August 31, 2026
The gap is real. So is the help.
Most of the country has almost no Food Is Medicine legislation on the books — and in states that do have afterschool meal programs, one in sixteen eligible kids still isn't enrolled. This week we looked at both gaps: where the policy map is empty, and where the funding exists but the reach doesn't.

The Southeast, Midwest, and Mountain States Have Almost No Food Is Medicine Legislation — And Free Help Is on the Table
The Southeast, Midwest, and Mountain regions have almost no statewide Food Is Medicine legislation — a gap CHLPI's own June 2026 press release names explicitly.

The 1-in-16 Afterschool Meal Gap: What FIM State Officers Need to Know This Fall
Only 1 in 16 children who eat school lunch are receiving federally funded afterschool supper — despite CACFP being available nationwide with no new funding required.
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