food insecurity

The Wilkerson Farm in Orem, March 28, 2025.

Utah County’s hunger for housing is now a reckoning for Orem’s Wilkerson Farm

Ciara Hulet

With housing needed and agricultural spaces disappearing, the fate of the land under Wilkerson Farm highlights the challenges facing fast-growing Utah County.

Efforts to expand upon Utah’s free school meals programs have made their way to the Legislature. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle emphasize how hunger can take a toll on a child’s academic experience.

Politics & Government

Utah lawmakers agree student hunger is a problem. They’ve got 2 ideas about it

Elle Crossley

Last year, Utah school districts racked up nearly $2.7 million in school lunch debt. The issue has bipartisan attention as two bills look to expand lunch benefits in Utah’s public schools.

Sophie Stout, associate director of student engagement and belonging at the University of Utah’s Eccles School of Business, restocks food and hygiene supplies at the In A Pinch pantry in Salt Lake City, Dec. 20, 2024.

Education

Utah universities see more students making use of the campus food pantry

Macy Lipkin

An increase in food insecurity among college students could help explain why campus food pantries are getting more use compared to last year.

Utah Food Bank’s main facility in Salt Lake City on Nov. 13, 2024. This is one of the locations the organization uses to distribute food across the state with the help of partner agencies.

Business & Economy

Utah’s food banks still see high demand. Housing costs are a contributing factor

Elle Crossley

High housing costs are cutting into Utahns’ budgets for necessities like food. The Utah Food Bank has seen higher demand than in recent years as households in the state struggle with food insecurity.

The Utah Food Bank’s new Hurricane Valley pantry is the final building constructed as part of its Fighting Hunger Statewide Initiative, which started in 2021.

Business & Economy

With food insecurity on the rise the Utah Food Bank completes its statewide expansion

Tilda Wilson

As part of its Fighting Hunger Statewide Initiative, the Utah Food Bank built new facilities in Springville, Blanding, Montezuma Creek and the Monument and Hurricane valleys.

A Utah Food Bank volunteer carries groceries for the needy at a mobile food pantry distribution site Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022, in Salt Lake City.

Politics & Government

How would the Legislature’s tax cut proposals affect everyday Utahns?

Sean Higgins

Lawmakers are proposing $400 million in tax relief and eliminating the state sales tax on food — if voters agree to a state constitution change.

Tabitha's Way Food Pantry has two locations, in American Fork and Spanish Fork, and is among 7 food banks in Utah County.

Business & Economy

As inflation holds steady, one Utah County food bank predicts a great need in 2023

Curtis Booker

Figures from Feeding America say 288,970 Utahns face hunger with 104,840 of those being children.

Business & Economy

Mountain West food banks struggle to meet rising demand for assistance

Will Walkey

Several pantries in the region have seen their number of customers double since the pandemic began. Some folks who never needed food assistance before this summer are coming for the first time.

Employees and volunteers in the Salt Lake City School district gathered food and supplies to distribute to families as the pandemic began, March 20, 2020.

Business & Economy

Utah food banks might have to pick up the slack if federal school meal waivers expire

Jon Reed

Utah school districts will continue to offer free and reduced school lunches, they'll just have less funding and more restrictions than they’ve had the past two years.