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. States Post High SNAP/Food Stamp Participation Numbers

Maine
(Morning Sentinel, September 29, 2009)
In 2008, Maine had the highest percentage of households participating in the SNAP/Food Stamp program, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which showed 13.8 percent of Maine households receiving the benefit. “Overall in Maine, we have done a very good job of doing outreach,” said Ana Hicks, senior policy analyst with Maine Equal Justice Partners. “These are all federal dollars that are going into our grocery stores to help meet people’s needs and also boost the economy.” One method of outreach: the Maine Office of Integrated Access and Support, which administers SNAP/Food Stamps, screens assistance applicants for eligibility across 22 support programs. “You could be coming in for a variety of reasons,” said John Martins of the Department of Health and Human Services. “Our process is so well integrated with all of the programs [which includes SNAP/Food Stamps], once they apply, they’re screened for everything.” Nationally, 8.6 percent of households received SNAP/Food Stamps in 2008. Louisiana had the highest percentage (16.2 percent) and Wyoming had the lowest (4.2 percent).

Mississippi
(Clarion Ledger, September 29, 2009)
According to the state Department of Human Services (DHS), the number of Mississippi households receiving SNAP/Food Stamps increased in 2008 to 184,779 households, up from 175,417 households in 2007. The numbers continue to rise and from October 2008 to May 2009, an average of 222,581 households received the benefit. “We’re almost serving 1 out of every 5 Mississippians right now,” said Cheryl Starkman, director of DHS’ Division of Economic Assistance. Food pantry requests are up also, according to Carol Burger, president and CEO of the United Way of the Capital area. Over the past 90 days, calls for referrals to food pantries increased nine percent, noted Burger. Many families in the state don’t have enough money to cover basic costs of living, and must rely on government or private assistance. Mississippi tied with West Virginia for having the lowest median household income in the nation in 2008 - $37,790; in 2007, the state’s median household income was $37,515.

2. AARP Encourages Seniors to Sign Up for SNAP/Food Stamps
(Black Voice News, September 30, 2009)

Millions of SNAP/Food Stamp dollars are going “untouched,” as only 34 percent of eligible senior citizens have signed up for the program writes N. Joyce Payne, Ed.D. and a member of the AARP Board of Directors, in this op-ed. Food assistance programs like SNAP/Food Stamps can improve the health of senior citizens with limited incomes, especially those living alone. Healthy people are more able to take care of their daily needs and “live independently.” However, many elderly people have to make the choice between paying for groceries or medications. “The most common reason people do not receive SNAP benefits is that they don’t realize they may be eligible,” notes Payne. A 2007 Census Bureau report found that an estimated 3.6 million seniors (aged 65 and over) live in poverty in the U.S. “In these tough economic times, AARP remains staunchly committed to connecting those in need with information and access to programs, which offer real relief and assistance in navigating their basic life needs,” concludes Payne. “We encourage all older Americans and those who care for them to learn more about SNAP and apply if they’re eligible.”

3. Texas Officials Allow Hiring of New SNAP/Food Stamp Workers, Reverse Earlier Decision
(Houston Chronicle, October 3, 2009)

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has been given the go-ahead to hire 250 workers to help process SNAP/Food Stamp applications for the overwhelmed agency. The Commission sought 650 additional workers, and although the Legislature Budget Board cut that number, it gave the Commission permission to fill 400 vacant jobs with workers able to process both SNAP/Food Stamp and Medicaid applications.
Click here for the Houston Chronicle’s editorial on the Texas SNAP/Food Stamp backlog.

4. Removing Fingerprinting Rule May Help SNAP/Food Stamp Backlog in Texas
(Marshall News Messenger, October 2, 2009)

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission, which administers the state’s SNAP/Food Stamp program, wants to eliminate the fingerprinting requirement. The state currently fails to process a third of SNAP/Food Stamp applications within the 30 day deadline mandated by the federal government, and in some cases is improperly denying eligible families. At the end of August, 38,000 new applications had passed the deadline date and were still waiting for approval. Removing the fingerprinting requirement would help streamline the application process. “Finger imaging is very time consuming,” said William Ludwig, a USDA/FNS regional administrator, who noted that Texas needed to streamline operations. Eliminating fingerprinting would also eliminate the need for applicants to visit a Commission office, since SNAP/Food Stamp interviews can be done over the phone. Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst is one of the officials supporting fingerprinting, which costs $3 million a year ($1.6 million for the imaging and $1.4 million in state worker time). The cost is split between the state and federal government. However, the program led to investigating only four applicants for fraud last year. USDA/FNS recently sent Texas a letter, which stated that unless the state speed up the application process, its federal funds would be at risk.

