Defense Authorization Bill Includes Support for Child Nutrition Programs

Last Thursday, the House voted on an amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill. The amendment, sponsored by McGovern (D-MA), Emerson (R-MO), Bishop (D-GA), includes a “Sense of Congress” stating that hunger and obesity are impairing military recruitment and must be properly addressed by fully funding Child Nutrition Programs.

An encouraging 341 members voted to support the amendment, with only 85 voting against.

The Defense bill does not appropriate funding to the Child Nutrition Act, but it stands as a record that Congress feels that child nutrition programs should allocate an additional $10 billion over the next ten years, as requested by President Obama.

The “Sense of the Congress” amendment says “reducing domestic childhood obesity and hunger is a matter of national security. The federal Child Nutrition Programs under the Richard Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.) should be funded at the President’s request; and the increases in funding for such programs should be properly offset.”

In a Washington Post article, two retired US Army Generals explain their position:

Military concerns about the fitness of our children are not new. When the National School Lunch Act was first passed in 1946, it was seen as a matter of national security. Many of our military leaders recognized that poor nutrition was a significant factor reducing the pool of qualified candidates for service.

Our country is facing another serious health crisis. Obesity rates threaten the overall health of America and the future strength of our military. We must act, as we did after World War II, to ensure that our children can one day defend our country, if need be.

Over the past month, 221 members of Congress have already sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) supporting President Obama’s request for an increase of $1 billion a year for the Child Nutrition Programs.

Thank you to the many of you who joined Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties and food banks throughout California in a postcard campaign sending the same message. This is a down payment toward achieving President Obama’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015.

We will keep you posted as things progress on the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act.

Hunger and Obesity - Understanding the Paradox

Across the board, the waistline of America is growing. You can see it in every demographic, including those struggling with poverty.

Last month, the results of a national hunger study were released by Feeding America, and we highlighted local statistics on our blog. Around the same time, First Lady Michelle Obama and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced their campaigns against the childhood obesity epidemic, which is tied to food insecurity and poverty. Comparing the overlapping demographics of those who are hungry and those at risk for obesity, people across the nation are starting to ask, "How is this possible? How can someone be hungry and obese at the same time?"

We think this is an excellent question, and hopefully the following will shed some light on the matter.

Many wonder how people in low-income families—often living below the poverty line—seem to be suffering from an excessive intake of calories while struggling to put food on the table. As Lynn Crocker, the Food Bank's director of marketing and communications, is often heard saying, "In America, we don't have famine. We have food insecurity and food insecurity means that a large portion of our population does not have consistent access to a steady supply of healthy, nutritious food."

To sum it up, calories are cheap while nutrient-dense food is not.

FRAC (the Food Research and Action Council) has, for years now, been leading the way in dispelling the debilitating stigma that surrounds this issue. Their research proves an invaluable resource when trying to understand "food insecurity."

One of the most disturbing points they make is how poverty and obesity is cyclical in nature. Discrimination in the fields of education and employment against those who are obese leads to households that are more likely to be poor and food insecure. This highlights the importance of Vilsack and Michelle Obama's focus in this arena.

Studies have shown that children participating in Child Nutrition programs are less likely to be or become obese than those in the same income populations who do not participate because of their access to a regular source of food at school.

On the topic of nutrition in schools, the PTA cited studies that "poor nutrition, even in non-overweight children, can affect brain development and performance in school. Children without proper nutrition may have a shorter attention span, more irritability, and more suspensions." Combined with this, obese children tend to have higher absenteeism rates, the cost of which is higher than just their education. Some public school districts lose millions of dollars in school funding each year to absenteeism. Participating in the School Nutrition Programs has been "shown to improve standardized test scores, improve attendance, decrease tardiness, and improve participation in class." The School Breakfast Program provides students with at least one fourth of the recommended levels for key nutrients, and the School Lunch Program provides one third.

At Second Harvest, we recognized that low-income families need additional food on weekends and so developed the Kids NOW program. Working in partnership with Boys and Girls Clubs in low-income neighborhoods, this program distributes nutritious, easy-to-prepare foods on Friday afternoons. The food helps bridge the gap between lunch on Friday and breakfast Monday morning while children are out of school.

Making sure children in the at-risk populations are receiving consistent, nutritious food will help end the epidemic of obesity caused by food insecurity.

