Story Ideas

D.C. Comes in at No. 1 in Afterschool Meal Participation
More than 10,000 children in the District of Columbia benefited from afterschool suppers on an average weekday in October 2017, a 31.6 percent increase in participation over the previous year. D.C. had the highest participation in the nation of children in the Afterschool Supper Program, served 21.7 children afterschool suppers for every 100 that received free and reduced-price school lunch.

Nearly 15 Percent of Households in D.C. Struggle to Afford Enough Food
Despite an improving economy, 14.8 percent of households in the District of Columbia reported that they struggled to buy enough food for themselves and their families during 2016–2017. The District of Columbia ranked 24th in the nation for food hardship (1 being the worst), with 1 in 7 households reporting they had trouble putting food on the table.

D.C.’s Grocery Store Gap
One in 7 households in the District struggles with food insecurity, an issue made worse by the lack of full-service grocery stores in low-income areas of the city, such as Wards 7 and 8. Our report, Closing the Grocery Store Gap in the Nation’s Capital, finds that of the 49 full-service grocery stores in the District of Columbia, only two are located in Ward 7 and just one is in Ward 8.