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. Food Stamp Program Is Success in Effective Government Aid
2. USDA Makes “Business Case” for Increasing Food Stamp Participation Even More Attractive
3. USDA Requests Applications for Grants to Support Community Food Projects
4. Op-Ed: Minimum Wage Increase Should Lead to “A Living Wage We Can Live with”
5. Nebraska Replaces Food Stamp Benefits Lost Due to Storm-Related Food Spoilage
6. Ohio Food Bank Proves That Food Stamp Outreach Works
7. Oregon – Op-Ed: Snow Can Bring Hunger to Low-Income Families
8. Illinois: Study of Hunger in Champaign County Helps Better Serve Those in Need
9. New Mexico Legislators Face Issues of Health Insurance, Food Assistance for Working Families
10. Washington – Editorial: Legislators Should Make Lunch Free for More Students
11. Indiana School Nutrition and Physical Activity Law Works Toward Healthier School Food, Expands Breakfast Programs
12. Connecticut: One Danbury School Teaches How to “Rise and Shine” by Exercising and Having Healthy Breakfast
13. New York: Free Tax Preparation Services Target Families That Might Benefit from Tax Credit
14. New York: Poverty Simulation in Ithaca Reminds Residents of Dr. King’s Legacy
15. Idaho Governor Proposes Larger Grocery Tax Credit for Low-Income Idahoans
16. California Citrus Freeze Leaves Thousands Without Jobs
17. New Hampshire: Children Face Increasing Economic Disparity Throughout State

1. Food Stamp Program Is Success in Effective Government Aid

(“10 Successes, 10 Challenges” and “Successes: A Government Reform That Worked,” nationaljournal.com, January 19, 2007)

“As the 43rd president of the United States prepares for … the State of the Union address, reflection on what went right in America can provide perspective,” writes Carl M. Cannon in the article entitled “10 Successes, 10 Challenges” in the National Journal. “The food stamp program, once vilified by conservatives, is a case study in effective government aid,” he writes, introducing a story by Jerry Hagstrom on the success of the program. “Republicans backed away from Gingrich’s plan to end federal food stamps, and so the government was able to act quickly to help the millions of people who were displaced in the worst natural disaster in American history, the hurricanes Katrina, Wilma, and Rita in 2005,” writes Hagstrom, praising the food stamps’ strong performance on the Gulf Coast. Hagstrom cites Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns who wrote: “The food stamp program effectively provides vital nutrition assistance to over 26 million low-income individuals and families with dignity and respect. I am especially proud of our talented and dedicated USDA Food and Nutrition Service staff who work tirelessly to provide life-sustaining resources to all those impacted by Hurricane Katrina.” Jim Weill, president of the Food Research and Action Center, points out that the program has become more important than ever because the number of Americans with low-paying jobs has grown. The 2007 Farm Bill is an opportunity to raise the food stamp benefit, which is less than $1 per meal, and to give USDA authority to provide food stamps to disaster victims for up to a year, according to Weill. “Weill will have to contend with budget pressures, but food stamps are much less vulnerable to attack than they were in the past,” notes Hagstrom.

http://nationaljournal.com/njcover.htm# (“10 Successes, 10 Challenges”)

http://nationaljournal.com/about/njweekly/stories/2007/sotu/sotu03.htm (“Successes: A Government Reform That Worked”)

2. USDA Makes “Business Case” for Increasing Food Stamp Participation Even More Attractive

(“The Business Case for Increasing Food Stamp Program Participation,” fns.usda.gov, 2007)

The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the U.S. Department of Agriculture has updated its materials to help states make the “business case” for increasing food stamp program participation. FNS provides an example of a hypothetical situation of a five percentage point increase in national participation. In FY 2004, the national participation rate was 60 percent. In FY 2004, such an increase would have resulted in 1.9 million more low-income people having an additional $1.3 billion in benefits per year for purchasing healthy food. The increase also would have brought $2.5 billion total in new economic activity nationwide.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/business-case.htm

Also see http://www.frac.org/html/news/newsdigest/03.27.06.html#1 (“USDA Food and Nutrition Service Demonstrates Positive Economic Impact of Increased Food Stamp Participation,” FRAC News Digest, Issue 13, March 27, 2006