Food insecurity often leads to binge eating in both adults and children, and when finances don't allow for healthy food choices, the menu will be low-cost, high-calorie, and nutrient poor. This diagram of a supermarket helps illustrate the point:

COST PER CALORIE
Fresh produce has the highest cost per calorie, while foods with a high-glycemic index, including bread, pasta, cereal and snacks, cost the least.

CALORIES PER 100 GRAMS
The snack and cereal aisles pack the most calories by weight. A family of four will fill up on these items faster than on what they can buy for the same amount in the produce section.


Describing the reasons behind the correlation between food insecurity and obesity, FRAC includes the "lack of fruit and vegetable consumption due to their higher per calorie cost, lack of availability in low-income areas, and the decreased cost per calorie of added sugar and fats."

FRAC encourages health, nutrition and food programs to recognize that obese clients "may be, or were at some time, food insecure." Programs that support low-income individuals and families must strategize and work within their area of expertise to help break this cycle. Providing adults with the education and support needed to make healthy eating choices for themselves and their families is a key component in this struggle.

Second Harvest is well aware of the struggle our low-income population faces to provide adequate nutrition to their families on ever-shrinking budgets. Over the years, we have made significant improvements to the quality of food we distribute, continually striving to provide the most nutrient-dense options when available. The California Association of Food Banks' "Farm to Families" program has helped immensely, and we are proud to be #1 on the list for distributing the highest number of pounds of produce last year in California. To address the issue of "food deserts" - areas without adequate food resources including grocery stores - we launched the Mobile Pantry. This program delivers food to identified, isolated communities such as Pescadero on the San Mateo Coast and the Santee neighborhood in San Jose. One of our newer programs, the Produce Mobile, is dedicated purely to fresh fruits and vegetables. Its specialized trailer with awnings and roll-up doors makes distribution in areas without facilities a snap. Our Share Your Lunch summer campaign raises funds to provide food to families during the months when children are not receiving meals through the school nutrition programs. The Food Bank continues to work on innovative ways to provide consistent, nourishing food to our clients.

Living in such an affluent area, in such an affluent nation, it can be hard to look around at all the swelling waistlines and see hunger. But when you change your perspective and look beyond the calorie, you begin to understand that the choices being made to fill a belly on a budget can have devastating consequences in the long run.

This post is just the tip of the iceberg, and we look forward to engaging our community in the discussion. Please feel free to leave your thoughts and questions below.

Plant A Row for the Hungry provides support to local gardeners working to end hunger

Second Harvest Food Bank is committed to providing foods that nourish to those in need. Fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden can have a profound impact on the health and well-being of our clients. If you are a gardener or produce more fruit than you and your family can eat, please familiarize yourself with our Backyard Donations page.

We would like to introduce you to the Plant A Row for the Hungry program, which although run outside the Food Bank, can provide support and a network of like-minded supporters to engage with. In addition, the local committees set up special harvest donation sites and coordinate delivery.

The program has been around since 1994, when Jeff Lowenfels, a garden columnist from Anchorage, Alaska, pitched the idea to the Garden Writers of America Association. He had been trying the idea out with moderate success for a few years in his hometown, but thought it was time for a national movement.

A few years later, Joan Jackson, garden columnist at the San Jose Mercury News at the time, got involved and really championed the cause. She encouraged local gardeners to sign a pledge to grow and donate fresh produce. Within the first year, readers had donated over 34,000 pounds of fruit, vegetables and herbs through the program.

According to Jackson, the program works so well because it’s “carried out in a way that requires no governmental funds and no big cuts or donations from businesses or organizations.” In essence, anyone with access to a plot of dirt can participate.

The Garden Writers Association has many resources available to encourage success. See the links below to find local campaigns or learn more about setting up a new Plant A Row campaign.

• Garden Writers Association – Plant A Row
• Find a local Plant A Row committee and donation site
• Learn how to set up a Plant A Row campaign

We lost our backyard produce Champion when Joan Jackson retired from the Mercury News, and will be relying on the local gardening community to spread the word. If you are passionate about ending hunger, gardening, and making a difference in your local community, please consider speaking out about the cause through your blog, social networks, gardening club or place or worship, etc. If you are interested in participating but don’t have a garden, the American Community Garden Association is a resource that can help you get your hands in the dirt.