5. Recession Driving More Texas Families to Food Banks
(San Antonio Business Journal, September 29, 2009)

Latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau report that 15.8 percent of the Texas population – 3.76 million Texans – are living in poverty. According to a separate survey by the Texas Food Bank Network, rising consumer costs and stagnant wages are forcing even more families to seek help at food banks in the state. “Every one of our food banks has seen a large increase in demand,” said Barbara Anderson, state director for the Texas Food Bank Network. “Today’s numbers underscore the need for increased community support and federal action to address the needs of these families.” Upcoming legislation in Congress would expand existing child nutrition programs, and could ease the burden experienced by struggling food banks.

6. Blogger Charts Difficulties During SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge
(Cherryl-David.blogspot.com, September 10, 2009)

A blogger who finished the week-long SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge, which encourages a participant to live on the average SNAP/Food Stamp allocation of $21 for one week, noticed changes in well-being during the week: “I was listless, occasionally hungry, frustrated and bored, at best, with my food choices.” She noted that “the calories I did get…hardly represent a nutritious diet.” She noted that she should take in 2,000 calories a day to maintain her weight, but during the Challenge, only consumed 1,421 calories a day.

7. Data Shows Steady Increase in Wisconsin Children Qualified for Free and Reduced-Price School Lunch
(Wisconsin State Journal, September 20, 2009; Green Bay Press Gazette, September 20, 2009)

Data from the state Department of Public Instruction analyzed by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism found that over the past decade, the proportion of Wisconsin students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch has increased every year, and last year, nearly four in 10 students qualified for such meals. In 2000, 30.3 percent of students qualified for the meals, and the figure exploded to 37.6 percent last year. In 47 of 411 school districts, the proportion of low-income students doubled or more than doubled. With job losses in Wisconsin nearly doubling the state employment rate to 8.7 percent, Tony Evers, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, expects the number of low-income students to continue growing. Factors affecting the increase of free and reduced-price meal students include not only the recession, but the level of school outreach to sign students up, and the stigma attached to receiving meal assistance. That stigma is less in elementary school students, which led the Center to base its analysis on meal enrollment for the lower grades.

Gaining the most low-income students over the past decade was the Green Bay School District, which saw the number rise by 2,398 additional low-income elementary school students. Green Bay had a higher increase than the Milwaukee, Madison, or Kenosha school districts. Between 2007 and 2008, nearly 1,000 additional elementary school students in the Green Bay district qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, growing from 5,186 (of a total of 9,538 students) to 6,115 (of 10,749 students). Of the 9,900 district elementary school students in 2000, slightly more than 3,700 qualified for free and reduced-price lunch. In 2008, 57 percent qualified. Some of the increase can be attributed to the addition of 4-year-old kindergarten which increased the number of elementary students, but recession-caused unemployment is another likely cause. Stephanie Foley, community impact director of the Brown County United Way, explained that it’s not job losses causing families to struggle. “(It’s) things like, people have less overtime. They may be taking more unpaid time off. It’s subtler ways – it’s not necessarily full-fledged layoffs all the time, but they are feeling the impact in other ways.”

8. Kids Miss Meals when Hawaii Public Schools Close for Furlough Days
(Star-Bulletin, September 28, 2009)

Hawaii has instituted 17 furlough days this school year to meet a budget shortfall. Those furlough days, however, are leaving many students without school meals on those days. “We’ll definitely feel it,” said Darlene Muraoka, currently living in the Next Step homeless shelter with her four children who eat free breakfast and lunch at school five days a week. “Especially towards the end of the month when everyone’s so extremely broke. When they go to school, it’s such a relief because you know they’re going to get breakfast and lunch.” According to schools superintendent Pat Hamamoto, the state Department of Education is looking at ways to help the 70,000 students – 40 percent of the public school population – who receive free and reduced-price school meals. But Glenna Owens, director of School Food Services, said that parents are responsible for feeding their children on furlough days, when “there’s no school in session so there is no obligation for the department to feed children. There is no option.” In order for the schools to feed children when school is closed, they would have to identify that child to an outside agency, which goes against policy to receive federal funding, noted Owens.

