(NAFB) – The COVID-19 pandemic has refocused attention on childhood hunger, and spurred new efforts to boost nutrition aid to struggling families with children.

The pandemic has made the problem obvious.

A “crisis” that Senate Ag Chair Debbie Stabenow says demands creative solutions the pandemic spurred.

The same tools that Stabenow says could be used to reach kids during the summer, on weekends or after school.

Top Senate Ag Republican John Boozman is on board with the effort to modernize child nutrition programs after ten-years of inaction.

Not practical Boozman argues for millions of low-income kids in distant rural areas or underserved communities.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, meantime, wants to make permanent a 15-percent pandemic boost in food stamp benefits and to increase funding for the Women, Infants and Children or WIC Program.