HUNGER SOLUTIONS
NUTRITION ADVOCACY
Every Tennessean should have the food they need to lead a healthy, productive life. One in seven Tennessee households is unsure of where their next meal will come from. Tennessee’s nutrition safety net programs help millions of Tennesseans get the food they need. We can make these programs better. Too many low-income kids start the day without breakfast even while schools have the resources to provide it. Too many older adults are choosing between food and medicine when SNAP could be helping them put food on the table.
Tennessee Justice Center is working to ensure that nutrition programs are the best they can be and that every Tennessean can put food on the table.
RESOURCES
Women, Infants, & Children (WIC) 101
Here is the recording of the webinar: Click Here
Fighting Childhood Hunger with School Breakfast
Here is the recording of the webinar: Click Here
The Return of SNAP’s Time Limit: It’s Tennessee’s Time
Here is the recording of the webinar: Click Here
Here are the PowerPoint slides: Click Here
Hunger, The Economy, and SNAP:
DC Decisions Impacting Tennessee.
Here is the recording of the conference call: Click Here
Here are the powerpoint slides: Click Here
If you need assistance due to the Covid-19 pandemic, please click here. You will find helpful information and links to apply for a variety of benefits designed to help Tennesseans during this national emergency.
SCHOOL BREAKFAST
The National School Breakfast Program provides Tennessee students with an affordable, nutritious meal to start the day. Breakfast is available to low-income students at no or reduced cost. School breakfast improves students’ attention, behavior, and health. Through the No Kid Hungry campaign, we are working to ensure that 26,000 more low-income students from across the state start the day with school breakfast. Sign up as a Breakfast Champion to help us achieve this goal.
SNAP
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation’s largest anti-hunger program. It provides low-income families with an EBT card that can be used, like a debit card, to buy food at grocery stores and farmers markets. We’re working to connect people who need this important program. You can help protect hunger solutions by becoming a SNAP Access Partner.
WIC
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) is a federal nutrition program that serves low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants and children ages 5 and under. It is designed to provide nutritious foods, nutrition education, breastfeeding support and referrals to other health services. In Tennessee, WIC agencies distribute a monthly electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card to qualifying families that can be used to buy food from approved grocery stores and farmers markets. Learn how you can help increase WIC participation.
SUMMER MEALS
The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a federally funded nutrition program that provides free meals and snacks to children 18 and under in low-income areas during the summer at parks, schools and community sites.
KEEPING THE NUTRITION SAFETY NET STRONG
A strong safety net means nourished Tennesseans. We’re engaging and educating policymakers on the importance of hunger solutions like SNAP and school meals and how they can be improved. In 2017, we successfully protected SNAP for over 100,000 low-income Tennesseans.
