Equity

Discrimination in any form is unacceptable, and we cannot allow it to prevent a hungry person from getting the food they need.  At USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), we work to ensure that all those who are eligible for USDA’s nutrition assistance programs have equal access and opportunity to participate in the help that we offer through partner organizations around the country.

The youngest of ten children, Gina Elaine Eubanks grew up in rural Clinton, Louisiana, participating in 4-H. Her 35-year career in higher education brought her back to her native state, where she serves as the associate vice president and program leader at the Louisiana State University AgCenter. In this role, one of her duties is helping coordinate research and extension programs in nutrition and food sciences.

Last year USDA Rural Development awarded more than $10 million in ReConnect Program funding to bring high-speed internet access to Madison County, New York. USDA’s ReConnect Program offers loans and grants to construct, improve, and build equipment to provide broadband service in eligible rural areas.

Tribal nations across what we now consider the Great Plains relied for millennia on their buffalo relatives for food, medicine, clothing, tools, and shelter. Yet today it is hard to find buffalo meat on school meal trays in the very areas where they once sustained Native communities. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) is working with tribal partners to figure out why and to remove the barriers we can.

“Hello, Mommy!”

These are the first warm, welcoming words moms participating in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, hear when arriving for an appointment at the Mary’s Center (Petworth) WIC Clinic in Northwest D.C. If English isn’t mommy’s primary language – their team happily helps with Spanish, Amharic, French, or Mandarin translation.

USDA Rural Development’s Rural Partners Network (RPN) is transforming how the federal government partners with rural communities to foster economic growth. With an alliance of federal agencies and civic partners, RPN helps create jobs, build infrastructure, and improve communities throughout rural America.

On May 9, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families (ACF) and USDA’s Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) partnered to celebrate a step forward in streamlining access to crucial government programs.

School meals are foundational to the health and nutrition for millions of our nation’s children.

When applying an equity lens to nutrition programs, it is essential for policymakers to orient themselves toward the perspective of all communities they serve. We must actively take the time to see and listen to truly understand historical inequities that exist, so that we may be better positioned to address them.

June is Caribbean American Heritage Month! Many foods and beverages originated in the Caribbean. For instance, Chocolate milk originated in Jamaica and Barbados is considered the birthplace of rum.