The Weekly Food Research and Action Center 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. More Can Be Done to Feed Hungry Children When School Lets Out
(Youth Today, June 30, 2010)

The Food Research and Action Center’s (FRAC) recent report on Summer Nutrition Programs – Hunger Doesn’t Take A Vacation – found that 78,000 fewer children nationwide received free summer meals in 2009, a 2.5 percent decline from the summer of 2008. “Congress must make these programs stronger so we can take a decisive step forward in meeting President Barack Obama’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015,” said Jim Weill, FRAC’s president. The report was issued as the House Education and Labor Committee prepared to meet to consider the Improving Nutrition for America’s Children Act, which was introduced in June.

Colorado
(Denver Post, July 6, 2010)
In 2008, Colorado provided summer meals for eight out of every 100 children who received free or reduced-price lunch during the school year, according to FRAC’s summer nutrition report. In 2009, that number worsened to 6.9 out of every 100 low-income children. The state ranked 47th out of 50 states for participation last year, as only 13,781 children received free summer meals in 2009, out of the 200,000 that get subsidized lunches during the regular school year. “There were a lot of cuts to summer schools, and that meant fewer sites,” said Crystal FitzSimons, FRAC’s director of summer programs. In Colorado, the number of sites serving meals declined between 2008 and 2009. According to the Colorado Department of Education, there are 306 sites in the state this year, up from 222 last year. Transportation, however, remains a problem especially for those children in the state’s rural areas noted Kathy Underhill, executive director of Hunger Free Colorado. “Even in cities and suburbs, there are plenty of kids whose parents go off in the morning to low-paying jobs and leave them with orders not to leave the house – even for a free lunch.” The state’s low participation is basically a leadership problem, said Underhill. “I think there hasn’t been, until this year, significant outreach either to recruit sponsors and sites or to families whose children could benefit from the program.” This year, Hunger Free Colorado ran a public-awareness campaign to boost knowledge of the summer meal programs, and parents of Denver school children received numerous calls from Governor Bill Ritter reminding them that children can eat for free this summer. State program organizers expect a significant increase in participation this year, although they caution that they’re still not where they should be.

Michigan
(Holland Sentinel, June 30, 2010; Detroit Free Press, July 5, 2010)
Michigan’s Summer Nutrition Program participation increased 14 percent in July 2009, according to the FRAC report. But more children could benefit. Elizabeth Clive, a food and nutrition program specialist with the Center for Civil Justice in Saginaw, said more community organizations and sponsors should work to provide meals for children when school is out. Some may be concerned about the amount of paperwork involved, and the government only reimburses providers $3.25 for each meal, from which providers must prepare meals meeting USDA nutrition and calorie requirements. The first year Mark Rodriguez ran the program at the Lincoln Park elementary schools, organizers lost money. “We had to figure it out: ‘This is what we’re serving, this is who we expect to serve,’” he said. This year, many parents may think the programs have been cancelled, since the news has been filled with stories of budget cuts. “People think the program is not going on, so they don’t bother to come out,” said Sharon Quincy, manager of nutrition services for the Detroit Department of Health & Wellness Promotion. Detroit has more than 200 sites serving free meals this summer. "In a state like Michigan that is just reeling under the current economic conditions, the summer nutrition programs are crucial," said FRAC’s Crystal FitzSimons, one of the report's authors.

Ohio
(Dayton Business Journal, June 29, 2010)
In July 2009, the number of Ohio children participating in Summer Nutrition Programs rose 13 percent over participation in July 2008, with nearly 70,000 children receiving meals in 2009. FRAC’s report cites the economy driving increased demand for meals, more promotion of meals by groups like the Ohio Department of Education and Children’s Hunger Alliance, and an increase in the number of sites serving meals (1,400 in July 2008 vs. 1,500 in July 2009).

San Francisco
(The Examiner, June 30, 2010)
According to the Department of Children, Youth and Their Families, the number of San Francisco children participating in the Summer Meal Program jumped 85 percent in the past two years. An average of 2,940 meals a day were served in 2008; in 2009, the number increased to 4,150. This year, an average of 5,460 meals are eaten each day. The Department expanded the number of sites serving meals from 84 in 2009 to 105 in 2010, at church sites, community centers, YMCAs and summer camps. Morning and afternoon snack numbers have also increased, rising 77 percent in the past two years, from 2,200 snacks a day in 2008 to 3,900 a day this year.