9. School Breakfast at Utah School Helps Students Focus
(Tremonton Leader, September 21, 2009)

Utah’s McKinley Elementary School students are benefitting from the school breakfast program, and the results are noticeable. The school’s literacy aides noted that the breakfast program has helped students concentrate on their reading activities. “[T]hey don’t complain anymore, and they can focus on reading now,” said Principal Steve Chadez. “It’s a proven fact that kids that eat breakfast…do better in school,” said McKinley PTA Health and Safety Representative Ashley Jones. “We want our students to have the best education possible.”

10. Report Finds Low Number of Texas Teens Eating Fruits and Vegetables
(Houston Chronicle, September 29, 2009;)

A 2007 CDC national survey of 14,000 high school students found that nine out of ten teens do not eat a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables – and in Texas, only eight percent of teens are getting enough fruits and vegetables, in spite of a statewide effort to offer healthier school food choices. The true percentage may be even less. “The fact that it’s not assessing all components of fruits and vegetables may mean it’s overestimating,” said Tom Baranowski, a child nutrition researcher in Houston. Since 2004, Texas school nutrition policy has restricted fried and high fat foods and required daily fruits and vegetables. This year’s updates to the policy eliminate deep-fat frying and restrict candy sales to after school. The results don’t surprise school nutrition specialist Sonya Kaster, who points out that teens have more opportunities to eat what they want, and are “more in control of what they are eating than younger children.”

11. gotbreakfast Foundation Names New Grant Administrator for Silent Hero Grant Program
(PR Newswire, October 6, 2009)

Sonya Kaster has been appointed Grant Administrator for the got breakfast? Foundation, and will run the Silent Hero Grant Program. The program awards up to $100,000 in grants to public schools, private nonprofit schools and nonprofit organizations participating in the School Breakfast Program. Schools and organizations can apply for the grants before December 1, 2009 by downloading an application at http://www.gotbreakfast.org/grants.php. The got breakfast Foundation’s mission is to ensure that every child, regardless of background, starts the school day with a nutritious breakfast in order to learn, grow and develop to his or her fullest potential. The organization aims to increase access to breakfast programs to help fight obesity, raise test scores, and improve overall health.

12. Schools Weren’t Told of Food Recalls
(Star Tribune, September 22, 2009)

School cafeterias may have unknowingly served students tainted peanuts and vegetables after USDA failed to inform schools about recalls of these products, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The foods may have been distributed through the school meal programs, which serve 30 million students across the country. The GAO report “underscores the need for comprehensive reform of our food safety structures,” said Senator Dick Durban (D-IL) in a statement. “The 30 million students in the national school lunch program, their parents, and the country at large, deserve to know that the food they eat is safe and free of contaminants.” In a written response, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack noted that safety is of the “utmost importance,” and that USDA is working to improve its food safety system. The Food and Drug Administration said it was also working to ensure that schools will be notified in the future.

13. WIC’s New Food Package in Effect October 1, 2009
(World-Herald, September 30, 2009)

Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are part of the new WIC food package, which all states implemented on October 1, 2009. The new food package will help improve the nutrition of pregnant women, mothers of young children, and children under five. The changes are long overdue, say advocates for low-income people and nutrition. “We’re thrilled,” said Geri Henchy, director of nutrition policy for the Food Research and Action Center. “We think it’s going to be great not only for the families participating in WIC but also for some of the lower-income neighborhoods whose stores haven’t stocked fruits and vegetables and low-fat grains, fruits and dairy.”

14. USDA Awards WIC Improvement Grants to Nine States and D.C.
(USDA, September 23, 2009)

Eight states and D.C. will receive approximately $8.5 million in grants funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to improve WIC program administration and make it easier for participants to purchase food. Nine WIC state agencies (AL, CO, DE, IL, MO, MT, OR, PA, and D.C.) will share $3 million that will fund EBT (Electronic Benefit Transfer) planning projects. In addition, two WIC state agencies (AK, MN) will share $5.5 million to implement a modern, computerized WIC administration system. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the grant awards at the national “Healthy Kids, Healthy Futures” conference in Washington, DC.

