Updates and Announcements

During SY21-22, all students attending D.C. Public Schools and D.C. Public Charter Schools are eligible for access to free school meals (breakfast and lunch) through the USDA Seamless Summer Option.  D.C. Public Schools Food and Nutrition Services will offer meals to students learning in-person or virtually at no cost. Free meals will also be available…

D.C. Hunger Solutions has released a new report Putting Food on the Table: Food Insecurity, Nutrition Assistance, and COVID-19 Trends Among Food-Insecure Immigrant Communities in Washington, D.C. The report highlights the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 among food-insecure immigrant households in Washington, D.C. The report is available to read in full.

May is Older Americans Month, making this a great time to recognize and honor all that older adults do for their communities. Older adults play an especially critical role in D.C.: more than 160,000 residents (greater than 20 percent of the population) over the age of 55 live in the District. D.C. has been recognized…

According to Still Minding the Grocery Gap in D.C. 10th Anniversary Grocery Store report, the district’s grocery gap has widened since then despite rapid economic development, with wards with the lowest incomes losing two stores between 2010-2020.

Spring into School Meals! DCHS has created a Spring into School Meals Toolkit to share important information about the availability of free meals for D.C. kids 18 and under. To find a meal site near you, visit https://coronavirus.dc.gov/food, and pass along the information to your networks.   All children 18 and under can pick up breakfast and lunch at a DCPS meal site for…

In 21 states and the District of Columbia, more than 1 in 10 adults overall report not having enough to eat, according to a report by the Food Research & Action Center. The complete report, Not Enough to Eat: COVID-19 Deepens America’s Hunger Crisis, can be found here.

The summer of 2020 will be one to remember. In the midst of a global pandemic, the United States is reckoning with systemic racism, rising unemployment rates due to mandatory closures, and higher rates of food insecurity. To ensure a just recovery from the events of 2020, local and federal policymakers must use the next…

What is Pandemic EBT? Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer (P-EBT) is part of the U.S. Government response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through P-EBT, eligible school children receive temporary emergency nutrition benefits loaded on EBT cards that are used to purchase food. Children who would have received free or reduced-price meals under the National School Lunch Act…

By Bridget Kelley As America mourns the loss of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and the countless other Black Americans who have become victims of police violence, the nation is coming into a new understanding of the role of systemic racism in our country. This moment calls upon us to seek a better understanding…

By Melissa Jensen In November 2017, the World Health Organization and AARP recognized Washington D.C. as one of the few worldwide “Top Age-Friendly Cities”, which WHO defines as “one that is inclusive, accessible and encourages active and healthy living for all residents.” This was awarded after a five-year plan was implemented to improve living for…