RoxanneSee how President Biden is spending his first days fighting food insecurity so your family won’t have to worry about nutrition.
Think of all the worries that the COVID-19 has brought with it. First, you have to worry about social distancing. Second, you have to wear a mask (or two). Third, you need to wash your hands constantly. Fourth, you have to worry about shutdowns that could negatively impact your livelihood. And fifth, you have to think about how you’ll pay the bills regardless of your troubles, as well as keeping your family fed, so they don’t starve.
If reading that triggered anxiety and not-so-good feelings, don’t fret, as you’re certainly not alone. And we recently got some good news on the food front, as President Biden made several significant moves to make it easier to feed your family, regardless of your financial troubles.
Whether your fridge is empty due to the pandemic or other issues, here are ways that President Biden is aiming to make food insecurity a thing of the past:
More Accessibility and More Money for Food Stamps
Food stamps or SNAP is a benefit that keeps many families afloat. It does so by giving them funds every month that they can use at the grocery store to buy necessary foods, such as meat, milk, eggs, and so on. There are two issues with food stamps, though: 1. Not everyone can get them. 2. Sometimes, they’re not enough.
To address these two issues, President Biden signed an order to increase food stamp funding by 15 percent, giving states more power to feed their citizens during these tough times.
Also, he announced that the Thrifty Food Plan, which regulates SNAP eligibility, should be revamped. By changing the outdated plan, Biden and others in the White House believe that food stamps will correctly address the need for nutrition in America while making benefits more accessible to those who need them.
As if the news of a 15 percent increase in food stamp benefits and better accessibility wasn’t enough, Biden also said he’d like to extend that increase into the future.
Increased WIC Funding
While SNAP may be the most well-known food assistance program around, WIC, or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, is also widely used.
Biden announced he would like a $3 billion increase in WIC funding to help mothers and their babies get the nutrition they need.
Higher Pandemic-EBT Benefits
As schools closed due to COVID-19, many low-income students saw their nutrition suffer. The Pandemic-EBT program gave these students funds to replace lost free or reduced-price meals, and Biden ordered a 15 percent increase for it.
Additional Food Assistance for U.S. Territories
Biden plans on boosting food assistance to these areas by $1 billion.
Restaurant Assistance
Restaurants have been devastated due to COVID-19. Biden said he’d like to get them more involved in the food supply chain so they can stay afloat and keep their workers employed.
