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. HUD Estimates 754,000 People Were Homeless in 2005
2. School Nutrition Association Announces School Breakfast Week on March 5-9
3. Dole Food Company Introduces School Vending Machines That Provide Healthy Snacks
4. Lunchboxes with Dangerously High Lead Levels Were Approved by Government
5. CVS/Pharmacy and National Council on Aging Team Up to Improve Seniors’ Health and Well-Being
6. New York: New Attempt to Improve Access to Food Stamps in New York City
7. Rhode Island: Many Eligible Residents Missing out on Food Stamp Benefits
8. Louisiana: Hurricane Victims Not Spending FEMA Assistance Funds Wrongfully Denied Food Stamps
9. Pennsylvania: Schools Join “Governor’s Fitness Challenge,” Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition
10. Tennessee: Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee Formed in Response to Growing Hunger and Obesity
11. Texas: El Paso WIC Program Recognizes 30 Years of Bringing Community Healthier Diets and Nutrition Education
12. Massachusetts: State Representative Proposes to Replace Federal Poverty Levels with More Realistic Poverty Thresholds
13. Oregon – Op-Ed: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Needs to Increase Income Limit and Assistance Amount to Raise Them Out of Poverty
14. District of Columbia: Lack of Affordable Housing Drives Families to Live on the Streets
15. Iowa: No One Immune to Poverty, Learns One Marshalltown Woman

1. HUD Estimates 754,000 People Were Homeless in 2005

(“754,000 Homeless, U.S. Says,” cleveland.com, February 28, 2007)

The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that 754,000 people, including those who lived in shelters, transitional housing and on the street, were homeless in 2005. The nation has 300,000 more homeless people than available beds in shelters and transitional housing, the agency said. HUD officials hope the new report will serve as a starting point to measure the elusive homeless population more accurately and better understand homelessness. “We ought to be looking for ways to move people from shelters into permanent housing,” commented Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness. HUD has been moving resources from emergency shelters to transitional and permanent housing for years. From 1996 to 2005, the number of transitional housing beds increased by 38 percent, to 220,400, and the number of beds in permanent supported housing increased by 83 percent, to 208,700.

http://tinyurl.com/2hfpve

2. School Nutrition Association Announces School Breakfast Week on March 5-9

(“School Breakfast: From Cafeteria to the Classroom and Beyond,” marketwire.com, February 26, 2007)

National School Breakfast Week, March 5-9, emphasizes the connection between eating breakfast and improved academic performance. This year’s theme, “A World of School Breakfasts,” will encourage increased student participation with fun-filled cafeteria promotions and a sampling of international breakfast foods. “School breakfast, traditionally served in the cafeteria, has expanded to the classroom and even to the hallways as schools strive to give students a nutritious start to the day,” reports the School Nutrition Association. According to the association, more than 9.6 million children participate in the School Breakfast Program every day. SNA offers resources to help plan special breakfast events in schools during School Breakfast Week at http://www.schoolnutrition.org/nsbw.

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=219920

Also see http://tinyurl.com/ywzul2 (“Career Center Prepares for National School Breakfast,” herald-dispatch.com, March 1, 2007)

3. Dole Food Company Introduces School Vending Machines That Provide Healthy Snacks

(“Dole Food Company, Inc. Launches Initiative to Provide Healthy Foods for School Children,” amonline.com, February 27, 2007)

In a partnership with national organizations, Dole Food Company is planning to launch a pilot program that will introduce to schools new vending machines featuring healthy food products. With help from the School Link Technology software, the machines will offer students fresh fruit snacks and meals made by the company in conjunction with cafeteria-prepared salads, sandwich wraps and milk. All foods chosen for the vending machines are approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and reimbursable under the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. In the first phase of the Dole pilot, vending machines will be installed in 15 schools located in Mesa, Ariz., Denver, Colo., Shawnee Mission, Kan., Corpus Christi, Texas and Conroe, Texas.

http://www.amonline.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=1&id=18297

4. Lunchboxes with Dangerously High Lead Levels Were Approved by Government

(“Lead-Laden Lunchboxes OK’d by Government,” cnn.com, February 18, 2007)

