Outreach Coalition Minutes

August 4, 2004

Attendees: Joe Alston, FNS; Kristin Anderson, CHC; Bill Anderson, AARP; Bill Ayres, World Hunger Year; Angie Beachy, VA DSS; Kay Bengston, Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs; Julie Brewer, Bread for the World; Suanne Buggy, FNS CGA; Ed Cooney, CHC; Jennifer Drane, FH GMMB; Art Foley, FNS FSP; Carolyn Foley, FNS FSP; Ellen Frawley, FH GMMB; Yesenia Garcia, CHC, National Council of La Raza; Katherine Gigliotti, CHC, National Conference of State Legislatures;
Ruben Gist, Capital Area Food Bank; Larry Goolsby, APHSA; Laura Griffin, FNS FSP; Barbara Hallman, FNS FSP; Mark Johnson, FNS NERO; Kathie Klass, FNS; Harriet Kornegay, FNS; Juliet McCarthy, FNS; Julie Paradis, America’s Second Harvest; Priscilla Ramoz, World Hunger Year; Beverly Schwartz, FH GMMB; Jessica Shahin, FNS FSP; Susan Sheets, FNS; Jay Sternberg, AARP Tax-Aide Program; Jessica Stone, FH GMMB; Susan Topping, Capital Area Food Bank; Ellen Vollinger, FRAC; Patrick Waldron, FNS; Karen Walker, FNS; Dawn Washington, FNS FSP; Elizabeth Whelan, FNS, CHC; and Marian Wig, FNS MARO

Welcome: Barbara Hallman opened the meeting welcoming everyone and thanking FH for hosting the meeting. She then introduced our facilitator, Bill Ayres, and turned the meeting over to him.

Opening: Bill provided a little background on the reasoning of developing a coalition. Over the last 30 years the Food Stamp Program has grown, but we still have poverty in the United States. Between 1973 and 1998 there was essentially no salary increase for the average American worker. At the same time, housing costs increased; education costs increased. He stated that along with grass root organizations rising interest the government needs to do more, and not only in dollars, to deal with hunger in America. This prompted the development of the FSOC. The coalition itself is enabling more people to get involved in food stamp outreach and hopefully to change the view of the FSP to be seen as a wage supplement.

Jessica Shahin too thanked the members of the FSOC for their support and participation to this coalition. She stated that she was glad to see that state representatives were involved and felt that the success will be shown by getting resources to those in need. She also thanked Elizabeth Whelan for her work on the coalition.

Karen Walker spoke on the development of the outreach web site. She stated that it proved to be an excellent resource and that it provided detailed information on the various organizations that conducted food stamp outreach. She felt that the site, which is up and running, was a good public relations tool for the FSOC. She also stated that the listserv would be up soon and encouraged persons to use it. 

Update on the Media Campaign: FH staff (Beverly Schwartz and Ellen Frawley) provided an overview of the first year of the food stamp media campaign. Stated were the two goals of the campaign; to increase food stamp participation among the targeted groups; and to position the FSP as a nutritional support program. A brief discussion was provided on the five major tasks that were completed in year one:

1. The airing of radio and transit advertising in rural and urban communities; 
2. Focus group testing of FNS materials (print, radio and TV materials);
3. Photo shoot;
4. Conducted a survey of the 2002 FSP grantees; and
5. The development of the 2nd year of the media plan. 

FH stated that the analysis of the focus groups will be provided to FNS around the first week in September. Also stated was that the national FSP information number had seen a significant increase due to the radio spots aired in the three phases. The three months (March, April, & July 04) in which the spots were aired the information number saw a 50% or more increase in call volume. Which they say is a significant increase compared to other campaigns they’ve worked on.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Hunger Heroes
Team Members-Bill Ayres, Jody Cornwell, Larry Goolsby, Kathie Klass, Harriet Kornegay, Julie Paradis, Ellen Vollinger & Dawn Washington: The report focused on the major change concerning the program. The original intent was to try and change the culture of the FSP by honoring individual local office staff for their efforts in fight hunger: providing good customer service and doing what needs to be done to help eligible persons obtain food stamp benefits. Due to some concerns of State representatives, the committee decided it best to honor offices rather than individuals. This would still aid in the changing of the culture and the committee is finalizing the nomination form, creating a publicity plan and is looking to announce the program at the October 05 APHSA meeting. 

The discussion encouraged the committee to recognize all those who were nominated either via a plaque presented by regional staff or a non-profit organization within their state and to list all of the names on the outreach web site. It was also noted that publicizing this program is the key to making it successful.

Business Interest
Team Members-Mandy Briggs, Suanne Buggy, Abby Hughes-Holsclaw, Julie Paradis, Ellen Vollinger, Sarah Wilson: Report presented by Julie Paradis and it lead off with the task of the committee, which is to reach out to the private sector. It has been difficult to come up with a page to capture the essence of the problem and once completed it will be shared with the FSOC.

