The weekly Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) News Digest highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them.

1. Rising Food Prices Will Contribute to Increasing Costs for Food Stamp Program
(Reuters, January 23, 2008)

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issued a report this week stating that, in response to rising food prices, the cost of the Food Stamp Program will increase to $38 billion in fiscal year 2008 and rise another 7 percent to $41 billion in 2009. More than 26 million Americans use food stamps each month, according to the report, at an average benefit of $1 per meal. These benefits are adjusted once every year, and will have to contend with 2007’s “unusually large” food cost increase of 4 percent. Food costs are expected to rise 3.5 percent in 2008, according to USDA. “The economic stimulus bill should include an increase in food stamp benefits,” because the program can “move help quickly” to Americans struggling with economic downturns, according to the Food Research and Action Center.

2. Obesity-Related Diabetes Extracts Enormous Toll on Nation
(USA Today, January 24, 2008))

A study released by the American Diabetes Association shows the financial burden of Americans with diabetes at $174 billion each year – almost the same as cancer, at $206 billion. One million new cases of are diagnosed each year, the result of increasing numbers of overweight and obese Americans, and resulting in higher health-care costs for everyone along with severe losses in worker productivity. According to Helen Darling, president of the National Business Group on Health, diabetes will “handicap” state and local economies over the upcoming decades, as education and other health-care funds are diverted to cover the increased costs in caring for diabetic patients.

3. Next Recession Will Bring Even More of the Same Problems, Including Hunger, for Many in Poverty
(Reuters, January 22, 2008)

In spite of the economic recovery from the previous recession that ended in 2001, more individuals continue to live in poverty nationwide – 12.3 percent in 2006 compared to 11.7 percent in 2001. Philadelphia residents exemplify this trend, as large numbers of households struggle with paying bills and putting food on the table. The city’s poverty rate is twice the national average and the highest of the 10 largest U.S. cities, with blacks (half of the city’s population) comprising one-third of the poor. Experts view the high costs of living, including rising food prices, expensive housing costs, and loss of manufacturing jobs, as major contributors to the rising poverty levels, made worse by the fact that for many, the economic success of the past six years never “trickled down” to their socio-economic level.

4. Food Stamp Data Combined with Other Indicators Show State’s Rise in Poverty Levels
(,Cedar Rapids Gazette January 10, 2008)

Recently released U.S. Census figures show Iowa’s poor population grew in 2005 to more than 300,000, up 30 percent in five years. Researchers used food stamp participation records to chart the increase, in addition to federal tax data, population records, and 2000 census statistics and results from the bureau’s American Community Survey. In addition, child poverty rates showed a rise of 29 percent, to 97,700 children. Median incomes of workers in Iowa rose by only 7.8 percent, far lower than than the state’s 13 percent rise in inflation.

5. No More Fingerprinting for Some New York Food Stamp Applicants
(New York Post, January 16, 2008)

Once seen as a deterrent to fraud, New York’s food stamp fingerprinting program has also deterred many eligible families from applying for benefits. Now, families with one adult working 30 hours per week (or two adults each working 20 hours per week) will not need to be fingerprinted in order to apply. State officials noted that the number of food stamp recipients had frozen at 1.8 million, with most of the assistance going to a disproportionate number of uninsured. In removing this barrier, the state hopes to sign up an additional 100,000 families for the program. The move to discontinue the finger imaging is part of Governor Spitzer’s Working Families Food Stamp Initiative. In New York City, the Human Resources Administration asked to maintain the finger imaging for all food stamp recipients, but is working to enroll 62,000 additional households to meet its portion of the working families enrollment target.

6. Not All Food Stamp Recipients Receive Welfare
(The New York Times, January 9, 2008)

According to a new study by the New York City Independent Budget Office, fewer food stamp recipients also receive welfare, which may make it more difficult for the city to identify potential applicants, as many of these households do not have ties to the social service system. New York wants to reach more eligible households with food stamps, and the report indicates “increasing efforts” will be needed to find and persuade individuals to apply for the benefits. Currently, 1.1 million New Yorkers (or one in seven) receive food stamps. The study found the number of recipients peaked at 1.5 million in 1995, but that number has fallen since then. Reasons cited for the drop in number: a strong economy and the tougher food stamp application procedure. Link to the full report: http://www.ibo.nyc.ny.us/iboreports/foodstamps.pdf

7. State’s School Breakfast Numbers Not Keeping Up
(Whittier Daily News, January 20, 2008)

Although California’s school breakfast participation numbers were up last year, the state didn’t match the growth of programs across the country, according to this article reporting on findings from FRAC’s School Breakfast Scorecard. While more low-income children in all other states received breakfast over a three-year period (a 14.2 percent rise in number), California’s increase grew five percent. This means the state lost out on accessing approximately $90 million in potential federal funding. Efforts were made to increase participation in the 2005-2006 school year, but funding for the incentive program was cancelled in 2007. Many school districts, like Los Nietos in Whittier, California, rely on federal reimbursement to fund their breakfast program. Los Nietos found its reimbursement cut to two cents for each free or reduced-price meal. However, that district is working to increase participation through offering healthy meals. According to Cirilia Villanueva, the school district’s director of food services, 850 students out of 2,200 are responding to increased choices in the breakfast menu. FRAC also suggested having states mandate serving breakfasts in schools.

