We analyzed the prevalence of farm to school (FTS) programs in K-12 schools in four low-income, high-minority cities in New Jersey before and after implementation of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA), between school years 2010-11 and 2017-18. Multivariable logistic regression was used to model FTS participation and the prevalence of FTS before versus after HHFKA initiation. Schools showed a significant positive trend in FTS participation (OR 1.18; p=.010) over the study period. Nonetheless, 20% of schools participated in FTS for 3+ years over the eight-year study period. Findings underscore the importance of federal legislation in supporting child nutrition initiatives.
Objectives: In 2017 a community-University of Minnesota collaborative conducted a statewide survey of food pantry clients.
Methods: Of the 188 food pantries surveyed, 4321 individual client surveys were returned, from which 2,251 open-ended responses were analyzed.
Results: Respondents shared gratitude for the food pantry in meeting their needs for food and support. Many described accessing healthy food that was needed to address health needs. Respondents described life circumstances and hardships that led to food pantry use.
Conclusion: The supportive environment provided by food pantries position them to address the needs of clients, including those with complex health needs.
The emergency food system (EFS) is a critical part of the United States' social safety net. Using 2015-2020 Current Population Survey Food Security Supplement data, we identified trends in EFS use among food insecure, low-income households by estimating the probability of EFS use adjusting for demographics using multivariable logistic regression. From 2015-2019, between 31.0% and 34.4% of households received emergency food, while 42.4% did in 2020. EFS use did not increase in 2020 compared to prior years for older adults and non-metropolitan households. Targeted outreach should be used to expand the reach of this resource to underserved and marginalized populations."

