Data & Research

This data collection fulfills states' reporting requirements and describes trends in program participation during the COVID-19 pandemic from July 2021 through September 2022. It is part of an ongoing study series examining child nutrition program operations, repurposed to collect waiver usage and trends in program participation and operations during the pandemic.

This report describes the first national study of emergency shelters participating in CACFP. The objective of this study was to gain a general understanding of the characteristics of CACFP emergency shelters, who they serve, how CACFP fits into their operations, and their challenges with CACFP.

This Report to Congress from USDA responds to a requirement established by the 2018 Farm Bill to address requirements to coordinate efforts within USDA to reduce barriers to food access. USDA has identified FNS as the Food Access Liaison to coordinate efforts and annually respond to this request. The report describes activities that occurred from October 2020 through September 2023 to reduce barriers to food access given the last such annual report submitted in March 2021 covered fiscal year 2020

These studies examine the policies and procedures in SNAP and the three NAP programs. The first report includes results of a survey of states regarding language access and procedures. The second is a report on case-studies of the give in-depth details of language access policies in four states. The final report examines the language access policies in the NAP programs in American Samoa, The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico. 

Beginning in summer 2023, sponsors in certain eligible rural areas could provide meals and snacks for kids to be picked up or delivered at no cost with SUN Meals To-Go. This flexible, cost-effective approach helped reach more children. In a recent survey, many sponsors (86%) said they plan to continue offering SUN Meals To-Go in future summers.