Our 2022 Policy Agenda highlights the role that government — at every level — can play in reducing hunger and poverty in our region.
Although we’re on track to distribute enough food for nearly 50 million meals in fiscal year 2022, we cannot address hunger alone. Governments play a critical role in reducing hunger and poverty at the broadest scale, and we’re seeking the support of policymakers to enact changes that advance these goals.
Our policy agenda has been informed by hundreds of conversations with elected leaders, academic researchers, and community members, as well as the insights of our clients and partner nonprofits. We have put forth requests, speaking to ways in which governmental leaders, across all jurisdictions, can take steps to alleviate hunger and poverty in the year ahead. Our requests are mindful of the structural and fiscal limitations policymakers face, but they also challenge leaders to ensure underserved and marginalized communities are not left behind — or left without a seat at the table. Together, we can holistically support the needs of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities.
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| Multi-jurisdictional | Federal | State | Local |
Download the 2022 Policy Agenda
for a one-page look at our priorities (by level of government) across our region.
Download the 2022 Policy Agenda Snapshot
for an “at-a-glance” view of CAFB’s policy priorities.
Multi-jurisdictional
Several recommendations in the 2022 agenda are applicable across multiple jurisdictions. The following policy requests apply to several — if not all — levels of government spanning our multi-state service area.
- Increase inter-programmatic utilization of the social safety net
- Incorporate food security metrics into agency, county, and comprehensive planning
- Expand or create the Earned Income Tax Credit
- Enhance SNAP
- Emphasize use of local agriculture in food security efforts
Federal
Congress and the Executive Branch are positioned to enact policies with extensive impact, affecting all subsequent levels of government. Our 2022 agenda includes the following requests at the federal level:
- Modernize SNAP eligibility standards
- Expand WIC eligibility to age six
- Improve client, agency, and food bank experience through TEFAP
- Permanently enact the Child Tax Credit