Do you Flickr? Join Our New Flickr Group! We just set up a group for photos of your Edible Gardens! Please join and post your inspiring photos:
Fruit and Vegetable Gardens of the Bay Area

Report from the 2010 National Anti-Hunger Conference

On March 7, our Senior Director of Programs and Services Cindy McCown, along with hundreds of other hunger advocates, converged on Washington D.C. for the 2010 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference. Co-sponsored by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and Feeding America, the conference provided three days of innovative training, networking and advocacy.

Cindy found herself inspired by the personal stories and conviction of the speakers, who included

• Congresswomen Donna Edwards (D-Maryland)
• Kevin Concannon – Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services
• Tom Vilsack – Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana)
• Representative Jim McGovern (D-Massachusetts)
• Senator Robert Casey, Jr. (D-Pennsylvania

Key Messages:

• Hunger is a bi-partisan issue
• Federal nutrition programs such as SNAP/Food Stamps, school based feeding, after school snacks, summer meals and WIC are critical to combating hunger in our communities.
• We need a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill if we are to achieve the President’s goal of ending child hunger by 2015.
• We need a significant level of increased funding in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill – no less than the President’s request of one billion dollars per year over the next ten years to meet this need.

Meetings were held with representatives of Senators Boxer and Feinstein and Congress Members Anna Eshoo, Mike Honda, Zoe Lofgren, Jackie Speier and Jerry McNerney to apprise them of hunger issues impacting our local communities.

For a deeper dive into the issues, see the following links:

• (PDF) Ending Childhood Hunger by 2015: The Essential Strategies for Achieving the President's Goal
• (PDF) Reading, Writing and Hungry: The Consequences of Food Insecurity on Children, and On Our Nation’s Economic Success
• (PDF) Obesity, Food Insecurity and the Federal Nutrition Programs: Understanding the Linkages
• (PDF) Proceedings of the Roundtable on Understanding the Paradox of Hunger and Obesity
• (PDF) Hunger and Obesity? Making the Connections (Fact Sheet)
• (E-publication) FRAC Focuses: Obesity and Poverty: a periodical review of research and action

Yelp Love for the Food Bank!

Yelp is definitely a force to be reckoned with these days. Seems like every time I look up a business, their Yelp page is right at the top of the search results, and difficult to ignore. That's why it puts a huge grin on my face to see our supporters writing about their positive experiences at Second Harvest Food Bank - some people have even posted pictures!

Photos uploaded to Yelp by Anya R.

In January, we had an all-staff meeting followed by a group food sort - just the kind our volunteers are used to. Many of us had never done this before, so I can commiserate with the Yelpers who say they were surprised by what a good workout we gave them. It was my job to put 4 cans of sliced pears (packed in juice—not syrup—I'm happy to report) into each food box as it came down the line. Not too long into it, I started looked at the people with the box-building job with envy! As they say, the grass is always greener... But honestly, there's something about hearing from the team leaders how many families we're feeding that gets the competitive spirit ramped up - my team boxed up 12,000 pounds that afternoon!

Volunteering can be hard work but it's FUN! Staff member Tometrius Paxton gets in the spirit.

Be an advocate for the work we do - Yelp about us!
We have two Yelp pages - and we'd love your review at the location where you volunteered or had your interaction with us. Don't forget, your review doesn't have to be about volunteering - any reason you support us is worthy of a post!

Yelp San Jose | Yelp San Carlos

Users like Flor D. have used Yelp Events to gather volunteer groups to better our community. Check out her recent Food Sort event to see how it works. (If you'd like to do this too, don't forget to set up your event with Volunteer Services before posting.) Thanks for your support, Flor!

I'll finish up with a quote from Anya R.:

It was so inspiring to see people of all ages too- coming together and working together for one cause- and that is to help out others because we can.  There were students all the way to an old man with a walker!  If he can volunteer- so can you!

The two hours were really organized and time just flew.  It was nice to see people in such good moods willing to help.  I am going to look into volunteering for Second Harvest directly and get more people to come join me. 

Thank you, Yelpers!

Nutrition is a priority - locally and nationally!

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and First Lady Michelle Obama know fresh produce is invaluable to good health, and are spreading the word. (See the slideshow of their recent shopping adventure in North Philadelphia on The Huffington Post.)

The support coming from the top to improve childhood nutrition is most welcome at Second Harvest. For several years now, we have put a lot of thought and effort into upgrading the nutritional density of food we distribute.  A Nutritional Indexing System developed in-house has enabled us to tag incoming food with a number according to certain guidelines that have been established, and then these numbers are tracked over time.

