1. Growing Number of Families Seek Aid
(USA Today, December 17, 2007)

A twenty-three city survey released by the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that many cities are experiencing an increase in demand food assistance and aid. Increased costs for housing and food were cited as causes for the growth in hunger.  Of the survey cities reporting on hunger, 16 cities (80 percent) said that requests for emergency food assistance increased during the last year. 

• Read the full report.      

2. More Low-Income Students Start the Day with Breakfast
(Post Crescent, December 16, 2007)

Across the country, schools served morning meals to 8.1 low-income million children through the School Breakfast Program, according to a report released by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). Wisconsin saw the biggest leap in participation with a 25 percent growth in the number of low-income students who received breakfast. "We need to further increase participation and reach more children with breakfast. It's a fast and long-lasting way to improve children's learning and behavior, foster healthy eating habits, and end hunger," said FRAC President Jim Weill.

3. Cleveland School District Uses Provision 2 to Offer Universal School Breakfast and Lunch (Education World, December 18, 2007)

By using Provision 2, Cleveland Municipal School District is offering its lunch and breakfast program at no charge to all 77,000 of its students. [Provision 2, part of the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, reduces the administrative burden for school districts that offer free meals to all students]. Between 75 and 80 percent of the students in Cleveland live in households with incomes at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. Since starting Provision 2, school breakfast participation has increased across the school district, especially among secondary school students. To boost awareness, the district sent out mailings to parents, asked cafeteria managers to promote the program by word-of-mouth, and use creative outreach strategies. For example, the district hosts “Lucky Tray Days,” where students getting school meals are entered to win prizes.

4. Op/Ed: Children Cannot Learn On an Empty Stomach
(Kennebec Journal, December 16, 2007

In Maine, nearly nine out of 10 schools that participate in the national school lunch program also participate in school breakfast programs. But, only about 32,000 students, eat breakfast at school each day. “We can all agree that parents should feed their children a healthy breakfast before sending them to school. But that agreement is no consolation for the thousands of Maine children who actually leave home each morning with empty stomachs,” wrote Steven Rowe, Maine’s attorney general, in this op-ed. “Feeding hungry school children is not only the right thing to do from a moral and social perspective; it is also one of the very best economic investments we can make…We can and must do better by our children.”

5. Opinion: Louisiana Needs “New and Creative” Solutions to Combat Poverty
(The Advocate, December 9, 2007

Louisiana has “steep hills” to climb in its efforts to bring more people into the workforce, according to this opinion piece by Advocate staff. “So many things we’re working on as a state are related to poverty,” said Barry Erwin of the Council for a Better Louisiana, when addressing Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal’s transition team. “We have the highest percentage of people eligible to receive food stamps, and 61 percent of our kids in public schools are eligible for free or reduced lunch. That’s an issue not talked about much, but it’s a real issue in Louisiana.” Nearly one-third of Louisiana’s households have a total income of less than $25,000. Erwin noted that while not all of the state’s high poverty schools are failing schools, all the failing schools are high poverty. According to the paper, these links between poverty and school achievement call for “new and creative approaches.”

6. Wisconsin School District Considers Expanding School Breakfast Program
(The Gazette, December 7, 2007)

In recent years, the Janesville School District started federally funded School Breakfast programs at Parker, Marshall, Lincoln and Wilson schools, but other schools in the district participate in a volunteer-led universal free breakfast. Funding for the volunteer program has fallen short, and many schools are seeking donations to keep the program going. Deb Goad, who manages the district’s food services department, said she plans to talk with Jackson Principal Pat Johnson to converting to the federal program. According to Goad, the school would be a good place to test blending the funded program with the volunteers who add extra attention to school children.

7. Funding for WIC Program Not Keeping Up with Need in Florida
(Palm Beach Post, December 10, 2007)

The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program in Florida may not be able to keep up with increasing need and increasing food costs. The number of participants in October alone rose by more than 13,000 – the largest increase that state administrators can remember. T he average price of a gallon of milk rose from $3.29 to $4.29 in less than a year, according to a USDA survey of stores in Miami. Officials say they will help as many people as they can, but they may be forced to turn people away for the first time since 1991.

8. Op/Ed: Increase Investment in WIC
(Baltimore Sun, December 10, 2007)

President Bush’s proposed budget cuts for the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) program would lead to about 500,000 more women and children who couldn’t access the program. Inadequate nutrition can lead to growth problems in children, and put them at risk for learning and behavioral problems.

9. Economic Decline Impacting Michigan’s Children
(Michigan Live, December 9, 2007)

The economic decline has left many in poverty in the state of Michigan. Over the past decade, the state has lost about three of every five jobs. The decline in employment is having an impact on Michigan’s children. The number of children living in households that receive food stamps has doubled, and the number of children who received healthcare through the state’s Medicaid program jumped by about 50 percent.

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