Press Release: New Toolkit Will Assist in Educating D.C. Residents on Federal Nutrition Programs

News Release — D.C. Hunger Solutions

Media Contacts:

D.C. Hunger Solutions: Jordan Baker                                           :

DC Department of Aging and Community Living: Angela Richardson

DC Department of Health: Kimberly Henderson

DC Public Schools: Deborah Isaac

DC Department of Human Services: Dora Taylor-Lowe

DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education: Lida Alikhani

Executive Office of the Mayor: LaToya Foster

WASHINGTON, July 14, 2021 — D.C. Hunger Solutions today released the D.C. Federal Nutrition Food Programs toolkit, designed to help community-based organizations, social service and healthcare providers, District agencies, and community members connect low-income households with federal nutrition programs.

Thousands of D.C. residents struggled to put food on the table prior to COVID-19. Since the onset of the pandemic, hunger in D.C. has spiked drastically and had a disproportionate impact on Black and Latinx households. Things would be far worse if not for the wide range of programs administered in the district.

Federal nutrition programs are among our nation’s most important and cost-effective public interventions to increase food security and reduce hunger by providing individuals and families access to food, a healthful diet, and nutrition education.

“Food insecurity and poverty have serious health implications for children and adults,” said Beverley Wheeler, director of D.C. Hunger Solutions. “With this toolkit, our community leaders can play a key role in ensuring children, young adults, adults, and older adults can connect with the right providers to help gain access to the nutrition they need for their health and wellbeing,” she said.

These programs help many working families afford healthy, nutritious food and continue to afford costs related to housing, childcare, medical care, and more.

The toolkit also includes information for applying for:

• Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC),
• Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (Senior FMNP),
• WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (WIC FMNP),
• School Nutrition Programs: School Breakfast Program, National School Lunch Program (NSLP), Afterschool Nutrition Programs
• Summer Food Service Program (SFSP; known locally as DC Summer Meals Program),
• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP),
• Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP),
• The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and
• Older Adult Nutrition Programs.

The toolkit was made in partnership with DC Department of Health, DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education, DC Department of Human Services, DC Public Schools, and DC Department of Aging and Community Living.

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