Thanks to the Farm to Families program, a large percentage of our food poundage gets the highest ranking as fresh produce. At a recent Family Harvest distribution, I watched children in their school uniforms on the grass working their way through bags of fresh, sweet oranges, rinds piling up next to them as their parents picked up the rest of their food allotment. The kids' bright smiles and laughter said it all.

We believe we have a responsibility to those we serve in our community to provide quality, nutritious food that will enable parents to instill healthy eating habits in their children despite their current financial status. The little girl on our holiday food drive poster is standing next to a cart of the actual food that was going out on the day we showed up. Check out that produce!

Second Harvest is pleased that a number of our key priorities for the reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Act—including improved access to fill the gaps in food assistance and the development of innovative ways to reach hungry children during out-of-school times—are included in the Obama Administration's priorities. We look forward to working with the Administration and Congress in the coming months to make legislative changes that will move the nation forward in the crusade to end childhood hunger in America. Check out a full list of Secretary Vilsack's administration priorities on our main website.

In addition to Secretary Vilsack's work, First Lady Michelle Obama will also be positively impacting our efforts with her "Let's Move" campaign and the new foundation she heads up called "Partnership for a Healthier America".

From their website: "The Partnership for a Healthier America will serve as a partner to the First Lady’s Let’s Move Initiative by linking and mobilizing the private sector, foundations, thought leaders, media, and local communities to action and further the goals of curbing childhood obesity within a generation."

Our Senior Director of Programs and Services Cindy McCown will be in Washington DC next week for the 2010 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference. Stay tuned for info and actions to come! Be sure to get the news:  sign up for our email list here and help us end childhood hunger!

Further Info: 

• Learn about our Produce Mobile serving local food deserts and the Kids NOW program that sends food home with kids every Friday, filling the gap until they are back in school on Monday. These creative solutions to ending hunger are right in line with Vilsack's priority recomendations.
• Do you know someone or a family who could use assistance? Check out our Outreach Flyers and Handouts page. 

Our own Cindy McCown nominated for a CFPA Stampy Award - Vote today!

Nominations for the 11th Annual Stampy Awards from across the state honor the efforts of individuals working to improve the Food Stamp Program in California. This year, our very own Cindy McCown has been nominated, along with Jim Beall, our hunger-fighting champion in the California State Assembly!

Vote Now through January 31, 2010.

We at Second Harvest Food Bank are deeply concerned because many of the people we serve are also participants or are eligible for crucial safety net programs such as Food Stamps.

Second Harvest supports initiatives that would increase participation in state and federal supplemental food programs. This will relieve strain on our resources, allowing us to concentrate on those in our community who do not qualify for those programs but still meet our income guidelines (approximately 200% of the Federal Poverty Line).

By voting, you are rewarding efforts to improve the program, as well as identifying actions and attitudes you want replicated. A popular segment of the CFPA Food Stamp Forum, the Stampy Award ceremony is an opportunity to celebrate and honor the achievements and contributions of our colleagues in improving the Food Stamp Program at the local, county, and state levels over the past year. It's a bit like the Golden Globes of the food stamp world! The winners will be announced at the 11th Annual Food Stamp Forum on Thursday, February 18, 2010 in Sacramento.

Our Nominees of Choice:

Cindy McCown
Senior Director of Programs and Services
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties

Through Ms. McCown's dedication she helped to create a pilot project with Santa Clara County Social Service Office in 2006 that allows for all applicants that are assisted with Food Stamp applications by Food Bank staff to be able to have their appointments be held within 5 days.  Approximately 80% of applicants assisted by the Food Bank are seen within 4 days by the SSA office.  This is remarkable in a State where many applicants are not able to be seen for up to a month or more.

A second example of her work that has led to improving the collaboration between the Food Bank and the County is the funding received by both San Mateo and Santa Clara counties to support the Food Stamp outreach work of the Food Bank.  San Mateo County has provided a 2 1/2 year contract for the work and Santa Clara County funding has been on-going and will be continued.  In addition, she has most recently accepted a donation from Santa Clara County of an RV outfitted for community clinic and outreach work that will become a "Food Stamp Mobile" to station in isolated and "walking-community" high-need locations throughout San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties.

Without Cindy's persistence and vision the Food Bank would not be assisting with Food Stamp applications.  During the First 5 months of FY 2009-2010 (July-November) the Food Bank assisted 696 households with Food Stamp applications.