8. Some Food Stamp Applicants Can Now File for Benefits Online
(Malden Observer, January 10, 2008)

Libraries, health care centers and other places with public Internet access will now be “Virtual Gateways” for individuals applying for food stamps in Massachusetts. The state’s Department of Transitional Assistance is making it possible for applicants to file for benefits online, a move to “[expand] opportunities for residents of the Commonwealth to apply for important benefits, such as the Food Stamp Program,” according to DTA Commissioner Julie Kehoe. Kehoe said that by using technology, the state also hopes to improve customer service as well as improve access to nutritional benefits. The online system, accessible at www.mass.gov/dta, comes on the heels of High Performance Bonuses awarded by the USDA to the Massachusetts Food Stamp Program for its exceptional program administration. Congressman Jim McGovern (D), commenting on the new technology, said “It’s vitally important to make sure that people who are eligible for food assistance get the help they need. Massachusetts is doing some extraordinarily innovative work in this area.”

9. Kids Helm Drive For Healthier, Better Tasting Meals At Their School
(Baltimore Sun, January 20, 2008)

Students in Maryland’s City Neighbors Charter School, spurred by lackluster school meals and their U.S. Constitution studies, have taken the lead in reforming the school’s menu items. Not only have they drawn up a “Cafeteria Bill of Rights,” including the right to have fresh fruits and vegetables, they’ve also visited other schools to analyze what makes their meals work and find new ideas for their own breakfast and lunch fare. City Neighbors students are complaining that their meals – delivered frozen to their school since they only have 120 students – are almost inedible. One student noted “the mashed potatoes don’t move, and the bread is sometimes moldy.” The fish nuggets are almost universally disliked. Meeting with Baltimore school officials, the core committee of pupils is also working to reform similar frozen meals at 57 other local schools. During visits to other school cafeterias, the students were impressed and “couldn’t believe their eyes” when they saw fresh orange slices and canned peaches on school’s cafeteria line.

10. Los Angeles Food Banks and Pantries Hit By Higher Demands and Improved Foreign Trade
(Los Angeles Times, January 21, 2008)

The paradoxical combination of “Brisk overseas trade,” strong farm prices, more efficient food manufacturing, and increased demands by Los Angeles residents, means the city’s food banks and pantries are struggling to keep enough food on the shelves. The U.S. Government buys less surplus food from farmers – from $319 million in 2001 down to $67 million in 2006, and manufacturers have less food to donate, according to Ross Fraser, spokesman for America’s Second Harvest. As more families are experiencing difficult times, there has been a 17 percent increase in food-insecure LA households between 2002 and 2005, and the city now has more hungry families with children. But because they’re only getting half the food they’re used to, food pantries formerly open twice each week are only opening twice each month.

11. Missouri to Help More Farmers’ Markets Accept Food Stamps
(Missouri Farmers’ Market Blog, January 17, 2008)

Additional wireless electronic benefit transfer (EBT) machines will help more farmers’ markets in Missouri accept food stamps in 2008. Through USDA funding, the machines will be placed in 19 markets, part of a specialty crop grant to the Missouri Department of Agriculture aimed at increasing the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state. Families receiving WIC coupons will also be able to redeem them at farmers’ markets through the program.

12. Advocates and Officials Begin Dialogue on Improving Food Stamp Availability
(Providence Journal, January 17, 2008)

Chanting “We need a change!” and “Feed the people!” community advocates began a meeting with Rhode Island’s Department of Human Resources (DHS) executive director Gary Alexander with an outdoor protest. According to Henry Shelton, director of the Wiley Center in Pawtucket, the group was angry that it took so long for Alexander to respond to changes to the Food Stamp Program. Alexander’s response boiled down to “no, no, no, … and that is unacceptable. Feeding people should be the number-one priority. This letter is several weeks late. We are really angry today. There’s no excuse,” said Shelton. Proposed changes included extended office hours, recertification after a year instead of every six months, allowing community agencies to help potential recipients apply, and providing more state employees to the program. In the post-protest meeting, Alexander promised to look into extending food stamp office hours, and felt that outreach at supermarkets is possible. Advocates noted that other state agencies – like the Department of Motor Vehicles – provides extra hours, that the food stamp program “is the bread and butter” for the state’s needy, and the need is exemplified by one soup kitchen’s report that it served 5,000 more meals in 2007 than in 2006.

