As Joseph Llobera from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities stated in his report Child Support Cooperation Requirements in SNAP Are Unproven, Costly, and Put Families at Risk, “both the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) and the Child Support program improve the health and well-being of millions of low-income children every...Lee mas

Earlier this week, the Missouri Senate Economic Development Committee heard Senate Bill 790 which would provide state tax credits to grocery stores that open in food deserts across our state. According to USDA, a food desert is a low-income tract where a substantial number or substantial share of residents does not have easy access to...Lee mas

There was a slight delay in Congress’ work on the Build Back Better legislation these past couple weeks because Congress had to pass a continuing resolution that would continue funding the federal government at current spending levels through February 18. The continuing resolution passed and was signed by President Biden last week so work can...Lee mas

Since 1901, the pinnacle of Empower Missouri’s work each year has been its Annual Conference. In fact, for the first decade, that was the bulk of Empower Missouri’s (then called the Missouri State Conference on Charities & Corrections) work. Once a year, advocates gathered together to discuss the state of affairs in Missouri and make...Lee mas

On October 16th, the world recognized World Food Day. Starting in 1945, the United Nations outlined and recognized food as not a privilege, but as a right. And then many years later, starting in 1979, the United Nations created World Food Day, which has been recognized annually ever since. On that day, we draw attention...Lee mas

Early in the COVID-19 public health crisis, Congress passed specific SNAP related provisions and waivers to help struggling families put food on the table. These changes halted recertification interviews, gave families the maximum benefit amount for their family size, and increased that maximum benefit by 15%. This is all because the global pandemic has changed...Lee mas

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the most far reaching, anti-poverty programs in our country.  Over 42 million individuals are helped each month by the support SNAP provides. Last week, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) released the 2021 Thrifty Food Plan Report. Within that report, they announced that they are...Lee mas

Empower Missouri and its Food Security Coalition applaud this week’s announcement that a long overdue federal increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be taking place on October 1. On Monday, the USDA released a report in which they re-calculated the Thrifty Food Plan, the calculation used to set benefit levels for SNAP,...Lee mas

A menudo me describo a mí mismo como un organizador de base en mi esencia. Realmente creo que no hay forma ética de abogar por cambios legislativos que no sea a través del poder del pueblo. Para Empower Missouri, eso significa pasar tiempo con personas en situación de pobreza y las agencias sin fines de lucro a las que recurren en busca de ayuda. Puedo...Lee mas

Cada cinco años, la Reautorización de Nutrición Infantil (CNR) brinda al Congreso la oportunidad de mejorar y fortalecer los programas de alimentación escolar y nutrición infantil. La última vez que el Congreso aprobó con éxito una CNR fue en 2010 con la aprobación de la Ley de Niños Saludables y Sin Hambre de 2010 (Ley Pública 111-296). Este proyecto de ley técnicamente expiró el 30 de septiembre de ...Lee mas