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. FRAC Report: Administrative hurdles continue to block food for hungry children during the summer months
(FRAC, July 24, 2007)
Fewer than one out of every five eligible low-income children participated in summer nutrition programs in 2006, according to FRAC's Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation: Summer Nutrition Status Report. In many states, administrative hurdles and inadequate reimbursements in the federal food programs continue to be the largest obstacles to making sure that low-income children have access to healthy meals during the summer months. While 17.4 million low-income children receive school lunch during the regular school year, only 2.85 million get summer food when school is out. That means the summer nutrition programs are only reaching 17.7 percent of low-income children who depend on school lunch during the school year — a ratio that has fallen from 22.2 percent in 2000.
Download the report.
2. Food Stamp Program is vital to rural America, says report
(Newswise, July 23, 2007)
The Food Stamp Program and federal meals programs are vital in eliminating food insecurity in rural America, according to a recent University of New Hampshire report. The report found that 21 percent of food stamp recipients lived in rural areas in 2006, and children who lived in these areas were more likely to receive free or reduced-price school lunches. "A Farm Bill that strengthens and expands the Food Stamp and Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Programs will help alleviate food insecurity and hunger in rural America and contribute to healthier lives," said report researchers Sarah Savage and Kristin Smith.
Download the report.
3. Study: Many children skip meals, want to lose weight
(The Daily Express, July 24, 2007)
Researchers from the Schools Health Education Unit, a research organization based in the United Kingdom, surveyed 70,000 children and found that nearly 60 percent of girls between the ages of 12 and 15 said they would like to lose weight. About a third of boys desired to be thinner. Among girls, 27 percent did not eat breakfast the day of the survey and about one in four had skipped lunch the previous day. Researches also found that only 23 percent of children said they ate three servings of fruit and vegetables on a regular basis.
4. Federal minimum wage increase impacts many Americans
(The Macon Telegraph, July 24, 2007)
The federal minimum wage increased from $5.15 to $5.85 last week and is estimated to impact wages of 1.7 million Americans. "The reality for a minimum wage worker is that every penny makes a difference, because low-wage workers make the choice between putting food on the table and paying for electricity or buying clothes for their children," said Beth Shulman, a former vice president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. Some worry that the wage increase may affect benefits, like the Food Stamp Program, that many low-income households depend on. "Food stamps will decrease the same amount [as a low-wage earner's salary increases]," said Greg Jares who works at a family and child services department. "People on food stamps will basically break even."
5. Poor diet in pregnancy can cause child obesity, says study
(Yahoo News, July 25, 2007)
The diets of pregnant women may impact the weight of children as they age, according to a new study by New Zealand's National Research Centre for Growth and Development and the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom. Professor Peter Gluckman, who led the study, said that a fetus may set its metabolism to store and conserve fat in response to a womb low in nutrients. The study also said that pregnant women who consume higher levels of fat may cause a child to be more susceptible to adult obesity and other medical conditions, including diabetes and heart disease.
6. Hunger affects many Maine residents
(Kennebec Journal, July 23, 2007)
Hunger is a far-reaching problem in Maine that affects many including working families, senior citizens and veterans. Terry Howell, head of the Midcoast Hunger Prevention Program, said that rising costs of housing and other increasing expenses force many people to cut their food budget. "You can't buy the nutritious things you'd like to, especially when groceries have gone up astronomically," said Sandy Kalloch, a 64-year-old food stamp recipient. "You can't really buy the food you want because you can't afford it."
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7. Many Michigan seniors face poverty and hunger
(Lansing State Journal, July 20, 2007)
A 2006 report from the Institute of Women's Policy Research found that 11.1 percent of women 65 or older live in poverty in Michigan. About 6 percent of men in the same age group face poverty, according to the report. Nora DelMorone, a 73-year-old former business owner, depleted her savings to pay medical bills and was forced to skip meals to make ends meet. "We have been noticing that a larger number of older adults are not getting enough to eat," said Kate White, executive director of Elder Law of Michigan in Delta Township, Mich. "Some are malnourished because they may go a day or so without food, and when they do eat, they don't [eat] healthy foods, such as fresh vegetables or lean meats."
8. District of Columbia summer meals program has high level of success
(The Examiner, July 24, 2007)
The District of Columbia had the highest-ranked summer meals program in the nation in 2005, according to a FRAC report. “The District has made more progress in the past five years than anywhere in the country,” said Jim Weill, FRAC’s president. The District’s program reached seven out of every 10 eligible children in 2005, while the national average is two out of every 10 children. John Stokes, spokesman for the Office of State Superintendent of Education, said that the program has a level of success other cities would envy.
