White House Announces $8 Billion to Combat Hunger in the U.S.

Sept. 29, 2022 — The Biden administration has announced $8 billion in public and private commitments toward fighting hunger and improving nutrition in the United States.

“This goal is within our reach,” President Biden said Wednesday during the first White House summit on hunger in 50 years. “In America, no child should go to bed hungry. No parent should die of disease that can be prevented.”

The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition and Health comes as food costs are rising, supply chain issues remain from the pandemic, and food-related ailments continue. The administration announced a “bold goal” of ending hunger by 2030 and increasing healthy eating and physical activity.

Among the key proposals:

• Expand free school meals to 9 million more children by 2032
• Allow more people to get food stamps
• Help with transportation for people who don’t live near grocery stores and farmers markets
• Increase money for nutrition programs helping seniors
• Reduce food waste, since a third of all food in the United States goes to waste, the White House says.

Many of the efforts need congressional approval. Biden can take some action through executive order.

The Washington Post reported, “The pervasiveness of diet-related diseases creates broader problems for the country, White House officials said, hampering military readiness, workforce productivity, academic achievement and mental health.”

The newspaper also reported that the U. S. Department of Agriculture says that 10.2% of U.S. households were “food insecure” in 2021. That means they didn’t have enough food to meet everyone’s needs.

CNN said that more than 100 organizations have committed to help pay for Biden’s initiatives, including hospitals, health care associations, tech companies, philanthropies, and the food industry. 

At least $2.5 billion will go to start-up companies focused on finding solutions to hunger and food insecurity, according to the White House.