Address policy and funding barriers for food access programs

Recommendation Status: In Progress

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Recommendation: Advocate for state and federal funding to expand federal nutrition programs, including support for staff and program implementation. Simplify eligibility criteria and expand diverse delivery models, such as Breakfast After the Bell. Seek further administrative and legislative change to remove access and implementation barriers.

Current work happening on this recommendation:

• A key element of Vital Communities's Farm to Early Childhood Education work is continuing to collect providers’ experiences using the federal reimbursement program available to them (the Child and Adult Care Food Program - CACFP) to better advocate for reduced paperwork burdens and increased reimbursement rates. This is being done in partnership with bigger organizations such as Hunger Free VT, who is launching an Ending Childhood Hunger campaign with CACFP as a significant barrier. They anticipate to collate resources that providers can use to streamline their processes/learn about how to more easily operate within CACFP, but likely we will be sharing information designed by partners like Hunger Free VT. This work is ongoing.
  • How can you learn more and get involved? Learn more about this on Vital Communities's Farm to Education webpage or reach out to Cameron Huftalen at cameron@vitalcommunities.org.
     

Craving context? This recommendation is included in the Nutrition Access & Security brief, part of the NH Food and Agriculture Strategic Plan.

Read the Nutrition Access & Security brief here