A new report from the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) has found that millions of children are still missing out on afterschool meals and snacks, with participation in federal Afterschool Nutrition Programs falling short of pre-pandemic levels. In October 2024, 1.26m children received afterschool suppers and 1.24m received snacks, well below the reach needed. Only one in 16 children who received free or reduced-price school lunch accessed an afterschool supper, and only California and Washington, D.C. met FRAC’s goal of serving 15 out of every 100. FRAC estimates that 1.8m more children could have been served and $163.5m in federal funds accessed if all states had met the benchmark. The report calls for expanded eligibility, streamlined administration, and increased funding to close the nutrition gap.
