WVEC: New bill introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott would address food insecurity

Thanks. New at noon, Congressman Bobby Scott is continuing the push to keep Children fed across Virginia. He introduced the Healthy Meals Healthy Kids Act, which plans to expand food access. Casey Baylor shows us how this new bill provides more relief to families. Addressing food insecurity in Hampton Roads is a top priority for Congressman Bobby Scott. That's why he's introducing a new bill to tackle the problem. Many Children, even before the pandemic, we're having trouble accessing food about 10%. The pandemic made things worse. He created the Healthy Meals Healthy Kids Act, expanded eligibility for the school lunch program, increased reimbursement rates, access for meals during the summer. Mary Voss, a parent of two, says a little will go a long way as she and her family have managed high food costs throughout the summer. I mean, $75 extra a month in groceries is a huge deal for families with Children. That's one of the ways Scott hopes to address food insecurity over the summer. He says he got a sense of what's needed to combat child hunger in the region after visiting local schools and touring the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore earlier this month. The Food Bank is challenged and the feeding sites are challenged. We need to make sure that they have the proper resources to feed the Children. Scott says this bill will provide grants to purchase kitchen equipment, even supporting farm to school programs. Much of what's in this bill builds off of the Keep Kids Fed Act, a bill recently signed into law that extends pandemic nutrition meals. I know, like a lot of families in Newport News has been benefited from it, so I think it's great. They're extending it and getting food to more families. Scott says this legislation hopes to develop a long term fix for hunger in Hampton Roads. I'm Casey Baylor for 13 News. Congressman Scott says committee members will consider the bill next week before it reaches the House of Representatives. He says he's optimistic it will pass.