1. U.S. households experience decline in income and earnings

(epi.org, September 5, 2007)

Real household income for the typical American family has fallen over the past seven years, according to this analysis by the Economic Policy Institute of the 2006 Census Bureau estimates of household income and earnings. While the previous three decades saw an increase of 0.4 to 0.9 percent in the average annual household income, the average annual household income has slipped by 0.33 percent since hitting its peak in 1999. In 2006, the median income was $48,201, which is $1,043 below the peak in 1999. Earnings for men and women have fallen for the past three years, with annual median earnings falling by $482 for men between 2005 and 2006 and $388 for women.

  2. Healthier choices greet students at school

(The New York Times, September 5, 2007)

Across the country, school districts are implementing changes to make food offered in school healthier. “Surprisingly, the kids have kind of embraced them,” said Laura Jacobo, director of food services for Woodlake Union (Calif.) schools, about the new healthier alternatives now offered in the cafeterias and vending machines. Federal requirements mandate that each school district must implement a school wellness plan. More than half of the states have taken the federal guidelines a step further, and developed tougher standards for foods offered at school. In Congress, a bill sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) would authorize the U.S. Department of Agriculture to update its standards for foods sold on school grounds during the day.

Read more:       “Focus on health guiding cafeterias,” Williamsport Sun-Gazette, September 5, 2007

  3. Op-Ed: No excuse for families to go hungry

(Salt Lake Tribune, September 15, 2007)

According to this op-ed by Gina Cornia, director of Utahns Against Hunger, Congress has a chance with the upcoming reauthorization of the Farm Bill to make a difference for Utah families struggling against hunger. The House version of the Farm Bill includes several improvements to the Food Stamp Program, and Cornia urges the Senate “to adopt these and other important improvements... This will help ensure that American consumers will have access to enough food, which is one of the main goals of the Farm Bill.”

  4. Wisconsin Food Security Consortium launches Food Stamp Challenge

(wisconsinfoodsecurityconsortium.org)

The Wisconsin Food Security Consortium launched a Food Stamp Challenge to lead up to their Hunger Summit, which will be held on October 4. As part of the challenge, participants are asked to use the average food stamp benefit ($1 per person per day) as their total spending for food and beverage for one week. Individuals can sign up for the challenge on the Consortium’s Web site.

Read more:         FRAC’s ongoing coverage of the Food Stamp Challenges

  5. Grange to promote food stamps at Vermont State Fair

(Burlington Free Press, September 5, 2007)

The Vermont State Grange, in partnership with the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, plans to promote the Food Stamp Program at the Vermont State Fair and the Tunbride World’s Fair. Grange members will pass out outreach materials during the fair and hope to educate seniors about their eligibility for the program.

  6. Hernando school district connecting students with school breakfast and lunch programs

(St. Petersburg Times, August 30, 2007)

Lori Drenth, Hernando (Fla.) school district director of food and nutrition, is looking at new ways to boost participation in school meals programs. Last year, the district piloted a “Grab and Go” breakfast program at the West Hernando Middle School to speed up the line in the morning. Students can pick up the bagged meals to eat either in the cafeteria or in the classroom. After seeing the success of the program, Drenth offered the option to all school principals in the district. Two schools – Spring Hill and Brooksville Elementary – accepted the offer and now have “Grab and Go” breakfast available for students.

  7. Mahanoy Area School District offers universal breakfast for students

(The Republican and Herald, September 9, 2007)

Students from kindergarten to grade 12 can eat breakfast for free at Mahanoy Area (Pa.) schools. The universal breakfast program is part of their new wellness policy. “The universal breakfast program is just one of the things we’re doing to improve the health of our students,” said Michelle M. Schappell, food services supervisor for the district. “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and we just feel that it makes sense for us to provide all our students with a hot breakfast… it’s a healthy meal, a good balance of protein and carbohydrates.” Since the program was introduced, there have been fewer visits to the school nurse and improved student behavior and academics.

  8. Middletown, Franklin schools introduce universal breakfast program

(Middletown Journal, September 9, 2007)

Universal breakfast – where all children can eat breakfast at no cost – is now offered at five elementary schools in the Franklin School District and four schools in the Middletown School District (Ohio). “I think it’s wonderful,” said Superintendent Doug Lantz. “I think it should help with academics and testing.” According to the Food Research and Action Center, children who eat breakfast closer to test-taking time tend to score higher on standardized tests.

  9. Challenges of poverty, hunger exacerbated in rural communities

(Athens Messenger, September 3, 2007)

Ann Tickamyer, a professor of sociology and chair of the sociology and anthropology department at Ohio State University, has studied poverty and the impacts of welfare reform in four Appalachian Ohio counties (Athens, Meigs, Vinton and Washington counties). Incomes are “shockingly low,” says Tickamyer. “They are still below the poverty line. These are people working at minimum wage… they have no benefits.” Tickamyer found there was a significant drop in the number of people receiving assistance in the four counties surveyed. Part of the drop may be attributed to the new work requirements for receiving some benefits. Tickamyer points that access is another challenge facing rural communities. “If you live in a city, there are more jobs and more day-care options. Here, there might be one food pantry, one private assistance option… I’m not saying they don’t have big problems in urban areas, but a lot of the problems are magnified ... in a poor rural isolated area.”

  10. Bus schedules keeping children from school breakfast

(Times Record News, September 11, 2007)

School board members in Durham (Tex.) expressed their frustration with the slow implementation of school bus route changes that have resulted in children waiting as late as 9:30 a.m. for buses. Rev. Reginald Blow, a member of the school board, pointed out that the late buses meant that children arrived at school too late to eat breakfast. Blow hopes that the promises to fix the routes will be implemented quickly. “[A] lot of our kids depend on breakfast and lunch at school. It’s the only time they eat.”

  11. Florida Department of Health recognizes WIC program

(emaxhealth.com, September 10, 2007)

In Florida, more than 420,000 individuals participate in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program each month. The Florida Department of Health recently recognized the program for meeting the health and nutrition needs of participants. According to State Surgeon General Ana M. Viamonte Ros, M.D., M.P.H., WIC not only meets the needs of women and children in the state, but also saves public and private health care dollars.