9. Virginia schools struggle with problem of childhood obesity
(The Roanoke Times, July 22, 2007)
Some schools in Virginia have tried to combat the growing problem of childhood obesity, but many struggle to see results. Only two out of 21 elementary schools in Roanoke, Va. meet a federally mandated wellness plan that urges schools to support at least 20 minutes of recess each day. Some Roanoke elementary schools do not have gymnasiums, and 17 physical education teachers are assigned to 6,200 students in the city's elementary schools. Efforts to embrace better statewide school health standards, increase nutrition standards and hire more teachers have often been rejected by Virginia lawmakers. "We’ve challenged schools to improve the minds, but we really haven't challenged them much to improve the health and the bodies of our kids," said Jim Bohland, director of the Institute for Community Health at Virginia Tech. "That’s an area where state policy could play a role but does not in this state."
10. School breakfast program expanding in Illinois school district
(Pantagraph.com, July 12, 2007)
The Unit 5 school board in Normal, Ill. will expand its school breakfast program to local high schools and two elementary schools. The program, which was previously implemented in seven area schools, will not need any additional funding because the expansion is covered by state grants for new food-service equipment, and current funding programs will cover the cost of food. Pat Powers, the district's food services director, said that school employees had seen more children who didn't feel well due to hunger. John Pye, assistant superintendent of operations and human resources for the district said, "[The breakfast program] has been a true benefit to our students."
11. Illinois school district receives award to start breakfast program at high school
(The Journal-News, July 19, 2007)
The Nokomis School District in Illinois received one of four national grants given by the 'got breakfast?' Foundation on July 16. Jean Chrosotki, the district’s superintendent, said the award will be used to implement a breakfast program at Nokomis High School. Students with school breakfast programs often have higher test scores, improved memory skills and lower likelihood of obesity. Two other Illinois districts received the award and a school district from Massachusetts was also recognized.
12. Massachusetts summer meals program provides food for many children
(The Republican, July 12, 2007)
More than 90,000 free breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners to be served to Springfield, Mass. children this summer, said Joy D. Straughter, co-administrator of the Food, Friends & Fun program. The free meals program, which began 14 years ago and is available Monday through Friday at a variety of sites throughout the city, helps many children who lose access to reliable nutrition sources. "They don't raise our food stamps in the summer, just because we have our kids out of school," said Patricia A. Myrick, a Springfield resident and mother of two.
13. Free summer meals provided in Washington school district
(The Bellingham Herald, July 17, 2007)
Children in Deming, Wash. can receive free lunches and breakfast during summer school in the Mount Baker School District. Cindy Lawrence, a food service worker at a local elementary school, said they serve about 120 breakfasts and 170 lunches each day at her school through the Seamless Summer Feeding Program. "I wish we could do this in the regular school year," Lawrence said. "That would be great."
14. Wyoming school district sees results from breakfast program
(Jackson Hole Star-Tribune, July 6, 2007)
The Natrona County School District in Wyoming implemented a breakfast program as part of its new approach to help increase the district's graduation rate of 74 percent, which is 7 percent lower than the state's average. The breakfast program, funded by a grant from the Board of Cooperative Educational Services, helps promote a nurturing environment where school officials can better connect with students, said Mike Pickett, principal of Roosevelt High School. "I love the breakfast program," said high school student Kristen Hayes. "It gives you the energy to get up and go to school. I love coming to school in the mornings."
15. EBT for food stamps approved for some Montana farmers' markets
(Helena Independent Record, July 12, 2007)
Eligible food stamp recipients in Helena, Mont. can use an Electronic Benefits Transfer card at local farmers' markets starting in September. The program will begin on a trial basis in three farmers' markets with plans to expand to other markets depending on its success, said Jim Barngrover, an agriculture and food systems program manager. Officials believe the program has potential to help food stamp recipients purchase more fresh produce and provide more money to local markets. Nearly $6 million in food stamps were spent at Oregon farmers' markets in a similar program, said Barngrover.
16. Opinion: Refundable tax credits better for low-income households in North Carolina
(The News & Observer, July 12, 2007)
Households in North Carolina with income levels well below the poverty line pay more than 10 percent of their annual incomes in state and local taxes, according to data collected by Rob Schofield, director of research and policy development at N.C. Policy Watch. In contrast, the richest 1 percent of households in the state, pay only about 6 percent of their incomes in taxes, said Schofield. Schofield asks lawmakers, who are considering enacting an Earned Income Tax Credit in the state (EITC), to examine the effects of the tax credit and the implications it has on low-income households. Schofield believes a refundable EITC is more beneficial to low-income households and warns lawmakers to be wary of nonrefundable EITC which a recent University of Delaware study says "generates distributional impacts that do not appear well-conceived or well-designed."
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