Also see http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/pdfs/bc_benefits.pdf (“The Benefits of the Food Stamp Program,” FNS)

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/pdfs/bc_facts.pdf (“The Benefits of Increasing Food Stamp Program Participation,” FNS)

http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/pdfs/bc_table.pdf (“Table: Potential Increases in People Served, Total Benefits, and Economic Activity If All States Served an Additional 5 Percent of Eligibles in Fiscal Year 2004,” FNS)

3. USDA Requests Applications for Grants to Support Community Food Projects

(“Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program: FY 2007 Request for Applications,” csrees.usda.gov, 2007)

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture announces the availability of grant funds of approximately $4,600,000 and requests applications for the Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program for FY 2007. Grants are intended to support the program in three main areas: the development of self-sustaining Community Food Projects (CFP); the development of projects that provide training and technical assistance to those interested in developing new CFPs or to current grantees; and the development of planning projects to assess the food security needs and plan long-term solutions to ensure food security in communities. Eligible applicants must submit a 750-word letter of intent by close of business on February 13, 2007. Applicants whose letters are accepted will be invited to submit a full application, which must be received by close of business on April 13, 2007.

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/funding/rfas/community_food.html

4. Op-Ed: Minimum Wage Increase Should Lead to “A Living Wage We Can Live with”

(“A Living Wage We Can Live with,” latimes.com, January 14, 2007)

“The political foundation of the move to raise the federal minimum wage was built by the living wage movement, which has organized and won victories throughout the country for more than a decade,” writes Robert Pollin, a professor of economics and co-director of the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, in The Los-Angeles Times. In February, the minimum wage in 29 states and the District of Columbia, representing nearly 70 percent of the U.S. population, will exceed the current federal rate of $5.15. Moreover, more than 140 municipalities have a living wage law that mandates a wage from $9 an hour to $11 an hour, the author points out. Contrary to criticism of a higher minimum wage, “from 2001 to 2005, in the 11 states with minimum wages higher than the federal one, employment growth was slightly faster than in those states with the $5.15 minimum,” writes Pollin. In Santa Fe, job growth in restaurants and hotels, which employ the majority of low-wage workers, was 3.2 percent the year its living wage law was adopted. “Congress could follow Santa Fe’s lead by passing the current proposal [to raise the minimum wage],” Pollin contends, and “follow up with legislation that would allow for increases every two years after 2009,” with further increases tied to inflation and average labor productivity.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-op-pollin14jan14,0,203893.story

5. Nebraska Replaces Food Stamp Benefits Lost Due to Storm-Related Food Spoilage

(“Food Stamp Buys Ruined in Outages Can Be Replaced,” zwire.townnews.biz, January 6, 2007)

Nebraska residents who lost food purchased with food stamps because of recent power outages may be eligible for replacement of their food stamp benefits. The outages were caused by ice storms that began on Dec. 20 and affected Buffalo, Custer, Dawson, Franklin, Furnas, Gosper, Harlan, Kearney, Phelps and Sherman counties. “The ice storm has been devastating for so many,” said Mike Harris of the state’s Health and Human Services System. “We know that people who depend on food stamps to feed their families will be hit especially hard if their food is ruined.” Affected families must report their food loss to a local HHS office by Jan. 31. The replacement benefits are 50 percent of the household’s December food stamp benefit.

http://tinyurl.com/24ypwg

6. Ohio Food Bank Proves That Food Stamp Outreach Works

(“Serve City Volunteers Break Down Barriers That Prevent the Hungry from Getting Help,” journal-news.com, January 17, 2007)

Ed Jackson of Hamilton, Ohio, is grateful to the food stamp outreach program initiated by the Shared Harvest Foodbank. He used to distrust the government and its services, but the program helped him revise his views and apply for food stamps and Medicaid while he has been out of work. Gloria Bateman, the program’s coordinator, travels to food pantries and social service agencies in Hamilton, Fairfield, Middletown and Oxford. She helps residents complete applications and informs them about document requirements for food stamps. “I like the program because they can do one-stop shopping at the pantries,” she said. “It’s kind of intimidating to go to the Department of Job and Family Services.” According to Shared Harvest Executive Director Tina Osso, Bateman informed 10,311 people about the outreach program last year. Of that, 2,026 residents inquired into whether they were eligible for food stamps. Osso explains this success by the coordination and corroboration with the Butler County Department of Job and Family Services that partly funds the program. The food bank wants to expand the program in every county it serves throughout the Southwest Ohio and parts of Indiana.

