Food insecurity

Lack of transparency about SNAP benefits leaves students confused, unable to take advantage of resources

As summer approaches, the West Virginia Department of Education is looking to partner with organizations in an effort to provide meals and activities for children while schools are out of session.

The U.S. territory needs to urgently tackle issues such as "widespread informal housing" and "the exorbitant amount of abandoned spaces" as it rebuilds after Hurricane Maria.

Under the continuing resolution (CR) that provided the funding to reopen the government for three weeks, SNAP (food stamps) now is fully funded at least through March, even if the government shuts down again on February 15.

Unlike elementary and secondary school students, whose families can get some support from things like federal free breakfast and lunch programs, for college students much of that assistance dries up.

A whole host of factors — such as friends, housing and transportation — affect a person’s health and how much they need the social safety net. It’s time the government’s big health insurance programs took this reality into account, some lawmakers and policymakers are starting to argue.

The firearm, obesity, and opioid epidemics are among the most important public health crises of our time. Each epidemic has a complex etiology that challenges efforts at mitigation.

Nearly 60 percent of Oklahoma K-12 kids qualify for free and reduced lunches at school. It's a meal they can rely on during the most of the year, but when summer comes around the meal often goes away.

“Families are borrowing from already-limited food budgets to keep a roof over their heads”