15. Oregon’s Schools Provide Services to Skyrocketing Homeless Student Population
(Oregonlive.com, September 18, 2009)

In the past year, the recession has driven the number of Oregon students who are homeless up 14 percent to 18,000 children and teens, the state recently reported. “With the loss of jobs, our numbers have been climbing,” said John Hackworth, homeless liaison for Canby schools, which has the highest rate of homeless students – one out of every 14 – in the Portland area. “We listen for tips in what people say, and we hear ‘This is our third school in the last year’ or ‘We’re having a hard time right now’ or ‘We’re living at grandma’s house for a while.’ We want to do everything we can so these students stay in their school…and keep learning, ” said Hackworth. Oregon educators report they’ve been doing a “better job” helping students remain at the same school, get basic needs, such as food, and get extra help with schoolwork. Beaverton, Ore. also saw big increases in homeless students. “We are seeing people who are newly homeless, who have no idea how to navigate through the system,” said Lisa Mentesana, Beaverton Schools’ homeless social support liaison. “We dealt with some really panicked parents who had no clue what to do…Our role is to ensure their children’s stability in school, to provide them a platform equal to that of those who aren’t homeless.” Falls City had the highest rate of homeless students in the state, with 60 of its 170 students living with relatives, in camp trailers or other substandard housing. A homeless student is defined as any student whose family lacks a home of their own, including families who have moved in with friends or relatives for economic reasons, families who live in tents, garages or trailers without running water or electricity, and families living in motels. “We saw a lot more parents having to move in with their parents, their children’s grandparents,” Mentesana said. The state’s highest surge in homeless students are those whose families have had to move in with relatives or friends; three-fourths of the homeless students in the state report living under those conditions.

16. Los Angeles County Wants to Move General Relief Recipients into Federal Aid
(Los Angeles Times, September 20, 2009)

Faced with paying out $1 billion to county welfare – or “general relief” – recipients by the end of this fiscal year, Los Angeles County is considering spending $7.2 million to move many of these welfare recipients into federal social service programs. If the move is a success, taxpayers could save tens of millions of dollars, and the lives of welfare recipients could greatly improve. The $7.2 million would be used to have county employees help the needy navigate the difficult process of applying for federal aid programs. The county forecasts having nearly 100,000 general welfare recipients by June, the highest number in a decade, as many more residents lose jobs and their unemployment benefits come to an end. General relief recipients in Los Angeles only receive $221 a month, the lowest amount in the state among areas with comparable housing costs. “No one thinks that’s adequate,” said Philip K. Browning, the county’s director of social services. Cash payments amount to $200 million, but the county spends $800 million more on services for these recipients – medical care, law enforcement costs, etc. However, a third of general relief recipients were found, in a study conducted this summer, to have disabilities that would qualify them for federal aid. Caseworkers, housing subsidies and medical evaluations – making up part of the $7.2 million to be spend by the county – will help these needy apply for the federal aid. According to the county’s chief executive office, moving 4,000 general relief recipients onto federal assistance would save $50 million after a year.

17. New York City Poverty Numbers Show Bronx is Country’s Poorest Urban County
(The New York Times, September 29, 2009; The Epoch Times, September 29, 2009)

The poverty statistics recently released in the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey show that New York City’s overall poverty rate in 2008 was 18.2 percent – down from 18.5 percent in 2007 – but in the Bronx, nearly 28 percent of the residents live in poverty, with 47 percent of households headed by women with children living in poverty. The numbers provide a snapshot of the recession’s beginning, with many forecasting that poverty statistics will get even worse. According to Joel Berg, executive director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger (NYCCAH), the statistics don’t count the growing number of homeless people in the city. NYCCAH analyzed Mayor Bloomberg’s anti-poverty pilot program, launched at the end of 2006, and found that it was helping, at most, 42,000 New Yorkers in poverty – only 3 percent of the 1.5 million poverty-stricken residents.