The rising cost of food is magnifying calls from advocates to address child poverty.

According to a new poll from the organization No Kid Hungry New York, about half of New Yorkers have seen their debt increase in the past year due to rising food costs.

Advocates gathered Wednesday at the Capitol in Albany, calling on Gov. Kathy Hochul to include recommendations from the Child Poverty Reduction Advisory board in next year's budget. Specifically they are calling for free school lunches.

"No families should have to choose between rent and groceries. No child should have to go to school hungry. No parent should have to fight through paperwork just to keep their kid's health care. No one should have to live in constant fear of homelessness. But these are the challenges that are being faced daily," said Grace Tatum from the Children's Defense Fund-New York Advisory Council.

According to the poll, about two thirds of New Yorkers are against federal cuts to food programs like SNAP, WIC and Summer EBT.