In 2005, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) tested 60 soft, vinyl lunchboxes and found that one in five contained amounts of lead that medical experts consider unsafe and several had more than 10 times hazardous levels. But the commission reported “no instances of hazardous levels.” The test results were not made public until the Associated Press received the information in response to a Freedom of Information Act request they filed a year ago. AP gave the results to experts for review. “They found levels that we consider very high,” said Alexa Engelman of the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland, Calif., which has filed a series of legal complaints about lead in lunchboxes. CPSC did forward the results to the Food and Drug Administration last summer. After receiving the results, FDA sent a letter to lunch box manufacturers warning them about the high levels of lead. FDA advised them that it might take action against them because the lead would be considered a food additive if it rubbed off onto children’s lunches. After the FDA warning, Wal-Mart stopped selling vinyl lunchboxes and offered refunds to customers who wanted to return them. California, New York and Illinois forced specific manufacturers to pull their products from store shelves after individual boxes were found to have unsafe lead levels.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/02/18/lunchbox.lead.ap/

5. CVS/Pharmacy and National Council on Aging Team Up to Improve Seniors’ Health and Well-Being

(“CVS/Pharmacy and the National Council on Aging Announce ‘Prescription for Better Health’ Campaign,” sev.prnewswire.com, February 27, 2007)

CVS/pharmacy and the National Council on Aging (NCOA) announced a joint effort to improve the health of older Americans with the “Prescription for Better Health” campaign. The campaign aims to provide health education and access to benefits through CVS/pharmacy stores and NCOA’s network of community based-organizations across the nation. With the first wave of baby boomers turning 60, the need for healthcare resources for older adults is increasing. One of the campaign’s components promotes access to NCOA’s BenefitsCheckUp(R), a Web-based service to screen low-income seniors for benefits programs. The service includes more than 1,350 public and private assistance programs from 50 states and the District of Columbia, ranging from energy assistance and nutrition programs to health care and income supplements. Informational brochures about the service are already available in CVS/pharmacy stores.

http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20070227/CLTU19927022007-1.html

http://tinyurl.com/23ej7r (more information about BenefitsCheckUp(R))

6. New York: New Attempt to Improve Access to Food Stamps in New York City

(“A New Campaign for Food Aid,” citylimits.org, February 26, 2007)

Politicians and activists in New York City are making a new attempt at improving access to food stamps for needy New Yorkers. According to the Human Resources Administration (HRA), 1,081,331 city residents were enrolled in the Food Stamp Program as of November 2006. FoodChange, a nutrition advocacy group, estimates that another 700,000 New Yorkers are eligible for food stamps but not receiving them. A quarter of those who qualify for food stamps – more than 180,000 people – are legal immigrants. Obstacles that affect all applicants – red tape, misinformation about benefits, restrictive office hours and language barriers – can be amplified for immigrants by legal restrictions and confusion about program eligibility and citizenship. Shortening food stamp applications from 16 pages to eight, and switching to their electronic processing are among recent steps taken to boost participation. City Councilmember Eric Gioia envisions services that could help immigrants with food stamp access, including online application and extending office hours to include nights and weekends. Gioia also advocates a “proactive social services agency” that would target people eligible for food stamps and also enrolled in other assistance programs such as Child Health Plus and free lunch programs.

http://tinyurl.com/yr57xx

7. Rhode Island: Many Eligible Residents Missing out on Food Stamp Benefits

(“Food Stamp Program Not Being Utilized,” media.www.thecowl.com, March 1, 2007)

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank estimates that “only 36 percent of the client households served through the Food Bank's network of member agencies receives Food Stamps. This is down from 46 percent in 2001 and 49 percent in 1997.” Federal government data show that Rhode Island ranks above only four states in food stamp participation among eligible residents. If Rhode Island’s food stamp use grew at the same rate as the national average, the food bank points out, this would amount to more than a $30 million annual gain for the local economy. Many legislators and food stamp program staff believe that the lack of awareness among low-income groups about available programs contributes to the problem.

http://tinyurl.com/yryzl4

8. Louisiana: Hurricane Victims Not Spending FEMA Assistance Funds Wrongfully Denied Food Stamps

(“King & Spalding, Chaffe McCall Help Katrina Victims Overcome Regulatory Barrier to Food Stamp Assistance,” marketwire.com, March 1, 2007)

