Approximately 400,000 children in Michigan face hunger during summer break due to loss of school meal access. Local 4 and Gleaners Community Food Bank partner to provide meals through the Hunger Free Summer initiative, relying on volunteers and donations to distribute food across Southeast Michigan.

A local initiative by Fairview Health Services called Fair Table provides free food resources to patients facing food insecurity, improving health outcomes for individuals like 69-year-old Kamee Yang. The program, part of Fairview’s 'Food is Medicine' approach, partners with Urban Roots to expand community gardens and food access in Minnesota, where nearly 1 in 10 residents are food insecure.

Prince George’s County Public Schools in Maryland launched a free summer meals program to address food insecurity during school closures. The initiative, supported by the Washington Mystics and the American Dairy Association, provides meals at schools, churches, libraries, and summer programs for children 18 and under or 21 with disabilities. No registration is required, and families can locate sites by texting 'FOOD' to 877877 or visiting the Maryland Department of Education website.

Families are relying on food pantries as prices rise faster than paychecks for the first time in three years. This trend is happening across the country. The increase in food prices is outpacing wage growth.