1. USDA Releases Revisions to WIC Food Package
(Reuters, December 5, 2007)

Fruits and vegetables will now be on the shopping lists for the more than eight million participants in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. The U.S. Department of Agriculture released their revisions to the WIC food package, which include the addition of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. States will have up to 18 months to implement the changes. Officials said the changes were necessary to reflect the “changing science and dietary guidelines.” "This really updates it and is an important step forward that follows the science. It's overdue," said Jim Weill, president of Food Research and Action Center.

Read more: “Fruits, vegetables added to WIC program,” Associated Press
FRAC’s Summary of the Changes           

2. Grocery Store Recognized for Support of Food Stamp Program
(Capital News 9, November 28, 2007)

Gabriel’s Grocery, an independent grocery store in New York, was recognized as a Golden Grocer Hunger Champion for their support of the USDA’s food stamp program. , "They outreach to make sure that those who are coming through their doors know about the program, and if they don't they make sure there are materials available to tell them about the program. It's also nutrition education. They do a number of things in the community and in the store about nutrition and healthier eating habits,” said USDA Regional Administrator for Food and Nutrition Services Susanne Biermann.

3. New York Outlines Efforts to End Hunger
(NewYork.gov, November 21, 2007)

Increasing the number of people participating in the Food Stamp Program is one of the top priorities in New York state’s plan to address hunger, according to David A. Hansel, commissioner for New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA). Governor Spitzer’s Governor Spitzer’s Working Families Food Stamp Initiative aims to enroll an additional 100,000 new households by simplifying the application process for eligible working families, expanding online application procedures and removing existing barriers to enrollment. The plan also allows the state to eliminate the resource limit for eligibility. “We can all agree that food insecurity is unacceptable in New York,” said Commissioner Hansell. “We at OTDA remain committed to doing everything within our power to remedy it.”

4. Op-Ed: National Hunger Problem is Magnified in NYC
(New York Daily News , November 27, 2007

St. John’s Bread and Life in New York City served over 200,000 meals in 2006, and that number will be exceeded in 2007. This reflects a city-wide crisis in which 1.3 million New Yorkers live below poverty level and rely on emergency food programs.

5. Food Stamps Help Working Families Get By
(Statesman, November 21, 2007)

Food stamps helped Keri Smeaton put food on the table after her husband was laid off from his job a week before their second child was born. In this op-ed, Smeaton pointed out that many families who are eligible for food stamps are working families who make barely enough money to cover their expenses. When living paycheck to paycheck, food stamps can help families catch up with their finances when dealing with the unexpected, she wrote. As Congress considers the Farm Bill, Smeaton wrote that “ I hope with all my heart that Congress votes to strengthen the [food stamp] program.”

6. Antipoverty Agency Struggles to Keep Up With Need
(The Journal News, November 22, 2007)

Putnam’s (N.Y.) Community Action Program’s (CAP) requests for food have increased “dramatically” as donations have gone down by nearly 20 percent. More donors are experiencing financial problems themselves, and are cutting back on donations. While need has grown, federal funding has remained level for the past five years. CAP many have to reduce services and staff as a result.

7. Illinois ’ Food Stamp Participation Rate Higher than National Average
(Illinois.gov, November 21, 2007)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recognized the state of Illinois for its effectiveness in reaching its families in need through the Food Stamp program. Illinois’ Food Stamps provide help to 75 percent of the eligible families – 10 percent higher than the national average. “ These numbers show we are doing a good job reaching the people that need help and qualify for this program, and making sure their families are getting food on the table all year round,” Gov. Blagojevich said. 

8. Serving Breakfast in Connecticut Classrooms
(Stamford Advocate, December 1, 2007)

Six schools in Connecticut now participate in the Breakfast in the Classroom program, and all have seen more children eating breakfast as a result. Some schools are now serving more breakfasts than lunch. The program is supported in part by a state grant. In Bridgeport, breakfasts are delivered to the classroom. In Stratford, students grab breakfast from the cafeteria on their way to class. improves concentration and learning and the program is reducing tardiness, as students who are late to school miss breakfast.

9. Facing a Cold Winter In Maine
(New York Times, November 24, 2007

Nearly one in five elderly people in Washington County, Maine live below the poverty line. Most in the region have held seasonal careers for much of their lives, and the irregular payments into the system make for Social Security benefits that are far below the national average. “One of our biggest problems is convincing people to take help.” said Eleanor West, director of services for the Washington Hancock Community Agency. Many seniors in the community assume that others are worse off than themselves, or are too proud to ask for assistance, according to local groups. “Low-income people aren’t even going to be able to fill up a single tank of fuel oil,” said Jo-Ann Choate of the Maine State Housing Agency. “They already wrap themselves up in blankets during the winter. This year they’ll be colder.”

10. Editorial: Hunger a Disgrace
(Salt Lake City Tribune, November 23, 2007)

“A disgraceful number of persons - 11.1 million, primarily single mothers and their children, and minority households- struggled to put food on the table. And that figure does not include the nation's homeless population, approximately 750,000 unfortunate souls on any given day,” according to this editorial by the Salt Lake City Tribune. In Utah, 14.5 percent of households are considered to be food insecure. “[I]t's a pitiful performance for one of the richest nations in the world,” the editorial states.

11. Op-Ed: Pennsylvania Can Help Farmers’ Markets Grow
(Philadelphia Inquirer, November 21, 2007)

Pennsylvania had its best farmers’ market season ever this year, but there are a few steps that could e taken to help them improve, according to this op-ed by John Weidman, with The Food Trust, and Joel Rotz, with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. To improve farmers’ markets, e lected officials should fund a new mini-grant program, expand the voucher program to mothers and seniors, and provide wireless machines to farmers’ markets that can allow them to accept food stamps.

12. Farmers’ Markets Increase Access to Food in Kentucky
(Courier-Journal, November 25, 2007

Farmers’ markets are becoming neighborhood fixtures in Jefferson County, Kentucky. While sales atthe two markets in Louisville lag others in the area, community groups operating the markets believe they serve a critical need for neighborhoods that lack access to full supermarkets. They also hope to attract more customers by expanding payment options to allow the markets’ to accept food stamp and WIC (Women, Infants, and Children). “ Building up farmers markets will increase access to fresh food,” said Jennifer Clark, with Active Louisville. “[T]hey're part of the solution, and it's exciting to see the initiative growing on a community level."

13. Wrong Phone Number Prevents Floridians from Accessing Help
(WFTV, November 29, 2007)

Florida ’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) printed a letter with the wrong contact number for families to call for Medicaid or food stamp services that went out to hundreds of needy families. According to DCF, an incorrect keystroke caused the system to default and print the wrong number. The department is now considering a state-wide 1-800 number.

14. Column: Indiana’s 211 Help Line Provides Valuable Information
(Post-Tribune, November 28, 2007)

According to columnist Jerry Davich, the Indiana’s 211 help line is similar to “ a local Google site for every imaginable social service, but with real people manning the lines during normal business hours.” The 211 help line is operated by the Northwest Indiana Community Action Corporation. Callers can speak with specialists that can help connect them with a number of social service referrals, including health care, food banks, homeless shelters, counseling centers, and other needs.