King & Spalding, an international law firm, obtained a victory on behalf of low-income Hurricane Katrina victims in Louisiana whose FEMA benefits were improperly counted as a reason for denying food stamp assistance. The firm represented Paul Lala, a disabled resident of Chalmette, La., and other victims whose homes and personal property were destroyed by the hurricane. Unable to spend his disaster assistance to repair his home due to contractor shortages and uncertainty of the rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast region, Lala deposited the funds into his personal checking account. Lala met income and other eligibility requirements for food stamps, but the Louisiana Department of Social Services denied his application under the Food Stamps Act. The Act prohibits “commingling” disaster payments with other funds in a personal checking account for more than six months. LDSS told Lala that he would have to “spend down” his disaster funds before he could reapply for food stamps. As a result of Lala’s complaint, USDA agreed to waive application of the commingling regulation as it applies to FEMA aid recipients through March 2008 for the entire state of Louisiana. According to Lala’s settlement agreement, he and other victims in a similar situation will receive retroactive food stamp benefits that were wrongfully withheld.

http://www.marketwire.com/mw/release_html_b1?release_id=221916

9. Pennsylvania: Schools Join “Governor’s Fitness Challenge,” Promoting Physical Activity and Healthy Nutrition

(“Students Rise to Governor Rendell’s Fitness Challenge; Log Close to 1.5 Million Miles,” earthtimes.org, February 27, 2007)

Pennsylvania schools have overwhelmingly accepted the “Governor’s Fitness Challenge” that promotes healthier lifestyle to students, said Gov. Edward G. Rendell. Students at participating schools record how much time they spend on physical activity like running, walking, dancing, or swimming and convert it to miles traveled using a conversion tool. Schools are competing for one of three $5,000 grants that will be used for sports equipment or improvements in school nutrition like vending machines that offer healthy snacks. “It is our responsibility to help kids learn about the importance of how eating nutritious food and being active can lead to balanced lives. I challenged schools and students to take part in this so that, ultimately, they will help develop a healthier Pennsylvania,” the governor said. Rendell also is encouraging schools to invest in school breakfast and provide healthier choices for all food sold in school throughout the day. The new governor’s budget proposes the first increase in breakfast and lunch reimbursement rates in seven years for all districts that agree to meet the higher nutritional standards.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,66849.shtml

10. Tennessee: Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee Formed in Response to Growing Hunger and Obesity

(“Midstate Food Security Force Forms to End Hunger, Obesity,” tennessean.com, February 24, 2007)

A decline in locally grown farm products, an increase in hunger and the rise of obesity in Middle Tennessee spurred the formation of the Food Security Partners of Middle Tennessee. At an inaugural conference, Mayor Bill Purcell addressed the group with his growing concerns about hunger. While praising the work of the Second Harvest Food Bank, he said it will take the holistic effort of the Food Security Partners to solve the problems. Keynote speaker Mark Winne, a co-founder of the national-level Community Food Security Coalition, called such realities as people missing meals and children getting their only food of the day as a free lunch at school, “obscenities for which we have no tolerance.” “We are not going to accept conditions of hunger in our community,” Winne stated. He also pointed to the problem of affordability of healthy food, as the cost of fresh produce continues to rise. “The real culprit for many of these [food insecurity] issues is poverty. We need to improve education, health insurance and living wages,” Winne said.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007702240342

11. Texas: El Paso WIC Program Recognizes 30 Years of Bringing Community Healthier Diets and Nutrition Education

(“WIC Marks 30 Years of Boosting Nutrition in Region,” elpasotimes.com, February 24, 2007)

The WIC program operated out of the El Paso City-County Health and Environmental District in Texas recently recognized the program’s 30 th anniversary. According to WIC director Bertha Amaya, the program began in February 1977 serving 1,000 women, infants and children in El Paso County with a three-member staff. Today, the program has 48,000 participants and a staff of 146 people. In addition to more than a dozen full-time and part-time WIC offices, the program uses two mobile units to reach special-needs clients in shelters for the homeless and battered women and in programs for pregnant teens. “Nutrition education is one of the core values of WIC,” Amaya said. She stressed that the community also benefits economically from an annual infusion of $30 million, which goes to more than 80 authorized stores and vendors that accept and process WIC coupons.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/living/ci_5294474

12. Massachusetts: State Representative Proposes to Replace Federal Poverty Levels with More Realistic Poverty Thresholds

(“Report: ‘Realistic’ Poverty Threshold Higher Than Federal,” thetranscript.com, February 20, 2007)

