More than 13% of U.S. households have challenges with access to food, according to the USDA. Rates of food insecurity in Champaign County track closely with the national trend, which means more than 26,000 residents do not have access to enough food.
Cunningham Township, which serves the same area as the city of Urbana, spent $100,000 over budget this fiscal year in its quest to help all those needing food and housing help.
One in 10 college students are food insecure, according to a 2020 University of Illinois study of U.S. Census data. Some Illinois lawmakers want to change this.
New law aims to alleviate ‘food deserts’ throughout the state.
CHAMPAIGN – Beginning this month, people who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will see a sharp reduction in benefits. As the emergency allotments enacted by Congress at the start of pandemic expire, 16 million American households will now receive less monthly assistance. In Illinois, the change is expected to affect two
WASHINGTON D.C. — For the first time since the Nixon administration, the White House will hold a conference on hunger, nutrition and health, bringing together advocates, lawmakers and experts to come up with strategies to tackle food insecurity and diet-related health issues. The conference comes after a spike in food insecurity rates across the country
URBANA – Ripple effects from the war in Ukraine will likely be felt in all corners of the globe — especially when it comes to the food supply. The conflict is exacerbating already-existing supply chain disruptions and sky-high food prices. Not to mention, Ukraine and Russia provide nearly 30 percent of the world’s wheat and
Clogged supply chains and budget-busting food prices have food banks scrambling to stock pantry shelves. That crunch comes as food banks see increased demand from families struggling to afford meals. Food banks saw a huge increase in demand at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. And while that’s leveled off somewhat, demand remains higher than
URBANA — Students at the University of Illinois rely on different resources that provide food when it is needed. One such resource is the “Everybody Eats” program at Bevier Cafe. Ricardo Lopez, a senior studying food science and human nutrition, said he experienced food insecurity during his sophomore year at the University of Illinois. He
CHICAGO — The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted almost every aspect of our lives, including our ability to afford food. Rates of food insecurity skyrocketed during the pandemic due to high unemployment numbers and the economic recession. Now, though, with vaccines more widespread and the economy beginning to get back on track, those rates are on
It’s been a tough year for essential workers — nurses, first responders, grocery store workers. But among the hardest hit are agricultural workers, who have been working non-stop to keep food on our tables while struggling to make ends meet themselves. Organizations like the Farmworker & Landscaper Advocacy Project (FLAP) are trying to help by
URBANA – Before the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of food insecurity were lower than they had been in more than two decades, according to hunger relief nonprofit Feeding America. Now that trend is reversing, and millions more Americans are facing hunger this year due to loss of employment and reduced access to school meals. Feeding America
CHAMPAIGN – During a typical school year, Laura Dees says families in need rely on food drives held at school buildings in the Champaign Unit 4 School District. Dees, director of food services for Unit 4, says that wasn’t a possibility this year because schools are closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But Dees
URBANA – Since March, Eastern Illinois Foodbank has distributed almost nine million pounds of food. At this point last year, that number was just over seven million pounds. And demand isn’t slowing down. “The volume of food that we’ve been putting out has definitely changed because of the pandemic,” says Molly Delaney, Vice President of Development
Ja Nelle Pleasure never used to think twice about putting food on the table for her family. In fact, the Pleasure family revolved around food. One of…