Texas
(Houston Chronicle, July 5, 2010)
According to FRAC’s analysis of summer meal programs, Texas loses $45 million in federal funds – the most of any state – because it’s not feeding summer meals to at least 40 percent of low-income students. Although the report found there was a five percent increase in participation between July 2008 and July 2009, Texas still had low program participation. Change is occurring this year however – the Houston Parks and Recreation Department increased its number of sites from 430 in 2009 to 465 this summer, and will serve meals for all 11 weeks that school is out. The city’s summer food program administrator, Sheila Pous, estimates that 15 percent of the city’s low-income children receive meals through the program. Ideally, summer food programs should operate “the day after school ends to the day before school starts,” said FRAC’s Crystal FitzSimons, co-author of the report. Maricella Quinones, Oakwood Gardens apartment manager, runs the program in an activity room above the rental office. “I have a lot of kids who don’t have anything to do, nobody watching them,” she said. “My concern is them having nothing to eat and nothing to do all day. That’s why we have activities for them. It helps the parents not worry about what they’re eating while they’re at work.”

Vermont
(Brattleboro Reformer, July 1, 2010)
FRAC’s annual report on the Summer Meal Programs found that Vermont’s summer food participation jumped 7 percent last year, while the rest of the country experienced a 2.5 percent decrease in participation. In 2008, 4,684 children received summer meals, and in 2009, that number jumped to 5,010; while the national average was 16 percent, nearly 22 percent of Vermont children receiving free or reduced-price lunch also participated in the Summer Nutrition Programs. “We are mainly seeing these numbers because towns all over the state have concerned citizens who are coming together to make sure kids have access to the summer meals,” said Marissa Parisi, executive director of the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger. “We are very encouraged that Vermont has seen an increase while the rest of the country saw a decline.” The number of Summer Food sites also increased, from 82 in 2008 to 99 in 2009. “Summer meal programs provide an anchor for children who rely on free or reduced meals during the school year,” said Parisi. “These programs enable parents to stretch their food budgets, and they provide children with the fuel they need to learn, play and grow throughout the summer.”

Washington
(KUOW, June 30, 2010)
Although Washington State has 700 schools, parks and community centers offering free summer meals to children this year, that number of sites is 23 fewer than last summer. It’s a staffing issue, and not an issue of food funding which comes from USDA noted Linda Stone, senior food policy coordinator for the Children’s Alliance. “Increasingly, school districts don’t have the resources to offer summer schools, or any kind of enrichment or recreation programs in the summertime,” she said. “And in some communities, parks departments have constrained resources, have closed down [longtime] programs for kids in the parks. So what this all means is that not only do kids not have access to those recreation and education resources, but they don’t have access to any meals during the summertime.” Community nonprofits – including food banks – are helping to fill this void, said Stone.

2. Gulf Coast and Inland Residents Affected by Oil Spill Apply for SNAP/Food Stamps
(Florida Capitol News Service, June 24, 2010)

Since May 1st, SNAP/Food Stamp applications in Florida’s panhandle region and inland have soared as the oil spill has harmed careers of many in the region. Inland counties have a higher increase in new SNAP/Food Stamp applications, as many of those affected by the spill work near the coast but can’t afford to live there. Don Winstead, Welfare Advisor for the state’s Department of Children and Families (DCF), said the spill has also increased the need for counselors to help struggling families. DCF is tracking separately SNAP/Food Stamp applications from families affected by the oil spill.

3. New Staff Speeds Up SNAP/Food Stamp Application Process in Maryland County
(Frederick News Post, June 20, 2010)

SNAP/Food Stamp applicants in Maryland’s Frederick County are now more likely to see their applications processed within the federally-mandated 30 days. The county hired six new staff in February to process applications, and all staff are allowed to work overtime. A Baltimore County circuit judge ordered the Maryland Department of Human Resources to comply with federally-mandated timeframes to process applications for all programs within a year. In May, Frederick County met the 30-day SNAP/Food Stamp deadline 90.8 percent of the time. The number of county households receiving SNAP/Food Stamps jumped from 3,899 in December 2007 to 5,929 in May 2010.

4. California Budget Gap Keeping SNAP/Food Stamp Access Plans on Ice
(Los Angeles Times, June 19, 2010)

In 2007 only 48 percent (2 million) of eligible California residents received SNAP/Food Stamps, yet legislative efforts to increase participation are in doubt of final enactment. Although USDA has pressed the state for years to simplify the program and proponents of changes note the positive impact of greater participation on California’s economy, proposals to eliminate applicant fingerprinting and reduce paperwork have hit various roadblocks. “We are leaving potentially billions of federal dollars on the table that could be used to ensure that Californians don’t go hungry,” and that would stimulate the economy, said state Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). The state does allow applicant interviews by phone and has modified the asset test so applicants don’t have to lose their savings to receive the benefit. A bill eliminating the requirement that residents re-apply for SNAP/Food Stamps when they move to another county has bipartisan support and was included in the Governor’s budget. But the proposal to eliminate the fingerprinting requirement – which could save the state $10 million a year – may “fall by the wayside in exchange for something else in trying to close the budget gap,” said Scott Graves of the California Budget Project. And in a recent letter to the state’s social services director, Kevin Concannon, USDA undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, noted “Matching names with Social Security numbers…is far less costly than finger imaging, yet is equally effective.”

