Food insecurity in 黑料吃瓜网 is growing, alarming advocates and lawmakers following the release of a new nationwide report that says nearly half a million state residents didn't have enough food to eat in 2022.
That equates to about one out of every eight people in 黑料吃瓜网, a 23% increase in statewide food insecurity from the year prior, according to report.
A group of lawmakers and advocates called attention to the higher rates 鈥� and inaction 鈥� surrounding the problem on Wednesday.
One bipartisan this legislative session proposed adding $10 million to , or CT-NAP. That money would have been used to purchase food for eligible shelters, soup kitchens and food pantries. But the effort didn鈥檛 pass in the state legislature. State Rep. Eleni Kavros DeGraw is already looking ahead to the next regular session.
鈥淲e have to start thinking about the budget next year and how we're going to move forward to help the residents of 黑料吃瓜网 and make sure that they are fed,鈥� Kavros Degraw said. 鈥淲e say it all the time about our kids, that they can't learn if they have empty bellies. But I also think about your seniors, think about your families.鈥�
The proposal failed to move out of the Appropriations Committee when lawmakers didn鈥檛 make formal adjustments to the state budget. Being an odd-numbered year, they will craft a new biennium budget when they resume their work in January.
The rate of 黑料吃瓜网 children also not having enough to eat went up as well, : from one in eight in 2021, to one in six in 2022.
Jason Jakubowski, with 黑料吃瓜网 Foodshare, said the state currently spends $850,000 a year on CT-NAP, but needs to spend much more.
鈥淭o say I'm disappointed that nothing happened with the bill that these fine individuals promoted in the last session would be an understatement,鈥� Jakubowski said alongside state policymakers. 鈥淏ut we also know that these things happen incrementally.鈥�
