FRAC News Digest - September 10, 2004

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.

Issue 33, September 10, 2004

Food Stamp Participation Tops 24 Million Persons in June
Food Stamp Program Exanding, But Many Not Reached
Voters Want Better-Paying Jobs
School Lunch Costlier This Year
New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Stress Exercise, Calorie Control and Whole Grains
Being Poor Makes Healthy Eating Hard
Inactivity May Trump Fat as Heart Disease Risk
Changes to WIC Food Package Proposed in Preliminary Report
$30 Million Awarded to States for Outstanding Administration of Food Stamp Program
Vermont: 22 Schools Add Breakfast, Lunch Programs For First Time
Florida: Hurricanes Hit Florida's Poorest the Hardest
South Carolina: Serving Breakfast in Class Gets Participation Almost 100%
Wisconsin: Kids Line Up for New School Lunch Program
Massachusetts: Food Bank Faces Food Shortage
New York: Poor Feel Abandoned In Utica
New York: More Than One Million in New York City on Food Stamps

1. Food Stamp Participation Tops 24 Million Persons in June

("Food Stamp Participation Increases in June 2004; Tops 24 Million Persons," Food Research and Action Center, September, 2004)

Participation in the Food Stamp Program in June 2004 (the latest data available) increased by 187,901 persons from the previous month, to 24,163,504 persons. Some of this increase was due to continuing high rates of joblessness, states improving access, and the effects of the food stamp reauthorization implementation. The June 2004 level of Food Stamp Program participation represented a rise of nearly 2.4 million persons compared to the June 2003 level and more than 7 million persons since July 2000 (when program participation nationally reached its lowest point in the last decade).

http://frac.org/html/news/fsp/06.04_FSP.html

2. Food Stamp Program Exanding, But Many Not Reached

("Explaining Changes in Food Stamp Program Participation Rates," U.S. Department of Agriculture, September 2004)

The Food Stamp Program served about 54 percent of those eligible to receive benefits in FY 2002, reflecting a combination of increased participation, expanded eligibility standards designed to help working poor families, and improved techniques that yield more accurate estimates, according to a new report from USDA's Food and Nutrition Service Office of Analysis, Nutrition and Evaluation. The average monthly number of participants grew from about 17 million in 2001 to 19 million in 2002, an increase of 1.8 million, but the participation rate was not as high as had been expected. New rules replacing outdated limits on the value of vehicles food stamp households could own added about 2.7 million low-income individuals to the eligibility pool in 2002. Changing economic conditions increased the number of eligible individuals by about 1.4 million that year. Technical improvements in estimating the number of people eligible, including that meet the program's asset test, added another 2.3 million to the number of eligibles. Looking ahead, USDA expects the Food Stamp Program to serve an average of about 23.7 million people in 2004.

http://www.fns.usda.gov/oane/MENU/Published/FSP/FILES/Participation/TrendsSum99-02.pdf

3. Voters Want Better-Paying Jobs

("Labor Day Outlook: Low-Wage Workers Want Better Jobs Not More Jobs," Corporate Voices for Working Families, September 3, 2004)

There is widespread concern over the worsening problem of low-wage work, according to a new research report entitled "Struggling to Make Ends Meet: Low-Wage Work in America" by Corporate Voices for Working Families. The general voting public and low-wage workers believe it is critical that corporations and government work to improve the low-wage crisis. There is an overall belief that the best antidote for a low-wage job is a good job. The general voting public and low-wage workers agree that the preferred solution is better jobs that pay higher wages and offer benefits. Seventy-one percent feels that improving conditions for low-wage workers and their families will also benefit the rest of society. The Labor Department expects the economy to create more than 7.5 million new jobs between 2002 and 2012. However, almost 6 million of those new jobs will be low-wage jobs (those jobs that require limited education and provide minimal training).

http://www.cvworkingfamilies.org/Lowwage/lowwage.html

4. School Lunch Costlier This Year

("School lunch prices increase," Newark Star Ledger, September 7, 2004)

The rising cost of milk, fuel, fruit and labor has forced a nationwide spike in school lunch costs, with one school district in California raising cafeteria prices a full dollar. The average cost of a high school lunch in America is $1.66. Middle school lunches average $1.61 and elementary school lunches are $1.43. Higher costs mean schools have a harder time meeting mandates to curb obesity because healthier foods, such as low-fat cheese for pizza, cost more.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1094532608122530.xml

5. New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Stress Exercise, Calorie Control and Whole Grains

("2005 Report of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee," U.S. Department of Agriculture, August 2004)

Americans should eat at least three one-ounce servings of whole grains daily, limit calorie intake, and increase consumption of fruits and vegetables, according to the new recommendations by the federal Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. For the first time, the panel advised Americans to cut their consumption of trans-fatty acids, the hydrogenated vegetable oils found in margarine and many pies, cookies and fried foods. Also, the report recognized the major role that "environmental influences" have on a person's ability to follow the guidelines. The influences "tend to be beyond the control of individuals." Thus, changes to the environment could make a "substantial difference in consumers' ability and willingness to follow" the dietary guidelines. Further recommendations advise individuals to consume enough low-fat milk and milk products, watch out for added sugars, exercise at least 30 minutes a day, and lower their salt intake. School-lunch programs, food labeling and government nutrition education are all influenced by dietary guidelines. The final version will be released to the public next year.

http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/report/

To submit comments:
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines

6. Being Poor Makes Healthy Eating Hard

("Can you eat well on food stamps?," San Antonio Current, September 9, 2004)

Being poor often means eating poorly, not only because healthy food is expensive, but also because unhealthy food is cheap. "When you have only $300 in food stamps for the month, and you're confronted with spending 79 cents for a loaf of white bread or $1.09 for a loaf of whole wheat, you're inclined to buy mushy paste," writes Lisa Sorg, the author. The article includes a comparison of two shopping lists. The shopping list of organic produce and dairy, whole grains, and frozen foods costs about $14 more than the list of processed, heavily salted, and sugary foods. "Regardless of income, people deserve to eat healthily, which doesn't mean extravagantly. A diet low in preservatives, salt, sugar, and pesticides shouldn't be reserved solely for the middle-class and the wealthy," concludes Sorg.

http://tinyurl.com/5wcu5

7. Inactivity May Trump Fat as Heart Disease Risk

("Inactivity May Trump Fat as Heart Disease Risk-Study," Reuters, UK, September 7, 2004)

When it comes to heart disease, being fit may be more important than being thin, according to a new study of more than 900 women. "Our study shows that the lack of physical fitness is a stronger risk factor for developing heart disease than being overweight or obese," said Timothy Wessel, a physician at the University of Florida who led the research. When analyzed by categories of weight and activity, women who were at least moderately active were less likely to develop heart disease or related problems than women with low activity scores, no matter which weight category they were in, according to the study published in a recent Journal of the American Medical Association. The American Heart Association endorses at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity for women on most or all days of the week. A second study published in the same journal however, found that being overweight is a bigger risk factor than inactivity when it comes to adult-onset diabetes among women.

http://tinyurl.com/4wzm8

For the study:
http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/292/10/1179

8. Changes to WIC Food Package Proposed in Preliminary Report

("Proposed Criteria for Selecting the WIC Food Packages," U.S. Department of Agriculture, August 19, 2004)

A new report by the National Academy of Sciences' Institue of Medicine reviewed the nutrients and foods that are important to the health of women, infants, and children. The report is preliminary and contains proposed criteria and priorities for the next stage of the committee's work, which is to issue a report with recommendations about the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food package.

http://iom.edu/report.asp?id=21866

9. $30 Million Awarded to States for Outstanding Administration of Food Stamp Program

("USDA Awards $30 Million to States for Exemplary Administration of the Food Stamp Program," U.S. Department of Agriculture, September 8, 2004)

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman recently announced the award of $30 million to States with the best or most improved payment accuracy in the Food Stamp Program (FSP). Twenty-four million dollars was divided among the 10 States with the lowest and most improved payment error rate. An additional six million dollars was awarded to the six States with the best and most improved negative error rate. The states receiving awards are Arkansas, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illionois, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.

http://www.usda.gov/Newsroom/0374.04.html

Note: Additional bonuses for states excelling in improved service to low-income populations and timeliness of claim processing are expected to be announced this fall.

http://www.frac.org/html/news/PARates111803.htm

10. Vermont: 22 Schools Add Breakfast, Lunch Programs For First Time

("22 more schools add breakfast, lunch programs," Times Argus, September 3, 2004)

Twenty-two of Vermont's public schools will begin offering meal programs for the first time, as a result of a state law that requires towns whose schools did not offer a meal program to put the issue to voters by June 30. Most of the new meals are federally-funded breakfast programs, according to the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger. This year's new programs come after seven were added last year, bringing to 11,000 the number of students who now have access to school meals but did not two years ago. "School meals are extremely beneficial to students whose families may be struggling to provide nutritious food," said Rep. Robert Dostis, the campaign's executive director and the school meal law sponsor.

http://tinyurl.com/5lerh

11. Florida: Hurricanes Hit Florida's Poorest the Hardest

("Hurricanes hit Florida's poorest the hardest," The News Standard, September 8, 2004)

More than 93,000 Floridians with nowhere to go in the aftermath of Hurricanes Charley and Frances are staying in state shelters and sleeping in crowded gymnasium floors. They are among the more than one million Florida residents who have evacuated their homes as a result of the hurricanes, with most leaving the state or staying in hotels. The poorest in Florida, unable to pay for pricey hotels or transportation to leave the state, are relying on limited state assistance for shelter. Low-income Floridians living in mobile homes that have been wiped away by the weather are left homeless and in many cases unemployed.

http://newstandardnews.net/content/?action=show_item&itemid=962

"Florida Food Banks Operating Despite Damage," America's Second Harvest, September 9, 2004
http://www.secondharvest.org/site_content.asp?s=639

12. South Carolina: Serving Breakfast in Class Gets Participation Almost 100%

("Breakfast is now in session," Myrtle Beach Sun News, September 7, 2004)

At two rural schools, Horry County Schools initiated a pilot program that serves free breakfast to students in their classrooms rather than in the cafeteria. At Daisy Elementary, a pilot school, more than 500 students eat breakfast this year. The participation is nearly 100 percent of the school's population, said Laura Farmer, the district's food services director. The numbers also have risen at Green Sea Floyds Elementary, the second pilot school. Research shows eating breakfast holds a number of benefits, Farmer said. It allows students to focus on learning, cuts down on trips to the nurse, and improves behavior. "When children are hungry and their stomachs are hurting, they don't tend to be on their best behavior," Farmer said. Reyna Hernandez, aged 7, said eating lunch in the classroom is "funner." Her classmate Zakia Brisbon agreed, saying,"It feels good."

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/local/9597963.htm

13. Wisconsin: Kids Line Up for New School Lunch Program

("Lunch Lines Are Long," Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, September 7, 2004)

The new hot lunch program at Manitowoc Public School District (MPSD) entered its first full week. The National School Lunch program at MPSD became a reality thanks to a $1.4 million referendum passed in February that allowed the district to remodel each school building and create a central kitchen. Students receiving school lunch get a six-digit identification number. Families deposit money in their registered students’ lunch account, and money is deducted from the account each time lunch is purchased. Lori Stolz, a school volunteer, did not grow up with a school lunch program, and sees hot lunch as necessary. "I think it's great that [students] have this option," said Stolz.

http://www.wisinfo.com/heraldtimes/news/archive/local_17652698.shtml

14. Massachusetts: Food Bank Faces Food Shortage

("Hunger Relief Emergency Hitting Local Food Pantries," Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, August 31, 2004)

A hunger-relief emergency has struck western Massachusetts’ emergency food distribution network, which includes food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters supplied by The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Low-income families across the four counties of western Massachusetts who access food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters are not getting the food they need to adequately feed themselves. A convergence of factors has contributed to the emergency: an end-of-summer dip in food donations, an increase in people seeking food, and many needing help for longer due to unemployment or moving into low-wage jobs.

http://www.foodbankwma.org

15. New York: Poor Feel Abandoned In Utica

("In city of need, poor feel abandoned," Observer-Dispatch, August 22, 2004)

Poor families in Utica, New York, face daily health, nutrition, and education challenges. Children enter school with poor nutrition and inadequate health care, then fall behind academically because they are hungry or tired. Forty percent of Utica's children live in poverty, said Carlos Rodriguez of the Children's Defense Fund, but most families are missing out on government aid. The unclaimed funds total more than $10 milion. People think only unemployed persons are eligible for aid, such as food stamps and public health insurance, said Carolyn Kresky, the fund's director of communications. "But many of these programs are designed for people who are working minimum wage jobs." In New York state, a 40-hour per week minimum-wage job pays $10,712 annually before taxes. It is nearly $5,000 less than the federal poverty guideline for three people, the size of the average poor family in Utica.

(payment required to view article) http://www.uticaod.com

16. New York: More Than One Million in New York City on Food Stamps

("Food Stamp Participation Hits One Million; 700,000 New Yorkers Still to Be Reached Through Agencies Like CFRC; Registering Remaining People Could Bring $2.6 Billion to Local Economy," Business Wire, September 3, 2004)

More than one million New York City residents are participating in the federally-funded Food Stamp Program as of July 2004, according to recently released figures from the Human Resources Administration, a New York City government agency. With almost 1.7 million in New York City eligible for this nutrition and income support program, 700,000 potentially eligible participants for Food Stamps are still not receiving them, according to the Community Food Resource Center (CFRC). In addition to providing people with money for food, registering remaining New York City residnts could bring an estimated $2.6 billion to the local economy. CFRC is working to reach those eligible. "Since 1998 we have pre-screened more than 57,000 households for food stamps and in 2003 alone, our efforts prompted 55,000 people to call our toll-free food stamp hotline to request more information and enabled 13,000 households to be pre-screened for food stamps," said said Jodi Harawitz, Director of Food Access at CFRC.

http://tinyurl.com/6w752