5. USDA Fines States for Mismanaged SNAP/Food Stamp Programs

Indiana
(The Republic, June 24, 2010)
Indiana received a $1.2 million fine from the federal government for poor performance in administering the SNAP/Food Stamp Program. The state miscalculated benefits at a rate more than one-and-a-half times that of the national average in 2009. One of four states fined by the federal government, Indiana can apply half of the fine amount to improving SNAP/Food Stamp processing, and the remaining half could be returned to the state if it significantly improves processing this fiscal year. Last month, the state Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) filed a lawsuit against its fired welfare contractor, IBM Corp., which it blames for the mistakes. “This is just one more piece of evidence that they were failing,” said FSSA’s Marcus Barlow, who said the lawsuit will attempt to recover the government’s penalty amount.

Texas
(Dallas Morning News, June 29, 2010)
The federal government fined Texas $3.96 million for errors in calculating SNAP/Food Stamp benefits. The state over or underpaid SNAP/Food Stamp recipients 6.9 percent of the time in 2009; the Austin and Dallas-Fort Worth error rates were more than 10 percent. Ten years ago, the state received bonuses for SNAP/Food Stamp [payment] accuracy, then moved to a privatized system of SNAP/Food Stamp administration which was beset by problems. Texas Health and Human Services Commission spokesman Geoff Wool said the state will appeal the fine, which he termed “unfair,” citing the privatization troubles, Hurricane Ike in 2008, and the recession for overwhelming state SNAP/Food Stamp workers. Since then, “We’ve been increasing staff and taking other steps to improve our quality control and timeliness,” said Wool. He noted that, since March 1, a streamlining initiative involving food banks in the state has interviewed 4,100 Texans for SNAP/Food Stamps. Since September 1, 2009, HHS has also upgraded their phone system, hired 850 workers, and improved technology in field offices. The October backlog of 42,000 households was reduced to about 1,500 in May. The fine carries a message for the state Legislature “that in order to get food to hungry families in an accurate way, we need more staff, we need more resources,” said Celia Hagert at the Center for Public Policy Priorities. “So hopefully, after [state officials] are done arguing the penalty, they’ll agree to reinvest a portion of [the fine] into improve access.” USDA undersecretary Kevin Concannon last week told the state that half of the fine could be waived if the state agrees to channel the money into improving their SNAP/Food Stamp system. Nearly 3.6 million Texans currently receive SNAP/Food Stamps.

6. More in San Francisco Could Benefit from SNAP/Food Stamps
(The Examiner, June 30, 2010)

In the past 17 months, the number of San Francisco residents receiving SNAP/Food Stamps grew 55 percent, with the benefit helping about 41,743 needy in the city. However, only one-twentieth of San Franciscans receive SNAP/Food Stamps, compared to one-eighth of Americans across the country. In California, only 48 percent of eligible residents receive the benefit, compared to 66 percent nationwide. The San Francisco Food Bank, which has seen its requests jump 25 percent in the past year, estimates that one-quarter of children and seniors and one-fifth of adults in the city experience food insecurity each day. San Francisco has a high cost of living, and many potential SNAP/Food Stamp recipients don’t apply because of the bureaucracy involved - the nine-page application form, the two separate interviews required, and California’s rule that all adults in an applicant’s household be fingerprinted in order to be approved. As participation grew, San Francisco hired 18 more workers and provided a call center and help desk for recipients who have questions about re-applying. Still, there are many San Franciscans who are hungry but not eligible for SNAP/Food Stamps. They turn to emergency providers like the Bayview Mission Food Pantry. “When I started coming [to the pantry], this line didn’t go past that sign,” said Carl Smith, who recently waited outside the organization for food. “And at that time there was just one line. Now, it’s two lines and they both go all the way around the corner.” Smith receives Social Security income and is not able to receive SNAP/Food Stamps. “These people are not in the line because you want to be,” he noted. “You’re in this line because you have to be.”

7. Kansas City, Mo. Struggles with Food Desert Problem
(KCFreePress.com, July 1, 2010)

About 37,000 low-income Jackson County, Missouri residents live more than a mile from a grocery store, according to USDA’s Food Environment Atlas. These residents are living in “food deserts,” neighborhoods lacking access to healthy food. Grocery stores open new locations in the suburbs or more affluent areas, bypassing the areas needing new stores the most. “My constituents have to get their groceries from Walgreens and CVS,” said Councilwoman Sharon Sanders Brooks in a June legislative meeting. Although the City Council recently passed a rural farming ordinance, allowing city farmers to sell produce out of their homes, and giving residential areas the opportunity to develop “community supported agriculture,” these aren’t the fix-all solutions. “A couple of City Council members said we just need to put farmers’ market in these communities,” said Katherine Kelly, executive director of the Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture. “That’s not a bad thing, but it isn’t going to be enough.”