Jim Beall
California State Assembly Member

Assembly Member Jim Beall (D-San Jose) has championed legislation to remove barriers to food stamps, remove asset barriers for applicants, and urged Congress to remove finger-imaging and the Obama adminstration to reduce paperwork in California's Food Stamp Program. He is the chairman of the Assembly Human Services Committee and serves as the chairman of the Select Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and the Select Committee on Foster Care.

Ending Childhood Hunger by 2015 Listening Session

The public is invited to attend a listening session hosted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in response to the Obama Administration’s challenge to federal agencies to eliminate childhood hunger by 2015.

The listening session is being held at the Oakland Federal Building on Thursday, October 1st from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. There will be a lunch break from Noon – 1:00p.m. Attendees are asked to provide their own lunch.

During the session, FNS representatives will listen and gather recommendations for ending childhood hunger by 2015 from program cooperators, participants and partners at state and local levels, who provide unique yet necessary points of view that will help assist the Obama Administration as it considers potential changes to programs and their delivery. Our own Cindy McCown, Senior Director of Programs and Services at the Food Bank will be speaking on behalf of the California Association of Food Bank’s.

For more information, email wro-pa@fns.usda.gov or call (415) 705-1311.

If you are unable to attend, comments and recommendations can be emailed to the above address or faxed to: (415) 705-1364. Deadline for submissions is October 15, 2009.

2nd Annual Hunger Issues Forum for Santa Clara County

The September 10th Hunger Issues Forum was organized by the Food Bank and was sponsored by Santa Clara University’s Food & Agribusiness Institute and SCU’s Leavey School of Business. Approximately 125 attendees gained a better understanding of how childhood hunger affects our economy while learning about public policy opportunities and how to take action on hunger issues.

Speakers included:

Dr. John Cook with the Boston Medical Center and the Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Cook explained findings from his recently released report Child Food Insecurity: The Economic Impact on Our Nation.

Dr. Ed Cooney, CEO of the Congressional Hunger Center in Washington D.C. Dr. Cooney addressed how we can influence system changes to achieve President Obama's commitment to end domestic childhood hunger by 2015.

Dr. Drew Starbird, acting Dean of Santa Clara University's Leavey School of Business. Dr. Starbird explained what the unmet food needs look like for Santa Clara County residents.

Dr. Daniel Delgado, pediatrician at the Pediatric Healthy Lifestyles Center at the Santa Clara County Health and Hospital System. Dr. Delgado shared what is happening locally to improve children’s lifestyles.

Video of the presentations will be available soon.

Take Action: Help Restore the Brown Bag Program for Seniors

Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties and other food banks throughout California receive state funds for the Brown Bag Program for seniors.

During the recent State budget process Governor Schwarzenegger's made the bold move of doing a line-item veto of the Brown Bag Program. Basically, he removed the program from the State budget!

In fiscal year 2008/09, our Brown Bag Program provided groceries to over 10,800 senior households. This amounted to over 10,400,800 pounds of food for the elderly. Many of these low-income seniors are struggling, and the Brown Bag Program provides their primary source of food. They are being forced to choose between spending their money on rent, utilities, prescription medications, or food. For them, purchasing enough food to survive is a daily challenge. The Brown Bag Program provides a critical service to ensure that people have the basic necessity of life: nutrition.

The Impact
Brown Bag recipients are primarily women receiving SSI/SSP who, through a string of budget deals, have just seen their stipends cut. Additionally, the Brown Bag Program provides critical funding to food banks. Approximately $20,000 per provider may not seem like much to make a program operate and grow, but it is critical to smaller food banks.

Return on Investment
The Brown Bag Program makes efficient use of state funds. Every dollar invested by the state provides to seniors approximately $40 in food and services from the local community. The program is currently funded at $541,000, which means the program leverages over $21 million in food and services for seniors, all of which will be lost if the Governor's veto stands.

Take a few easy steps to help restore the Brown Bag Program:

• Download, fill out and fax this flyer (pdf) to all the Assembly members and Senators in your service area, as well as the Assembly and Senate leadership. Fax numbers for all legislators and the leadership are listed on the second page of the flyer.


• Spread the word. Email the flyer to your coworkers, friends, and other people who will want to take action.


• Update and fax this sample letter from your organization to legislative leaders asking them to restore the Brown Bag Program.

