News

According to The Hill, legislative attacks on SNAP are endangering America's children and veterans. Join Utahns Against Hunger in calling for federal bipartisan support for strengthening the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) so that Utahns facing food insecurity can get the assistance they need. To see if you're eligible to receive SNAP and a rough estimate of how much you could receive visit UAH's SNAP calculator.

Utahns Against Hunger is joining Feeding America and the Food Research and Action Center in the Fill Empty Plates campaign to boost SNAP benefits.

Join us Thursday, July 21st on Facebook Live as we talk to Sen. Romney's office about further legislative responses to the COVID-19 crisis!

DWS has issued a public notice here on extending maximum benefits to SNAP customers through June. Benfits will continue being issued up to the maximum allotment. Click the link above for more details.

Utahns Against Hunger joins with other social justice organizations to stand with Black, Indigenous and People of Color in their pursuit of justice and their fight to dismantle racism. We believe that we all have the right to feel safe in our homes, parks and streets. The color of one’s skin should not make anyone a target for violence. Recent incidents of racism have shown that we still have a lot of work to do make the United States a place where Black, Indigenous and People of Color are safe from the fear of violence and brutality. We believe that we must work with our community leaders and take guidance from them on how best to achieve that goal. As an organization, we recognize there is more work to do to address the kind of inequality that leads communities of color to experience higher incidences of poverty, food insecurity and hunger. For 40 years Utahns Against Hunger has been working to increase access to food through advocacy, outreach and education, and we recognize that our work must be more deliberate in addressing the inequities in the food system. As a board, and staff we will look to community leaders for guidance and leadership as we confront these problems. As we all navigate these turbulent waters, we extend our love, share your rage and hope to come through this together to a more just and equitable world for all.Utahns Against Hunger Board:Kevin Mass - Board ChairAfton JanuaryTracy PriceKristie Thorp Utahns Against Hunger Staff:Gina Cornia - Executive DirectorAlex Cragun - Food Security AdvocateNeil Rickard - Child Nutrition Advocate                                                                 

In an effort to understand how emergency food pantries are being impacted by the economic fallout from the COVID 19 pandemic Utahns Against Hunger conducted an informal survey of 120 emergency food pantries statewide. The survey was conducted between April 1-14, 2020. The results provide some insight about the challenges being faced by pantries, the changes to their food distribution structures and identify critical needs they will need in order to continue to provide food for their communities.

Utahns Against Hunger expresses its appreciation for the Governor Gary Herbert’s support of HB222, Start Smart Utah Breakfast Program. This legislation will increase access to school breakfast in hundreds of schools across the State.  Offering breakfast after the bell will improve the lives of thousands of Utah children and ensure more Utah students will start the day ready to learn. Without the hard work of Representative Dan Johnson, Senator Lyle Hillyard, Senator Dan McCay and Senator David Hinkins, this important legislation would have waited another year. We also want to emphasize the important work by State Superintendent Sydnee Dickson, her leadership of the Board and Child Nutrition team, made HB 222 a priority.  Community partners, the public and the media also played a critical role in elevating the importance of school breakfast and how it contributes to the success of all students. Truly, this legislation was a successful team effort.  We look forward to working with USBE on the implementation of this program. 

Support our national partners and call Senator Romney now!The Food Research and Action Partner has put out an alert, calling for our support in pushing to a more expansive stimulus package: Now that H.R. 6201 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act has been signed into law, Congress must immediately pass a comprehensive stimulus package that will both stabilize the economy and provide direct aid to individuals and families during this public health and economic crisis. The Senate is still in session and is negotiating an economic stimulus package that is expected to respond to the economic upheaval that is gripping the country. Included in those conversations among Senate leadership are SNAP and the nutrition programs.  Act TODAY! Call your Senators at (202) 224-3121 (Capitol Switchboard) or email them to urge that any COVID-19 economic recovery package must build on SNAP’s economic stimulus effects by: boosting SNAP maximum benefits by 15 percent increasing the minimum SNAP benefit from $16 to $30    suspending all SNAP administrative rules that would terminate or weaken benefits.  These temporary provisions should be continued until the economy improves. There are other measures being negotiated through appropriations that would provide additional commodity support, targeted relief to the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), additional funding for older adult nutrition programs, additional funding to support state and local WIC programs and CACFP sponsoring organizations, and administrative support to states that are already seeing strains on their systems. We support all of these efforts as well.  Check out FRAC’s page, Preparing for the Impacts of the Coronavirus on Health, Well-being, and Food Security, which provides up-to-date information on legislation, bill summaries, policies, and other important news. You can also write Senator Romney's office here.

On Wednesday December 4, the Trump Administration published a final rule that will make it more difficult for some Utahns to maintain their SNAP eligibility. The targeted population are able-bodied adults without dependents, ages 18 through 49, otherwise known as ABAWDs.

Utahns Against Hunger is thrilled to announce that Utah Double Up Food Bucks gained some much needed state funding support during the 2019 state legislative session. 

Between March 4th and 7th the Executive Appropriations Committee of the Utah State Legislature will consider a set of funding requests that, if funded, would help increase access to fresh local foods, support Utah farmers, and strengthen local food economies across the state. 

The next action on the Farm Bill will likely take place during the upcoming lame duck session of Congress, which starts November 16th.  

Join Utahns Against Hunger in denouncing the Trump Administration’s deeply flawed proposed public charge rule that would undermine decades of progress in reducing hunger in Utah and across the country. The proposed rule will increase poverty, harm health and children's ability to learn, and weaken our communities.

At this time of year our thoughts start turning to holiday celebrations, family, and friends. Who is going to be sitting around our holiday tables, and will we manage to cultivate a respite of civility and love from the political polarization that has beset our nation? 

Despite an improving economy, 12.5 percent of households in Utah reported that they struggled to buy enough food for themselves and their families during 2016–2017, according to a new report released by the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC, a national anti-hunger advocacy group).

Utahns Against Hunger congratulates the U.S. Senate for passing S.3042: Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, otherwise known as the farm bill. The Senate farm bill passed 86 to 11, with Senator Hatch voting on the prevailing side.

Utahns Against Hunger is deeply disappointed in the passage of H.R. 2: The Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018, commonly known as the farm bill. If implemented this bill will fundamentally change the food assistance that will be available to working parents, seniors, and veterans.

UAH usually has a spring fundraiser with Love UT Give UT in March, but that event has been moved to the fall. So instead, we're having a party!

UAH recently had the pleasure of working with two student interns: Legislative Intern Melissa Bain from the University of Utah, who assisted during the 2018 legislative session, and Dietetic Intern Joelle Mittanck from Brigham Young University, who worked on Utah School Breakfast Week. We are grateful for their excellent work and asked them to share about their experiences. 

Governor Gary Herbert proclaimed March 19-23, 2018 Utah School Breakfast Week. At Utahns Against Hunger we work to improve participation in the School Breakfast Program and promote alternative breakfast serving models. Research shows that students who eat school breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight, drink more milk, and eat more fruit daily!