food insecurity

Aproximadamente la mitad de los adultos en Estados Unidos dijeron en una encuesta que el costo de los alimentos es una fuente importante de estrés en sus vidas. En Utah, una despensa en North Salt Lake ha visto que la demanda casi se ha duplicado en el último año, y otras en el estado están buscando maneras de reducir gastos.

About half of all U.S. adults told a poll that grocery costs are a major stressor in their lives. In Utah, a North Salt Lake pantry has seen demand nearly double in the last year, and others in the state are looking for ways to shave costs.

School psychologist Naomi Varuso said she’s observed a “severe increase in aggressive behavior — not just verbal aggression, but physical aggression.”

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.