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 and Nutrition Service launches new initiative to help families make healthier choices
(U.S. Department of Agriculture, June 7, 2007)
USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service recently introduced a new initiative designed to help low-income families make healthy food choices and increase their physical activity. The initiative, called Loving Your Family, Feeding Their Future, features communication techniques designed to help convey important nutrition messages. The program targets mothers who play an important role in choosing and buying food for their families. Available materials include a handbook, discussion materials and an online training module to assist nutrition educators in their work with food stamp participants and eligible individuals.
Download materials here.
2. USDA: Nutrition programs reaching more eligible Americans
(U.S. Department of Agriculture, June 5, 2007)
In 2005, the Food Stamp Program reached 65 percent of all those who are eligible for the program, according to the USDA. This is an increase of 11 percent since 2001. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns also noted a 70 percent increase in participation in the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and the Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) since 2001.
3. Food stamp proposal can help struggling New York families
(Albany Times Union, June 18, 2007)
In this letter to the editor, David A. Hansell, commissioner for New York’s Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance, writes about the importance of the Working Families Food Stamp Initiative unveiled by New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer. He points out that the initiative will help struggling working families by providing them with needed economic support. Hansell also said that the initiative would simplify the food stamp application process and benefit up to 100,000 additional working households in his state whose income is, at best, just above poverty level.
4. Few North Carolina students participating in Summer Nutrition Program
(The Star-News, June 13, 2007)
Only 12.4 percent of children in North Carolina who participate in free- and reduced-price meals during the school year receive meals through the Summer Nutrition Program, said Lynn Parker, FRAC’s director of child nutrition programs. The report found that 13.2 percent of all North Carolina households are food insecure, which means that they do not have access to enough food to meet their basic needs. About 56 percent of eligible North Carolina residents utilize the Food Stamp Program, and Jim Weill, FRAC’s president, urges Congress to push for more participation in the federal food programs. “New investments in food stamps to strengthen this critical program are essential,” said Weill.
5. Food prices up 3.7 percent, could increase more
(Ventura County Star, June 12, 2007)
Food prices have increased 3.7 percent in the past year and may jump as much as 7 percent by year’s end, according to the consumer price index. Factors such as higher labor, packaging, increasing demand for ethanol and fuel costs are contributing to the rising prices as well. Agricultural economist Michael Swanson does not see a clear end to the food inflation problem and said that food prices are increasing at a rate that may surpass 1990 when prices shot up 5.8 percent.
6. Improvements sought as more Montana residents use food stamps
(Helena Independent Record, June 10, 2007)
Last year 81,500 people, or one out of every 12 Montana residents, used food stamps to buy groceries. This is an increase of more than 20,000 people since 2000. The Food Stamp Program provides an average of $1.02 per meal for each eligible person in the state, but Montana food bank officials pointed say this should increase. Minkie Medora, chair of the Food Policy Council of the Montana Food Bank Network, pointed out that the Food Stamp Program has helped thousands in Montana, but improvements can be made. Anti-hunger advocates recommend increasing the benefit levels and reducing barriers to the program.
7. Michigan editorial calls for changes to Food Stamp Program
(Detroit Free Press, June 13, 2007)
The number of Michigan residents using food stamps has gone up 77 percent in the last five years, and a Detroit Free Press editorial urges improvements to the Food Stamp Program. The editorial stresses the importance of increasing funding to the program to increase benefit levels and widen access to the program.
8. California families struggle to find healthy food options
(San Bernardino County Sun, June 11, 2007)
Kim McCoy Wade, executive director of the California Association of Food Banks, said that the current food stamp allocation of about $1 per meal is not enough to provide enough to eat for many California families who depend on food stamps. "That's hardly enough to fill the plate, much less provide a healthy meal," said Wade. She pointed out that the recent food stamp challenges are a way to educate people on the difficulties of living on the current food stamp allotment. Wade hopes that more people will take up the challenge.
9. Meals programs impacted as defects force closure of two Oregon schools
(The Medford Mail Tribune, June 14, 2007)
The Medford School District in Oregon closed two elementary schools because engineers found serious defects, like crumbling brick and failing trusses, in older areas of both buildings. District officials are seeking advice from engineers and architects to determine whether the schools' cafeterias, located in newer areas of each school, would be safe to keep open for summer meals programs. Kathy Greager, a Girl Scout leader and mother of two affected students, wonders how children will eat this summer as officials scramble to make arrangements. “For some kids, that's the only meal they get,” she said. The district plans to remodel or replace both schools within two years, and students will be transported to other area schools during this time.
10. WIC helped 167,000 Oregon families last year
(Albany Democrat-Herald, June 9, 2007)
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) reached 167,000 Oregon women and children in 2006, according to an Oregon WIC report. The report said that 40 percent of the state’s pregnant women received food vouchers through the USDA program. Kara Well and Karry Walchli, WIC participants, appreciate the assistance given by the program.
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