Food Research & Action Center

In a wide-ranging conversation on social justice and community care, FRAC President Crystal FitzSimons discusses hunger, nutrition policy, and the importance of protecting programs that help people put food on the table.

Hunger, Hope & Her Sense Featuring Crystal FitzSimons, Pauline Steinhorn and Dehjah Vaughn Erik Fleming hosts a powerful episode featuring three guests: Crystal FitzSimons of the Food Research & Action Center on hunger and federal nutrition policy; Pauline Steinhorn, author of Dreaming of the River, sharing her mother and grandmother's Holocaust survival story; and Dehjah Vaughn, a Ph...

Summer EBT doesn't just help families put food on the table—it can also bring federal dollars into rural and Tribal communities, supporting local food retailers and strengthening food access. Read more:

Making Summer EBT Work for Tribal Communities: Practical Supports for Participation - Food Research & Action Center Published June 10, 2026 The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) Program has been a permanent program since 2024 and has found enormous success. In its second year of implementation, five Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) were joined by 37 states, the District of Columbia, and all five U...

The same SNAP food restriction waivers USDA rejected for years over feasibility and stigma concerns are now being fast-tracked across the country. FRAC’s new analysis lays out the consequences.

Analysis: States' SNAP Food Choice Restrictions - Food Research & Action Center State efforts to restrict what people can buy using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are spreading across the country. FRAC’s new comprehensive analysis of SNAP food restriction waivers helps advocates and policymakers understand how we got here, what’s happening on the ...

For many rural families, food access depends on small local retailers. USDA's new SNAP stocking standards could make it harder for those stores to stay in the program, leaving communities with fewer places to shop.

USDA’s New Stocking Standards Will Reduce SNAP Access. The ‘Need for Access’ Provision Can Help Keep Stores Open. - Food Research & Action Center Published May 28, 2026 Early in May, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (USDA-FNS) finalized their updates to the SNAP retailer stocking standards. The new rule increases the required number of varieties in each food category, and the number of perishable items stores must...

SNAP reduces hunger. SNAP reduces poverty. SNAP serves households struggling the most. USDA's latest participant data helps set the record straight about who relies on this critical program.

Children, Older Adults, People with Disabilities Make Up the Majority of SNAP Participants - Food Research & Action Center Published June 1, 2026 Annually, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues a report on the characteristics of households and individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The most recent report released in May provides details about fiscal year 2024 progra...

Summer EBT is helping millions of children access food during the summer. With the right funding, data-sharing, and state support, more Indian Tribal Organizations can participate and expand access for families. Read more:

Making Summer EBT Work for Tribal Communities: Practical Supports for Participation - Food Research & Action Center Published June 10, 2026 The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT) Program has been a permanent program since 2024 and has found enormous success. In its second year of implementation, five Indian Tribal Organizations (ITOs) were joined by 37 states, the District of Columbia, and all five U...

WIC improves maternal & child health, supports healthy development & helps families afford nutritious food. Lawmakers must protect full WIC funding, preserve evidence-based benefits & ensure flexible service options remain in place for families nationwide.

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SNAP is a lifeline for millions of households. USDA's latest data shows that nearly 8 in 10 SNAP households include a child, an older adult, or a person with a disability. Learn more about who SNAP serves and why these facts matter.

Children, Older Adults, People with Disabilities Make Up the Majority of SNAP Participants - Food Research & Action Center Published June 1, 2026 Annually, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issues a report on the characteristics of households and individuals participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The most recent report released in May provides details about fiscal year 2024 progra...

The SNAP payment error tolerance threshold helps states focus on meaningful errors that impact program integrity—not insignificant discrepancies that waste time and resources.

Learn why it matters:

The SNAP Payment Error Tolerance Threshold: A Pivotal Quality Control Tool - Food Research & Action Center Published April 16, 2025 Recent efforts by some policymakers are seeking to attack the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payment error threshold provision, which has proven to be a pivotal quality control policy and has been validated by bipartisan support and administrations. What is...

Schools are finding new ways to get more kids fed — from grab-and-go breakfast to second chance meals and menus designed for older students.

But rising costs and SNAP cuts threaten that progress.

Read FRAC’s new report.

Large School Districts Expand Access to Healthy School Meals Despite Ongoing Challenges - Food Research & Action Center Published May 28, 2026 FRAC’s recently released Large School District report reveals that despite growing pressures, school nutrition professionals around the country continue to employ best practices to increase children’s access to nutritious school meals. In February 2026, FRAC surveyed 96 la...