GBFB’s Federal Advocacy: What is FRAC?

In addition to the 48 million meals GBFB distributes annually, federal nutrition assistance programs – like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamps) and school meal programs – help food insecure households across Eastern Massachusetts. GBFB is committed to supporting these federal programs because ending hunger requires a variety of solutions and partnerships.

GBFB partners with FRAC

To protect these critical federal programs, GBFB works closely with the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC). FRAC is a national nonprofit working to end poverty-related hunger and under-nutrition in the United States by ensuring an effective national nutrition safety net for low-income people.

What does FRAC do?

• Research the impacts of hunger and effective solutions,
• Advocate for strong public policies that reduce hunger, under-nutrition, and obesity,
• Monitor the implementation of these policies, and
• Coordinate nationwide efforts to support nutrition and anti-hunger issues

In coordination with other national anti-hunger organizations, such as Feeding America (the nationwide network of food banks), FRAC recently circulated a letter calling on Congress and the president to safeguard the federal nutrition assistance programs. More than 2,500 organizations nationwide, including GBFB, had signed on as of last Friday.

One of the most crucial pieces of federal legislation that FRAC works to protect is the Farm Bill. The Farm Bill funds SNAP, The Emergency Food Assistance Program and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. These three programs directly affect GBFB’s work in Eastern Massachusetts. FRAC closely monitors the renegotiation of the Farm Bill every five years to ensure that these important programs are adequately protected.

Additionally, FRAC and Feeding America co-sponsor the National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. every year. Four GBFB team members will join more than a thousand anti-hunger advocates for the event, which is next week, March 5-7. At the conference, GBFB team members will attend training sessions, learn about the latest research, and share best practices.

Visit FRAC.org to learn more!