Salinas, Hoyle Introduce Bill to Help Feed Kids in Rural Communities
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Representatives Andrea Salinas (OR-06) and Val Hoyle (OR-04) introduced the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, legislation that would establish a summer meal delivery program to help feed kids in rural communities. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
“Many kids in rural Oregon rely on school meal programs to access healthy, nutritious foods. That shouldn’t stop during summer break,” said Rep. Salinas. “The FORK Act will deliver food directly to kids and families in our rural communities and ensure they always have enough to eat, no matter the season or time of year.”
“I’m proud to cosponsor the FORK Act that will help ensure kids who rely on school meal programs don’t go hungry during the summer,” said Rep. Hoyle. “For our rural communities that are facing job shortages and families struggling to find work, I know how hard it can be to ensure kids have enough to eat, especially during summer break when school is out. The FORK Act will ensure every child, no matter where they live or what time of year it is, can have access to the essential meals they need”.
Over half a million people in Oregon, including one in five children, struggle with food insecurity. That rate is even higher in rural and immigrant communities. The FORK Act would create a grant program to help schools and Summer Food Service Program providers in rural districts purchase vehicles for home delivery of meals.
In addition to Reps. Salinas and Hoyle, the FORK Act is supported by the following organizations: UnidosUS, Hunger Free Oregon, School Nutrition Association, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Marion Polk Food Share, FoodCorps, and Lutheran Community Services Northwest.
“UnidosUS is proud to support Congresswoman Salinas’s Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, which promotes equitable access to nutritious food for children in rural areas across the country. Latinos living in rural communities often work on farms growing and producing our nation’s food, yet they experience significant barriers to putting food on the table for their children and families. We applaud the Congresswoman for her leadership in tackling an issue disproportionately harming low-income communities of color. Our Latino and immigrant families face several challenges to their children accessing nutritious and affordable food, including barriers to reliable and affordable transportation. Children everywhere deserve healthy meals all year long, and the FORK Act creates a program to ensure that our rural children continue to get the meals they need no matter the time of the year or where they live,” said Umailla Fatima, Health Policy Analyst for UnidosUS.
"With one in five children in Oregon facing hunger every day, we need to find creative solutions to address the problem. The FORK Act is an important step towards getting food to children in rural Oregon. Partners For a Hunger-Free Oregon is proud to endorse this bill,” said Angelita Morillo, Policy Advocate for Hunger Free Oregon.
"Summer meals are critical to ensuring at risk students have consistent access to nutritious meals when school is out of session," said School Nutrition Association President Chris Derico, SNS. "But too often, children in rural communities go hungry because of a lack of reliable transportation to summer meal sites. The Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act will help schools and summer meal sponsors overcome these barriers and deliver meals throughout their communities."
“Just as school kitchens need the right equipment to prepare and serve healthful meals, school foodservice programs need to make sure meals get to children who need them most,” said registered dietitian nutritionist Lauri Wright, the 2023-2024 President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “For some students, school meals provide up to half their daily nutritional needs, but this important food source may not be available during the summer, particularly in rural areas with high rates of food insecurity and lack of transportation to summer foodservice sites. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is proud to support the Feeding Our Rural Kids Act and urges Congress to pass this important bill.”
“Making sure that kids have access to healthy food year-round is a priority. We support the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, which is an important investment in providing equitable access to summer meals in rural communities,” said Rick Gaupo, President and CEO of Marion Polk Food Share.
“FoodCorps is proud to support the Feeding Our Rural Kids (FORK) Act, introduced by Rep. Salinas, which provides resources to reach rural communities with summer meals. FoodCorps believes that every child should have access to nourishing meals, both at school and after the bell rings. The FORK Act is an important step forward to ensure every community has access to this critical program,” said Laura Hath, Senior Director of Policy Partnerships for FoodCorps.
"Rural families with young children are often juggling multiple stressors with many demands on their time and pocketbook. Offering home-delivered meals would be a significant support ensuring that kids get the nutrition needed to thrive and families are relieved of the toxic stress associated with being unable to meet the nutritional needs of their children,” said Jordan Robinson, Yamhill County District Director for Lutheran Community Services Northwest.
To read the full text of this legislation, click here.
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