Social Security benefits play a vital role in reducing poverty. Without Social Security, according to the latest available Census data (for 2008), 19.8 million more Americans would be poor. Although most of those kept out of poverty by Social Security are elderly, nearly a third are under age 65, including 1.1 million children.

Food insecurity is on the rise. In 2008, 14.6 percent of U.S. households fell into the food-insecure category at some point during the year—the highest rate since the Department of Agriculture started recording stats in 1995. At the same time, legislation to improve childhood nutrition is now making its way through Congress.

With children not having balanced school meals in front of them every weekday, the North Anoka County Emergency (NACE) Food Shelf wants to make sure kids are getting their vegetables.

NACE will be able to provide more fresh vegetables to families for the rest of this summer thanks to a grant from Hunger Solutions.

Joanne Yackel, director of NACE, said the vegetables will be purchased from tw

from RESULTS:

With the August congressional recess fast approaching, the child nutrition coalition has turned up the heat to pressure the White House to make the reauthorization bill a top priority.

Don’t panic. It’s not time to go back to school just yet. On July 13, 25 Ameriprise Financial employees packed backpacks full of food for hungry children this summer.

Many children served by Catholic Charities qualify for free or reduced-price meals at their schools, so when school’s out for summer, families must cover more meals at home.

For 35 years, the St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP) has provided food, clothing and other assistance to community members in need, including some Jewish families. After three moves in the past 18 months, STEP has finally settled into its new permanent home at 6812 W. Lake St.

It’s a busy day at Neighborhood House. St.

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The number of people relying on food shelves for daily meals is on the rise. Hunger Solutions, a Minnesota hunger relief organization, reports one in ten Minnesotans relied on food shelves in 2009, and numbers show the number of child visits are already up 10 percent in 2010.

Food shelves are now bracing for fewer donations and greater need for children during the summer months.

The U.S.

For a family of three, that means eligibility is now cut off at $30,000 a year instead of $24,000, said Moriarty. Applicants no longer are bound by a $7,000 “asset limit,” which required them to spend most of their savings in order to qualify.

Last year, advocates won state funding for a Minnesota Food Helpline that directs callers to programs such as food stamps.