May 23, 2012 -- By Josh Cleveland, Americorps VISTA - Second Harvest Food Bank, Greater New Orleans and Acadiana

St. Mary Parish is a large, waterlogged stretch of land that stretches along the Gulf Coast of south-central Louisiana. It is a predominantly rural parish known primarily for its production of sugarcane. People here are fiercely loyal to their community and to their country. They strive to care for their own and are naturally wary of relying on government assistance to meet their community’s needs.

But if the recent economic downturn and loss of jobs have taught us anything, it is that people’s lives and livelihoods are fragile, and sometimes even the most self-sufficient among us cannot hedge themselves against life’s vicissitudes. When hard times do come, people are more likely to turn to government help (in the form of programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP) to get themselves back on their own feet--even in places such as St. Mary Parish.
 

Yet since 2010, while the economy has stagnated, residents of St. Mary Parish have been even more likely to fall through the cracks of an already porous safety net. Due to budget cuts at the state level, the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS, the agency that administers SNAP) has had to reduce its physical presence in the field, and St. Mary was one of the unlucky parishes to lose its local office. As a result of the closure, residents of the town of Franklin (the parish capital) had to make a 25-mile trip to the nearest office to apply for SNAP in person. For Morgan City residents, it was a 50-mile trip.

Since June of 2011, however, Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana has been bringing the SNAP application closer to home. Our outreach workers have traversed the parish’s marshy terrain, and partnered with a host of community-based organizations-- a health clinic, a senior center, a community action agency, and a local tribal government—to highlight the benefits of SNAP and to assist individuals with the SNAP application. Senior citizens and others who may otherwise have skipped meals or foregone crucial medications have gained more convenient access to benefits which, though by no means adequate to cover their food needs, might at least get them through part of the month.

And even as the waters of the Atchafalaya River ebb and flow, the river courses through its primordial home with a quiet strength and an indestructible dignity. Despite the ebbs and flows of modern economic life, the same strength and dignity abide in the people of St. Mary Parish.
 

May 15, 2012 -- By Jimmy Nguyen, Food and Nutrition Service
Last summer, my colleague Barbara Lopez and I traveled to South Dakota to document the great work two Native American Tribes were doing to feed their children during the summer months. Feeding children during the summer is crucial in fighting childhood hunger because children are out of school and are not getting the school breakfast and lunch they normally receive when in school.

The Cheyenne River Sioux and Rosebud Sioux Tribes both have long-running summer feeding programs that have helped many families in these tight-knit communities keep their children well fed and physically active. Watch the videos that we created from our trip below.
 

The Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe's summer feeding site in Eagle, Butte, South Dakota.
 

The Rosebud Sioux Tribe's summer feeding site in Mission, South Dakota
 

The first thing that struck me about South Dakota was the uninterrupted grassland stretching for miles in all directions. I had many opportunities traveling from Rapid City to the reservations to imagine what these prairies would have been like 200 years ago. Perhaps Sioux warriors would be tracking the large buffalo herds that used to roam the open grassland. Perhaps we would have been able to spot the pointed tops of temporary Lakota tipi dwellings on the horizon as the community followed the migratory buffalo herds.

Indeed this is most likely the romanticized imagery many people have of the Lakota Sioux. The current, less idealized imagery of life on the reservations we visited is of abject poverty. My visit to the Cheyenne River and Rosebud Sioux Indian Reservations helped to reconcile the two images. There were many families on both reservations who were living well below the poverty line. However, in my interactions with the Sioux people I found that they are still very proud people who look out for one another in their tight-knit communities. In my interviews with students, I found that they are very aware of the many problems in their community and yet they are hopeful for the future and have a quiet confidence that can only come from living in a strong community with a rich culture.

It was important for us to capture positive moments for our video in order to show that even seemingly insurmountable problems can be overcome by simple community actions that serve to inspire and nurture the next generation of leaders. We got images of a teenage drum group who played traditional Lakota songs taught by their Lakota language teacher. We captured video of children swimming at the community pool as part of the Youth Diabetes Program before they went next door to get a nutritious summer lunch that included a salad with bright pink radishes and a juicy plum. We interviewed a hard-working teenager employed at a summer feeding site through his community's summer youth work program. By teaching these young people about their culture, giving them work opportunities, and making sure they receive a nutritious meal every day, the Tribes are helping to ensure that the future will be brighter for their people.