http://www.journal-news.com/hp/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/01/16/hjn011707outreach.html

7. Oregon – Op-Ed: Snow Can Bring Hunger to Low-Income Families

(“Snow Can Fall Hard on Oregon’s Hungry,” oregonlive.com, January 19, 2007)

While some Oregonians enjoy beautiful snow this winter, the snow only complicates matters for families struggling to put food on the table, writes Patti Whitney-Wise, executive director of the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force, in The Oregonian. “Families surviving on low incomes depend on free and reduced-price school meals to make sure their children get enough to eat. For some, lunch is the main meal of the day. When school is canceled, a monkey wrench gets thrown into the household budget. Money spent for food on a snow day can mean hunger next week when the cupboard is bare and payday is still a week away,” writes Whitney-Wise. When parents cannot get to work on a snow day, they bring in a smaller paycheck at the end of the month. This can translate into unpaid bills, late fees or a loan from a payday lender. “We need more than temporary fixes for what have become permanent problems,” argues the author. Oregon needs policies that help families thrive: affordable housing, health care coverage to all children and better consumer protection against unjust lending, she concludes.

http://tinyurl.com/2x9pok

8. Illinois: Study of Hunger in Champaign County Helps Better Serve Those in Need

(“United Way, Food Bank Study Ways to Better Serve Those in Need,” news-gazette.com, January 14, 2007)

The Eastern Illinois Foodbank and the Champaign County United Way are partnering on a project that will help improve the emergency food distribution network. The goal is to set up a delivery system that allows hungry people to access food in a “dignified way,” said United Way President Tammy Lemke. The first phase of the study found that most food pantries in the Champaign County cap eligibility for their services at 100 to 130 percent of the federal poverty line and have hours inconvenient to working families. More than 22,000 county residents live above the poverty line, but still are unable to meet their basic needs, the study showed. “The need doesn’t stop at the poverty level,” said Andrea Rundell, director of the food bank. “There are plenty of families who by sheer circumstance find themselves needing some assistance,” she said. Rundell and others are encouraging income-based food programs to “think more broadly.” “Having to go to someone and say you can’t feed your family is a humiliating experience,” she stressed.

http://tinyurl.com/2a23zd

9. New Mexico Legislators Face Issues of Health Insurance, Food Assistance for Working Families

(“Health Budget Booster,” freenewmexican.com, January 15, 2007)

“Legislators hear it every year: Too many working New Mexicans cannot patch together the necessities of life,” reports the Free New Mexican of Santa Fe. “They go without basic health care. They go without food. They go without treatment for mental illness and substance abuse. And their children enter the world with the odds stacked against them.” But little has improved in the state, and the legislators will hear it again in the 60-day session ahead, writes the newspaper. Even with considerable economic growth of the past decade, the state’s per capita income remains one of the lowest in the nation. Twenty one percent of New Mexicans do not have health insurance. A record number of people rely on food stamps to provide food for their families, but there are still many that are eligible and not participating.

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/55239.html

10. Washington – Editorial: Legislators Should Make Lunch Free for More Students

(“Education: Free Lunch, Too,” seattlepi.nwsource.com, January 18, 2007)

“By making lunch free for more children of the working poor, the state could make a difference in their nutrition, health and school achievement,” writes this editorial in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Washington state Gov. Chris Gregoire has proposed spending $1.5 million to continue offering free breakfasts for children whose families are eligible for reduced-price meals. After a 30-cent charge for reduced-price breakfasts was dropped last year, September and October breakfast participation rose 37 percent statewide, according to the state Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The change worked particularly well “where it should, in districts with many lower-income students,” points out the newspaper. Schools in Seattle had a 90 percent increase, and many rural districts saw breakfast participation doubling and more. To follow up this success, “lawmakers should put $10 million into doing the same at lunch, eliminating 40-cent co-pays,” argues this editorial. “Free lunches for more students, all with incomes above federal poverty levels but well below what is needed for families to really make ends meet, will be healthy.”