Photo: One of Second Harvest's long-time Mountain View Brown Bag volunteers

Why Finger-Imaging is Bad News for Food Stamps

Bad news from Sacramento: Governor Schwarzenegger wants to not only keep the finger-imaging requirement for food stamp applicants, but expand finger-imaging to those receiving In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS).

We at Second Harvest Food Bank are deeply concerned because many of the people we serve are also participants or are eligible for these crucial safety net programs.

Second Harvest supports initiatives that would increase participation in state and federal supplemental food programs. This will relieve strain on our resources, allowing us to concentrate on those in our community who do not qualify for those programs but still meet our income guidelines (approximately 200% of the Federal Poverty Line).

WHY THIS MATTERS:
IHSS provides in-home support to elderly, blind, and disabled Californians. This helps prevent them from having to be institutionalized, which is a far more costly alternative to the state than providing services for them in their own homes. Were finger-imaging implemented for this program, participation would assuredly drop, and many more of California’s most vulnerable population would end up in nursing homes.

It has been proven that finger-imaging is a major deterrent to participation in the programs it has been applied to, namely the Food Stamp Program. This program is the main federal nutrition program and it provides credit to low-income families and individuals to be redeemed for food at participating grocery stores.

Finger-imaging makes applicants feel like criminals. Ashamed and embarrassed, many don’t sign up for food stamps, even if they need them and qualify for them.

Furthermore, getting a fingerprint done requires another trip out to government agency offices, which for many of these families means missing work. The money and time lost, and the childcare arrangements during that trip can deter those in need from seeking assistance.

What is more, finger-imaging has not been cost-effective. It is meant to deter multiple-aid fraud, but its cost far outweighs the negligible amount of benefits stolen through fraud. In this economic climate, the governor wants to expand an ineffective system that costs the state more than $8 million a year!

Click on the following links for more information on the governor’s proposal and learn how Food Stamps BOOST our economy in the following articles:

Fingerprinting rule will deter those needing help
Editorial, The San Jose Mercury News

Fairy Tales, Fraud, and Food Stamps (PDF)
California Food Policy Advocates (CFPA.net):
Read this lighthearted one-pager on the Governor's serious finger printing expansion efforts. Call the Governor (916.445.2841) and urge him to accept the Legislature’s plan to save millions to by ending finger imaging for food stamps and to abandon his efforts to fingerprint blind, elderly, and disabled Californians receiving IHSS.

Boost in Food-Stamp Funding Percolates Through Economy
The Wall Street Journal

The stimulus that actually IS working
The Dave Ross Show

Ending the Cycle of Poverty: AB 433 brings us one step closer!

AB 433 is now law!
No More Asset Test for Food Stamp Households with Children
A great victory has been achieved for families struggling to put food on the table. Food stamp households will now no longer be subject to an asset test, a crucial step to expanding participation in the Food Stamp Program, as well as helping people escape the cycle of poverty. No asset test means families can save up for things like a child’s college education or a retirement fund, without worrying that they will be cut off from Food Stamps.

Previously, assets were included in the calculation of a family’s income, which determines Food Stamp eligibility. This puts families in a very difficult situation of either trying to save for the future, or receiving food now.

This new requirement will be implemented at the county level, and counties can begin its implementation as early as July 1, 2009, but no later than January 1, 2010.

It is our understanding that San Mateo County will begin implementation on August 1, 2009.

More work is left to be done, however: The new rule applies only to households with children, excluding single adults or adults living together.

• Download a more detailed flyer on this important change (PDF)
  
• Find out more at California Food Policy Advocates

State Budget Committee Votes to Preserve CalWORKs

Good News!

On June 11th, the Budget Conference Committee voted 6 to 1 to reject the Governor's proposal to eliminate CalWORKs. The committee's vote likely ends serious attempts to eliminate the program.

The committee had a long discussion about the other CalWORKs options put forth by the Administration and the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO). The committee seemed most interested in pursuing an LAO/CWDA proposal to exempt some families with small children from work requirements thus saving child care and transportation costs. The committee also seemed poised to support a proposal to expand subsidized employment opportunities for CalWORKs recipients using federal stimulus funds.

Taken from an article from the Western Center on Law and Poverty. View the entire article

Quotes on Hunger

Our Advocacy intern, Natasha, found a wellspring of quotes on the issue of Hunger. I thought I'd share them with you and see if, in turn, you have some you would like to share with us. Please post your favorites to the comment section below and...