13. Report Shows More People in Georgia County Receiving Food Stamps Than Previously Thought
(Main Street News, January 16, 2008)

Georgia’s Madison County found that a little more than one-fifth (22 percent) of its residents received food stamps in 2007, according to a year-end report by the county’s Department of Family and Children’s Services. Department Chair Gary Locke called the number “an eye opener.” The report also showed $2,683,987 worth of food stamps were distributed last year, to a monthly average of 2,489 recipients.

14. Rural Ohio Food Pantries Running Low Due To High Demand
(Columbus Dispatch, January 10, 2008)

Increasing poverty rates in rural Ohio have depleted food pantries, one indicator that the state’s sparsely-populated counties are dealing with increased poverty levels. Recent Census figures show the poverty rate skyrocketed in Athens County over a single year, rising from 6,000 people (20.2 percent) in 2004 to 17,065 people (31.5) in 2005. Scioto County also showed an increase, with 25.3 percent (18,523 people) in 2005, an addition of 4,500 individuals. According to Ohio University sociology professor Ann Tickamyer, “Rural Appalachian Ohio is always more depressed, and more quick to go into recession, and slower to come out of it. You could see this as the canary in the coal mine.” A single employer closing in these Appalachian counties can drive poverty rates up; while some in Athens County are able to find work in low-paying service industry jobs, the salaries are not enough to keep them out of poverty. However, some officials feel rising gas and food prices are contributing substantially to economic troubles of Ohio’s working poor. (Article available through news site's archives.)

15. Obesity’s Direct Relationship to Hunger Outlined by Child Hunger Expert
(Burlington Free Press, January 24, 2008)

In this letter to the editor, Robert Dostis of the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger praises an article titled “[Gov.] Douglas targets obesity,” and outlines the direct affect hunger has on obesity. According to the original article, “obesity is a major contributor to more than 15 chronic illnesses, and currently costs Vermont more than $140 million dollars in annual medical expense.” Dostis notes that numerous research studies link obesity and hunger, and lists these facts:

- in households where money is “tight,” parents will choose high calorie, low-cost, low-quality foods to feed their hungry children;

- children in food-insecure homes will often overeat when food becomes more plentiful in their lives;

- families with limited food budgets, and who occasionally experience hunger, experience higher rates of obesity.

According to Dostis, easy solutions to the obesity problem exist. Providing children with high-quality, nutritious meals each day, whether they are at home, in school, or in other care situations, keeps hunger at bay as well as prevents families from relying on calorie-dense options.

Vermont currently runs two programs which deliver healthy meals to children – the school breakfast program and the Child Care Food Program. Both are underutilized, however, with the state ranking 49th in providing two meals and one snack each day to low-income children. Dostis notes that a major barrier to the school breakfast program is the 70 cents students are charged for the meal, and even though more than 50 percent of Vermont children receive school lunches, only 20 percent of children come to school having had breakfast. “Expanding these programs would strengthen the nutrition safety net for every child in the state; support out schools and child care providers; and bring additional federal dollars back into farms and communities,” writes Dostis.

16. School Health Program Uses Technology to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits
(Oneonta Daily Star, January 21, 2008)

Students at Worcester Central School in New York are learning firsthand how eating a healthy breakfast, and additional healthy activities, can help them fight obesity. Through a pilot program titled “Kids Connect,” students interact with and are counseled by nutritionists and physical therapists via a computer monitor in the nurse’s office. The specialists monitor physical and medical measurements of the students and discuss with them various ways to avoid unhealthy habits. Eating a healthy breakfast is one tactic that’s struck home for some of the middle school participants, who learned how the meal benefits their alertness and metabolism.

17. Increased Requests for Public Assistance are Taxing Diminished Social Services Office Staff
(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, January 22, 2008)

Welfare applicants are finding it tougher to apply for benefits as the number of individuals fighting poverty in Milwaukee County are overwhelming reduced numbers of welfare office staff. An investigative team found busy signals the norm on the public assistance help line (75 call attempts made) and long wait times, close to two hours to speak with a representative when they did get through. Blame centers around state funding shortfalls, along with high poverty rates – one-third of the county’s children live below the poverty line. Help is on the way, though, through initiatives like BadgerCare Plus, which will help households apply for food stamps through the FoodShare program. In April, FoodShare applicants will no longer be required to attend a face-to-face meeting with the county to determine their eligibility.

18. Fresno Adds Farmers’ Markets to List of Those Accepting Food Stamps
(Fresno Bee, January 20, 2008)

Merced County’s farmers’ markets have joined a growing list of markets able to receive food stamps from the county’s 11,000 families in the program. Speaking on the change, Claudia Corchado of the Central California Regional Obesity Prevention Program said “One of our main goals is to prevent the growing obesity rates, especially in children. Access to fresh fruits and vegetables plays a big role in that.” Families will be able to use their EBT cards to buy tokens they can now redeem at Merced’s markets. However, the county is aware that the Food Stamp Program only reaches 60 percent of eligible families. "There's a lot of families who don't think they'll qualify," said Corchado. "If they're having trouble making ends meet, we encourage people to call us and see."

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