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/300054_lunched.html

11. Indiana School Nutrition and Physical Activity Law Works Toward Healthier School Food, Expands Breakfast Programs

(“Law Mandates Healthier Choices at Schools,” tribstar.com, January 14, 2007)

Indiana Act 111, passed by state legislators last year after three earlier attempts, already is working to improve school nutrition and physical activity. The law prevents elementary schools from providing access to vending machines during the school day and requires school districts to provide daily physical activity to elementary students. The law also defines “better choice” foods and beverages that may be sold at school during the school day. Thirty-five percent of foods and drinks for sale to students, including vending machines and a la carte items in a school cafeteria, have to be “better choice.” That will increase to 50 percent by Sept. 1, 2007. The 2006 school nutrition and physical activity law “sends a message we’re going to offer healthier choices,” said state Sen. Vaneta Becker, the bill’s author. “If you offer kids healthier options, they will make healthier choices,” Becker said. The law also expands the number of schools offering breakfast programs. Schools that participate in the federal lunch program and have at least 15 percent of students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunch enrolled in the program must offer a school breakfast program.

http://www.tribstar.com/local/local_story_014232309.html

12. Connecticut: One Danbury School Teaches How to “Rise and Shine” by Exercising and Having Healthy Breakfast

(“Elementary Students Start Day with Exercise, Healthy Breakfast,” newstimeslive.com, January 16, 2007)

Huckleberry Hill Elementary School in Danbury, Conn., started the “Rise and Shine Fitness Walk” three years ago. Students are invited to walk through the halls of their school every Tuesday and Thursday for exercise and then have a healthy breakfast before school starts. The program runs through January, February and March and is becoming more popular. “As a school nurse, I see kids come to school and sometimes they’re tired or they have a stomachache because they’ve rushed out the door and didn’t have time to eat, so they’re not ready to learn,” said Monica Walsh, one of the initiators of the program. “By doing the fitness walk and breakfast they are alert and their bellies are full so that they are ready to learn. I’m hoping that down the road as these kids get into the older grades they’ll have healthy habits,” Walsh said. Breakfast includes water, juice, whole grain cereals, mini-muffins, mini-bagels and fruit cups. “We’ve been working on portion size,” Walsh noted. The practice of healthy eating has spread beyond just breakfast. “If we have birthday parties we can bring in a healthy snack like strawberries,” said fourth-grader Jillian Fisher.

13. New York: Free Tax Preparation Services Target Families That Might Benefit from Tax Credit

(“Low-Income Families Can Get Help on Finances,” buffalonews.com, January 14, 2007)

A coalition of more than 60 community groups, housing advocates and government agencies in Buffalo, N.Y., is planning to host a one-day “financial wellness” event for low-income residents to connect them to relevant public programs and services. Many of them don’t have cars, which limits their access to help. The project will focus on free tax preparation to attract families who qualify for the federal and state earned income tax credits (EITC). The event will launch the Economic Self Sufficiency Coalition’s annual free tax preparation campaign, which lasts from Jan. 22 to April 17. Organizers hope that families eligible for EITC will file for a tax refund and get cash in their pockets, which in New York can be as much as $5,897. According to IRS, about 25 percent of people eligible for EITC never file for it. Many low-income people use private tax preparers instead of a free site and take costly refund anticipation loans whose fees eat up their money. The Coalition aims at preventing that.

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20070114/1033680.asp

Also see http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/states/florida/counties/miami-dade/cities_neighborhoods/northeast/16443009.htm (“Free Tax Services NET Benefits,” miami.com, January 14, 2007)

14. New York: Poverty Simulation in Ithaca Reminds Residents of Dr. King’s Legacy

(“Poverty Simulation Recalls King’s Vision,” theithacajournal.com, January 13, 2007)