...may you be inspired!

There are genuinely sufficient resources in the world to ensure that no one, nowhere, at no time, should go hungry.
-- Ed Asner

Hungry people cannot be good at learning or producing anything, except perhaps violence.
-- Pearl Bailey

We are a country that prides itself on power and wealth, yet there are millions of children who go hungry every day. It is our responsibility, not only as a nation, but also as individuals, to get involved. So, next time you pass someone on the street who is in need, remember how lucky you are, and don't turn away.
-- Lesley Boone

The fact is that there is enough food in the world for everyone. But tragically, much of the world's food and land resources are tied up in producing beef and other livestock--food for the well off--while millions of children and adults suffer from malnutrition and starvation.
-- Dr.Walden Bello

The American fast food diet and the meat eating habits of the wealthy around the world support a world food system that diverts food resources from the hungry. A diet higher in whole grains and legumes and lower in beef and other meat is not just healthier for ourselves but also contributes to changing the world system that feeds some people and leaves others hungry.
-- Dr.Walden Bello

…the first essential component of social justice is adequate food for all mankind. Food is the moral right of all who are born into this world.
-- Norman Borlaug

If you desire peace, cultivate justice, but at the same time cultivate the fields to produce more bread; otherwise there will be no peace.
-- Norman Borlaug

One of the greatest feelings in the world is knowing that we as individuals can make a difference. Ending hunger in America is a goal that is literally within our grasp.
-- Jeff Bridges

35 million people in the U.S. are hungry or don't know where their next meal is coming from, and 13 million of them are children. If another country were doing this to our children, we'd be at war.
-- Jeff Bridges

Public charities, foodbanks and church pantries are doing more than ever before, but they can't keep up with the need. We can never end hunger only through the wonderful work of local charities. Like other Western democracies, we must end our national problem of hunger through national and political leadership. Charity is nice for some things, but not as a way to feed a nation. We don't protect our national security through charity, and we shouldn't protect our families and children that way either.
-- Jeff Bridges

Most of our citizenry believes that hunger only affects people who are lazy or people who are just looking for a handout, people who dont' want to work, but, sadly, that is not true. Over one-third of our hungry people are innocent children who are members of households that simply cannot provide enough food or proper nutrition. And to think of the elderly suffering from malnutrition is just too hard for most of us. Unlike Third World nations, in our country the problem is not having too little – it is about not caring enough! Write your elected representatives and promote support for the hungry.
-- Erin Brokovich

Many people think that hunger is unavoidable in any society, even a society that is blessed with great abundance. That is not true. The European community does not have widespread hunger. America, which leads the world in so many ways, can end childhood hunger within its borders.
-- Pierce Brosnan

"A hungry man can't see right or wrong. He just sees food."
-- Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)

"Hunger makes a thief of any man."
-- Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)

"There will never cease to be ferment in the world unless people are sure of their food."
-- Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)

In this country that grows more food than any other nation on this earth, it is unthinkable that any child should go hungry.
-- Sela Ward, actress

The day hunger disappears, the world will see the greatest spiritual explosion humanity has ever seen.
-- Federico Garcia Lorca

Many thanks to Culture of Peace Initiative.

Stopped in its Tracks: Important Step Forward for Food Stamps and CalWORKS Reform

AB 1057, introduced by California Assembly member Jim Beall, Jr., was held in the Assembly fiscal committee, a victim of the state's budget crunch. The bill aims to simplify the Food Stamp and CalWORKS programs, thereby encouraging participation in these crucial social-safety net programs.

But this bill has found itself in the Assembly Appropriations Suspense file and is being held in committee. Some of reported reasons for shelving the bill stem from the current budget crisis. There are concerns, particularly among Republican officials, about the upfront costs to implementing the program, as well as the fact that the current budget proposal eliminates CalWORKS – a key program in the bill. The next likely opportunity for the bill to be debated won’t be until January of 2010 unless something in the budget can be worked out.

Thank you to all of those who have taken steps to support this legislation. The bill may be stalled for now, but we still need your help!

• Join our email list to receive updates from the Food Bank on key issues such as this one.
• Read the full article on our website

Further information about this legislation can be found at:

• Assembly member Jim Beall’s website
• California Food Policy Advocates
  

*Special thanks to Frances Chacon, Principal Consultant for Assembly member Jim Beall, Jr.