Massachusetts State Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, proposed legislation to replace federal poverty level standards with a “self-sufficiency guideline.” This is the 13th year Bosley filed the bill, designed to help the working poor continue to receive vital public benefits as their income rises above the official poverty thresholds. “People who raise themselves above the poverty level … find themselves ineligible for services,” Bosley explained. “Saying people are above the poverty level is a misnomer — they might be above the standard, but they’re still impoverished,” he added, calling the government poverty level “not realistic for today’s society.” Alan Bashevkin of the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition said, “Families and individuals are reaching certain levels and end up losing their state aid …. and find themselves not able to make ends meet. They go into debt and do what they can. We want to lift people out of poverty and want to help them stop living month to month.”

http://www.thetranscript.com/portal/localnews/ci_5265698?_loopback=1

13. Oregon – Op-Ed: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Needs to Increase Income Limit and Assistance Amount to Raise Them Out of Poverty

(“Time to Invest in Poor Children and Their Families,” salem-news.com, February 28, 2007)

“Oregon’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program has been focused on reducing the number of families receiving assistance,” writes Michael Leachman of the Oregon Center for Public Policy. “But a family that is ineligible for assistance is not necessarily self-sufficient. Oregon’s caseload of families with dependent children is less than half its early 1990s size, but the state’s poverty rate among families with children has not changed,” Leachman points out. It has never been more difficult for Oregon families to qualify for the program. If a mother of two children works 19 hours a week at minimum wage, she is ineligible because she earns too much money. “In the early 1990s, the same mother could work nearly 30 hours a week at minimum wage and still be eligible for assistance,” writes Leachman. The cash assistance the program provides does not keep up with inflation and has lost nearly a third of its value in the last 15 years. “The Legislature has the opportunity now to increase both the income limit and the assistance amount,” argues Leachman. “These increases are long overdue.”

http://www.salem-news.com/articles/february282007/oregon_poor_22807.php

14. District of Columbia: Lack of Affordable Housing Drives Families to Live on the Streets

(“Housing Boom in D.C. Displacing Low-Income Families,” baltimoresun.com, February 25, 2007)

A record 56,047 families from the District of Columbia were on waiting lists for public housing and Section 8 vouchers in November 2006, according to the D.C. Housing Authority. This figure is up 7 percent from the same period in 2005. Every day about 300 families are waiting for a spot in D.C. Village, an emergency shelter that has fewer than 70 beds and is known for crowding, infestations and other problems. The city’s 200 family shelter units are not enough to serve families in need. “They’ll tell you there’s no place for you, then they’ll convince you that you should go back to where you came from, which might be a crack house or a terribly overcrowded house,” said Mary Ann Luby of the Washington Legal Clinic that advises homeless people. During colder weather, the city law mandates to provide shelter to everybody who needs it. While other cities, like New York, require that all people in need receive shelter, the homeless in Washington have fewer options when it gets warmer. Experts say the affordable housing crisis is one of the biggest contributors to the homeless problem in big cities like Washington, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Jim Greene of the City of Boston Emergency Shelter believes that the Bush administration’s subsidized-housing cuts exacerbated the problem.

http://tinyurl.com/272v3r

15. Iowa: No One Immune to Poverty, Learns One Marshalltown Woman

(“Marshalltown Woman Fights to Pull Herself out of Poverty,” timesrepublican.com, February 24, 2007)

“Nobody’s immune to poverty. Anybody can find themselves in poverty.” This is the lesson Wendi Hunt’s of Marshalltown, Iowa, learned after a divorce dramatically changed life for her and her two children. Five years after her wedding, Hunt was plunged into poverty, becoming a single mom with a newspaper route as a job. Both she and her ex-husband dropped out of college after the marriage, and the lack of an education has made it difficult for Hunt to find well-paid work. Now her dreams include being able to pay cash at the grocery store. Public assistance like food stamps, Title 19 and Head Start significantly help the Hunt family. “I’m grateful I get food stamps,” says Hunt. But “I never want to be in a situation again where I can’t support myself and my children,” she adds. After children go to bed at 8 p.m., she does her homework to earn an elementary education degree at Marshalltown Community College, taking it one day at a time. She also serves as a volunteer on the board of directors for Mid-Iowa Community Action that helped boost her self-esteem and direct her to self-sufficiency.

http://www.timesrepublican.com/News/articles.asp?articleID=7095

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