“Despite producing nearly half of the nation's fruits and vegetables, one in five Californians struggles with hunger and the lack of access to nutritious food -- an alarming 20 percent of our state’s population, with a large majority of these food insecure Californians being children. All people, regardless of income or immigration status, should have equitable access to the healthy food they need to live productive lives.”
Current and Partner Work in the Food Insecurity Space
The Local Equitable Access to Food (SB 907)
The Local Equitable Access to Food (LEAF) program was signed by the Governor, improving access to healthy foods for all California families, regardless of income, by increasing EBT access at local farmers’ markets, as well as increasing the number of farmers’ markets throughout California.
School Meals for All Win!
In 2022 NextGen was instrumental in building on the success of School Meals for All, we continued to play a key role in advocating for ongoing funding and helped secure unprecedented investments in the future of our state’s school food system, totaling more than $2 billion in related programming.
Our Food Insecurity Partnerships
NextGen has partnered with Alchemist CDC, a mission-driven organization that connects Sacramento area communities to land, food, and opportunity toward a vision in which all neighborhoods are vibrant, equitable, healthy, and diverse. We are encouraged by the work they do and pleased to be partners with them in the food insecurity space.
Our Food Insecurity Partnerships
NextGen has partnered with The Chef Ann Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting scratch cooking in schools and establishing the Healthy School Food Pathway program, a first-in-the-nation training program focused on building a school nutrition workforce.
California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP)
The Governor’s 2024-2025 January budget proposed a cut of $33.2 million from the California Nutrition Incentive Program (CNIP), which is administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture – reducing program funding to roughly $1.8 million. We are advocating to maintain the current level of funding – around $35 million – for this crucial program which fights food insecurity and supports local farmers.
A Big Win for 'School Meals for All'!
In 2021, NextGen was an original cosponsor and part of the School Meals for All network that helped secure funding to cover the complete cost of offering free breakfast and lunch for all K-12 students, which made California the first state in the nation to do so. Building on that success, NextGen continued to play a key role in advocating for ongoing funding and helped secure unprecedented investments in the future of our state’s school food system, totaling more than $2 billion in related programming.
$2 Billion
A total of more than $2 billion was allocated in the California Budget to support our state’s school food system.
$600 Million
For school kitchen equipment and upgrades to kitchen infrastructure.
$596 Million
To implement School Meals for All, providing free breakfast and lunch to all K-12 students.
$100 Million
To supply California-grown, minimally processed, sustainably grown foods for school meals.
$60 Million
To expand the California Farm to School grant program.
$45 Million
To launch The California Healthy School Meals Pathway Program, a new, first-of-its-kind program to develop a school food labor force.
Food Insecurity in the News
Resources and Toolkits
Get Solving Food Insecurity Alerts
Stay connected with us & let’s work together to fight the injustices that plague our state.
