Systems Change to End Childhood Hunger in Montana
Childhood hunger in Montana is a solvable problem. With your help, we can revamp Montana's food systems to ensure every child has access to nutrient-dense food for better learning, health, and wellbeing.
1 in 6
The number of kids who eat in a school-meal facility partially supported by MT-PECH*
*MT-PECH 2023 Granting Data
34K
The number of additional MT kids qualifying for free & reduced meal programs in 2023*
*MT Office of Public Instruction
92K+
MT kids who still need help with nutrition security*
*2022 ERS data, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
MOST
MT communities lack needed infrastructure for supporting healthy, nutrient-dense diets for the children and families who live there.
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Nutrient-dense diets are diets that supply needed vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber in quantities capable of lowering the risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers.*
*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity
Information that Illuminates
Food Security
v
Nutrition Security
What's the Difference?
According to the FAO, Food Security has 4 pillars: availability, access, utilization, and stability.
Nutrition Security expands on the FAO definition. According to USDA, Nutrition Security means consistent access, availability, and affordability of culturally meaningful foods and beverages that promote well-being, prevent disease, and -if needed - treat disease, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities, lower income, and rural and remote populations, including Tribal communities. Like USDA, MT-PECH recognizes that structural inequities and lack of rural infrastructure make it hard for Montanans of all ages, incomes, races, and ethnicities to access nutrient-dense foods, eat healthy, and be active. So, we look through an equity lens when viewing food-system challenges facing Montana. We work directly with lived experts, community food and infrastructure providers, and community members themselves to meet everyone's needs one community at a time, one Montanan to another.
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About Our Organization
The Montana Partnership to End Childhood Hunger is a public non-profit that grew out of a statewide coalition dedicated to changing our food system to end childhood hunger and improve access to nutrient-dense foods in Montana. We provide grants to schools, community organizations, and other organizations working throughout the food system to improve and increase nutrition security for Montana's children and their families.
How You Can Help
Changing food systems to provide better nutrition security for Montana's children and families is a massive undertaking. Your support through funding, advocacy, and action makes a difference. Click here to learn more about how you can take action in your community or organization, donate, or advocate for change.
Coming Soon!
News & Research About Nutrition Security
You'll be able to stay up-to-date on relevant news and research about Nutrition Security and its impacts on children and community health.
