A recent study by the U.S. Department of Agriculture shows hunger in Louisiana is surging due to federal aid cuts of the expanded child tax credit and free school meals. It finds more than 727,000 Louisianans struggle with hunger.
Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free Americ, says participation rates for federally funded programs like SNAP and WIC have also decreased.
“One and a quarter of people eligible for SNAP that use to be called food stamps can’t get those benefits. Six out of 10 people eligible for WIC pregnant women and children under five are not getting it,” said Berg.
Berg says the number of children without enough food spiked has surged to 20 percent in Louisiana compared to 16 percent nationwide between 2020 and October 2022.
“In Louisiana, almost half of the kids who get school lunch on a daily bases don’t get school breakfast. We know when kids go hungry that harms educational performance. This under participation in federal aid is harming the state’s schools,” he said.
Berg says it is ironic that a state known for its culinary cuisine leads the nation in hunger. He says hunger is a political issue and Louisiana leaders are not working to end hunger.
“Louisiana leaders in particular should be the top people in the country trying to expand the safety net. It’s particular distressing given Louisiana high level of hunger that some Louisianans are actually leading the effort to make hunger worse in America,” Berg said.