Organizers of the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration at the Greater Ithaca Activities Center in Ithaca, N.Y., decided to include a poverty simulation as one of the holiday’s activities. They hoped to remind others of King’s goal to “abolish” poverty and help them understand the challenges of living in poverty today. “When communities have pockets of people living in poverty, it impacts the entire community. This event encourages people to be thinking, what can and should we be doing to make this a better community for all our community members?” said Marcia Fort, center’s director. “There is a misconception that people in our community have enough to eat and are having three healthy meals a day. That’s not true,” she said. Participants were trying to manage work, child care, transportation and food needs while working within the confines of the finances of fictitious low-income families. “You see people begin … to realize that people actually do end up homeless because they can’t pay the rent or they’re underinsured or the food stamps don’t come through. It gives people a glimpse of what that’s like,” noted Audrey Cooper, an event organizer.

http://tinyurl.com/ypngye

Also see http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/today/s_488510.html (“Being Poor ‘Is a Lot Worse than I Thought,’” pittsburghlive.com, January 14, 2007)

15. Idaho Governor Proposes Larger Grocery Tax Credit for Low-Income Idahoans

(“Idaho and the Grocery Tax,” magicvalley.com, January 14, 2007)

Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter has proposed an additional grocery tax credit for low-income residents. Otter said he prefers targeting low-income people because they need the relief more than wealthier Idahoans. “I have carefully considered eliminating the (6 percent) sales tax on groceries,” stated the governor. “There clearly is a need to reduce the tax burden on lower-income individuals and families who must spend a disproportionate amount of their income on food.” All Idahoans get a $20 income tax credit annually; seniors get $35. Under the proposal, seniors would receive $15 and the $20 would be eliminated. Credit would be given on a sliding scale of up to $90 for each member of a family of four earning $25,000 per year. The changes would increase relief to those who need it the most, said Mike Ferguson of the state’s Division of Financial Management. According to his calculations, 320,000 Idahoans would be eligible to receive the full $90 credit. Idaho Democrats have proposed to eliminate the grocery tax altogether. Nationwide, 18 states tax groceries, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators.

http://www.magicvalley.com/articles/2007/01/14/news/top_story/104285.txt

16. California Citrus Freeze Leaves Thousands Without Jobs

(“Valley Pickers and Packers Face a Real Job Freeze,” fresnobee.com, January 17, 2007)

A citrus freeze in California has left many citrus pickers and packinghouse workers without jobs. “It’s awful,” said Orange Cove Mayor Victor Lopez. In Orange Cove, where 90 percent of residents rely on a healthy citrus crop, 70 to 80 percent of citrus has been damaged or lost. In Fresno County, welfare officials are working with the agricultural commissioner to streamline aid, including food stamps, for workers displaced by the freeze, according to Julie Hornback of Fresno County’s employment and temporary assistance department. Affected cities are offering assistance with utility bills or planning to seek state and federal aid to retrain workers. The Fresno County Economic Opportunities Commission already is swamped with requests for help with heating bills, said Lalo Acevedo, the agency’s operations director. “We don’t want people to be left with the choice of paying for food or heat,” he said. The agency also will provide job-training assistance.

http://www.fresnobee.com/263/story/24594.html

Also see http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=4939061 (“Assistance Will Be Needed for Affected Farm Workers," abclocal.go.com, January 16, 2007)

17. New Hampshire: Children Face Increasing Economic Disparity Throughout State

(“More NH Children Are Living in Poverty,” seacoastonline.com, January 12, 2007)

New Hampshire regularly tops national lists for treating its children well. But nationwide statistics aside, the state presents an alarming picture when economic differences between towns and regional shortcomings are considered, according to a report by the New Hampshire Children’s Alliance. “Some children, in some towns start life already behind their peers and face increased barriers as they age,” said Ellen Shemitz of the Alliance. “When you step away from the average, you can see tremendous disparity,” she explained. For example, Manchester’s Beech Street School has 83 percent of students receiving a free or reduced-price lunch, while the state average is only 18 percent. Children in the southeast areas fared better than those in the North Country, but pockets where children’s needs are neglected are spread throughout the state, the report says. It’s not only an economic disparity, but also a disparity in opportunity, Shemitz pointed out. “Every child should have an equal opportunity to succeed,” she said. The state Supreme Court has told the Statehouse to develop a new formula of funding schools that is not reliant on property taxes, which results in better schools for wealthier communities. The formula is expected to be in place by June 30.

http://www.seacoastonline.com/news/01122007/business-b-child.disparity.issues.html

For news tips, suggestions, comments, contact Olga Doty at odoty@frac.org