March is national nutrition month, which celebrates the importance of healthy food and making smart choices in what we eat.However, around 25 million Americans face food insecurity and the extra funding for food programs during the pandemic has ended.Top StoriesFamily and friends remember a man shot and killed at a Popeyes drive-thruGreensboro police investigating crash on I-40Man shot inside a home, hit by girlfriend with a car, police sayGet the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereAdvocates for the hungry and the government programs that provide food say more help is needed and quickly.They say that the benefits are clear.What's not clear is whether congress will increase funding for them to meet the growing cost of food.For the first time in a decade, nutritional standards have been updated, with the focus on fruits, vegetables and an eye on sugar and sodium content."We think these new proposed school nutrition standards are terrific," Giridhar Mallya, of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, said. What's not so terrific Mallya said is what's happened to free lunches in public schools.Once free to all children during the pandemic, the expanded program has now ended.The same is true for SNAP benefits that were extended during COVID-19.Families now receive less money for food, despite the rising cost of groceries."Without these funds, SNAP recipients will receive just $6 per person per day on average. And seniors will suffer some of the most dramatic cuts," Jessica Burroughs, member of Moms Rising, said.Moms Rising in North Carolina is a grassroots group working to secure economic security for families. Its members say the SNAP cuts are unacceptable. "The bottom line is that people are hungry and no one should struggle to put healthy food on the table. And Moms Rising, we will continue to fight until everyone can access the nutrition support they need to thrive," Burroughs said. WIC, the program that helps feed low-income women, infants and children up to 5 years old, received more funding during the pandemic.Families were getting an extra $15 a month, but not anymore. "That may not sound like a lot to you and me, but what we found is that had substantial impacts on the ability of these families with young children to put fresh fruits and vegetables on the table," Mallya said. Lawmakers are expected to pass the Farm Bill this year and SNAP is reportedly one of the programs on the chopping block.Advocates for SNAP say the program has proven its worth when you look at the kids who relied on those benefits. "They can have higher rates of graduation from high school and even be more economically self-sufficient when they're adults. So, this is a good investment," Mallya said.Advocates said instead of cutting SNAP benefits, lawmakers should increase them."I challenge our lawmakers, or anyone, to try and feed themselves on $6 a day," Burroughs said. Advocates say there's clear evidence supporting a link between poverty and food insecurity.The data shows that rural communities are typically hit the hardest in finding affordable food to feed their families. Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscastsNAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We LoveTRENDING STORIES Keep up with local news, weather, and current events with the WXII app here