Food Security

FILE - In this April 23, 2012, file photo Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter's purchases are scanned by a cashier at a ShopRite grocery story in Philadelphia after Nutter pledged to live on the average food stamp benefit of five dollars a day for the entire week. Food stamps look ripe for the picking, politically speaking. Through five years and counting of economic distress, the food aid program has swollen up like a summer tomato. It grew to $78 billion last year, more than double its size when the recession began in late 2007. That makes it a juicy target for conservative Republicans seeking to trim spending and pare back government. But to many Democrats, food stamps are a major element of the countrys commitment to help citizens struggling to meet basic needs. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Politics

Louisiana will offer food assistance to children again this summer; most already enrolled

Children who qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school are eligible for food assistance over the summer break, state officials announced Monday.

Richard Petcher picks out a fresh salad kit from the produce aisle of Dollar General in Fruitdale, Alabama, on June 24, 2024.

Economy

Thousands of Dollar General stores now sell fresh produce. Could it improve rural food access?

Stephan Bisaha

The discount store chain has added fresh fruits and vegetables at more than 5,400 stores. Grocery store advocates say the move could hurt mom-and-pop grocers.

Dulac, Louisiana, is a 30-minute drive from the nearest grocery store, making it difficult on families who struggle with food security.

Education

Without School Lunch, Summers Are Hard On Rural Louisiana Families

More than half of Louisiana’s public school children get free or reduced-priced meals at school because their families are struggling financially. But…