A lot of discussion took place concerning possible partners; e.g., job training programs, labor unions; and ways to reach out to the public sector. It was suggested that the nutrition message be included in the committee’s plan and that an emphasis be placed on the proven formula: every $1 in food stamps equals $2 in the community.

Promising Practice
Team Members-Bill Ayres, Gloria Bennett, Julie Brewer, Melissa Daigle, Stacy Dean, Katherine Gigliotti, Larry Goolsby, Maria Lloyd and Susan Sheets: Report was presented by Susan Sheets the sub-committee’s chair. Susan stated that the purpose of this committee is to collect and share promising practices; address the gap in local offices’ ability to spread information to others; present promising practices on the FSN Outreach website. To date, sub-committee activity has included review and coordination of FNS (PAD and CGA) comment on a promising practices form to be used by FNS Regional offices to collect promising practices in several areas including Food Stamp Program Outreach. In addition, the committee has researched available reports and studies on promising practices in delivery of food stamp benefits. In the near future, we plan to continue collecting promising practices and to develop a format for presenting promising practices on the Outreach Coalition web page.

Technology
Team Members-Melissa Daigle, Greg Walton & Dawn Washington: Report provided by Dawn Washington the sub-committee chair. Provided to the group was the committees charge to obtain technology-based promising practices from state offices. Requests have gone out to several state agencies seeking such practices. With the technology committee being so close to that of the promising practice committee, it was decided that the technology would not go back out to the regional or state offices seeking additional practices in technology. But would rather join forces with the promising practices committee and if any technology based practices were to come in the promising practices committee would forward it to the technology committee. At the time of the meeting the committee had received 6 responses/submissions from 4 states. 

Group discussion produced such comments as the business committee and the best practices committee to link together to find additional practices. The two committees could perhaps look into a for-profit organization will be willing to publish and print a best practices publication as a public service. Another comment was that the technology page on the web should include a narrative on how technology is becoming the way of the future possibly utilizing applicants for the FNS participation grants as examples.

Anyone with information about a state conducting an innovative technology based practice is asked to provide it to either of the technology committee members.

Local & State Offices
Team Members: Marian Wig, Pat Seward, Larry Goolsby, Laura Griffin, Melissa Daigle, and Suanne Buggy the sub-committee chair. Report provided by Marian Wig. This committee was off to a great start with mission of strengthening communication between state and local offices. At the time of the meeting they had met with a local office in Washington, DC in which they shared the role on the committee, information about the FSOC and current outreach activities and plan of the FSP. Marian provided a detailed account of their meeting at this office. Anyone wishing for a copy of her report should contact Marian or Suanne Buggy. Several state agencies had been contacted for additional information and for the scheduling of future meetings at other offices.

Before moving to the next agenda item, it was asked if the FSOC needed to establish additional committees. At that time no one thought it necessary. Committee members were also encouraged to be active not only in the FSOC meetings but the developed committees as well. Any one looking to join either of the committees or would like minutes from their meetings please contact the committee chair. If there is an issue in which you feel deems its own committee please send that issue to FSOC@fns.usda.gov  and it will be discussed at the next FSOC meeting.

FSOC Mission Statement: All members were provided a copy of the mission statement and asked to provide comments. The primary concern was for the word length and to make the statement more inclusive. It was suggested that the statement be condensed to a more concise statement. The thought was that the message would be stronger with fewer words used. After the meeting Elizabeth Whelan created the condensed version, anyone who has not received it and would like to should send your request to the FSOC email address with the subject “Mission Statement” and it will be sent to you.

During this discussion, a comment was made that the FSOC should be introduced to the Senate Caucus on Hunger. Ellen V., Julie P. and Ed C. were identified as possibly making this introduction on behalf of the FSOC. (ED, Ellen, or Julie would one of you confirm or provide a status of this introduction? Thanks.)

General comments: Conference equipment: it was very difficult for those participating via conference call to hear the discussions being held around the conference table. It was suggested that we find a better means of communication for the next call. Suggested was that we have more microphones around the table.

Coalition sustainability; the question was asked if there needed to be a framework created? The suggestion was made to allow the issues to determine the framework and not create one structure to follow or adapt to. Other comments were that the great thing about the FSOC was that it was open and very diverse. Allowing for varying levels of involvement would work better for coalition members. Another suggestion was that a list of FSOC members be made available to all FSOC members.

Next Meeting: Anyone interested in moderating the next meeting should contact Dawn Washington via the FSOC web site or at SNAPoutreach@fns.usda.gov . The suggested date for the next meeting was early December 2005. Please expect an email for this December date by the end of September or mid-October. It was decided that meetings will be on a quarterly basis, 4 times a year.

Final comments: Barbara Hallman stated that Elizabeth Whelan’s last day with FNS was fast approaching, thanked her for all of her work that she’d done for the FSOC and wished her well in her future endeavors. She announced that Dawn Washington will assume the coordination duties at Elizabeth’s departure. Bill Ayres thanked everyone for their participation in the meeting and FNS for its partnership. Ed Cooney passed out a document listing this year’s 26 ‘Victory Against Hunger Awards’.
 

Last modified: 04/30/2009