 

Join Us for the 2012 Farm to School Grants Webinars!

Dates:
• Tuesday, May 15, 3:00 pm Eastern Time - Implementation Grant Overview
• Thursday, May 17, 1:00 pm Eastern Time - Planning Grant Overview

Register here: http://vovici.com/wsb.dll/s/17fb9g4f5f4

Description: The Farm to School Grants are intended to support efforts that improve access to local foods in eligible schools. In this funding cycle, FNS anticipates awarding up to $3.5 million in grants. Letters of Interest from potential applicants are suggested but not required by May 18, 2012, while proposals are due June 15, 2012.

The two webinars will help explain to interested applicants the details of the two different grant types (Implementation grants and Planning grants).
1. Planning grants are intended for school districts or schools just starting to
incorporate farm to school program elements into their operations.
2. Implementation grants are intended to help scale or further develop
existing farm to school initiatives.

Target Audiences: K-12 SFA's, nonprofit private schools, charter schools, Indian tribal schools, State and local agencies, Indian tribal organizations, agricultural producers or groups of agricultural producers, non-profits, and others that participate in the National School Lunch or Breakfast Programs.

For more information: Visit www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/f2s/f2_grant_program.htm
 

When: Wednesday, May 2nd
Time: 3pm EST/ 2 pm CST/ 1 pm MST/ 12pm PST

On Wednesday, May 2nd, 2012, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will host a webinar in Spanish to introduce the new, interactive La Mesa Completa toolkit. This e-tool in Spanish specifically designed for the Latino Community, describes federal nutrition assistance programs from the lens of a pastor or community leader. This tool will enable faith-based and community leaders to learn about various ways in which they can partner with USDA to ensure that Latinos have access to nutrition programs. The toolkit includes helpful links, best practices, stories, and even videos of personal testimony of how federal programs are helping families get the nutrition they need.

More than one in four Latinos is food insecure, and Latinos access USDA nutrition assistance programs at the lowest rates of any demographic group. The La Mesa Completa tool kit provides community leaders with an easy to use tool to navigate the different nutrition programs in order to help families put healthy, affordable food on the table.

To be part of the webinar, click here to register today!

Para participar en el Webinar, oprima inscríbase hoy!

 

April 26, 2012 – By Adriana Zorrilla, Food and Nutrition Service
One out of four Latino households is food insecure. To ensure that the Latino community has easy access to information about federal nutrition assistance programs, FNS has created a specialized webpage geared towards Latino populations called "Latino Outreach (La Mesa Completa)." The site is a one-stop shop featuring materials, tools, and resources in English and Spanish on USDA food help programs and nutrition education initiatives.

This comprehensive new tool will enable our partners, State agencies, and other providers to find the resources they need to help us improve the nutritional needs of our nation’s diverse Latino communities.

We need your help to spread the word about the benefits of our programs. To find out more about our Latino Outreach efforts and to learn how your organization can partner with the USDA to improve the health of Latino communities, go to the FNS Get Involved page and click on the blue Strategic Initiatives box.
 

On the site you will find links to resources, free printable and downloadable materials, as well as contacts for all of our nutrition assistance programs and nutrition education initiatives. There are six main sections:

FNS Overview: Brochures, handbooks, and fact sheets on all of FNS programs

FNS Programs: Outreach materials for each of the FNS programs

Nutrition Education: Links to FNS nutrition education initiatives and resources

Other Resources for Partners: Reports, data, webinars, and information for organizations to learn more about how to partner with the USDA

Resources for Individuals Seeking Assistance: Information for people who are in need of food help, including the SNAP and WIC Prescreening Tools, the Feeding America Food Bank Locator, and information for the National Hunger Hotline.

Contact Information: A list of contacts that provides easy access to our regional and state agencies for all our programs. Additionally, an invitation to stay connected with FNS on social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, E-Updates, and USDA blog.

To get started, visit: www.fns.usda.gov/outreach/getinvolved/latino_outreach.htm
 

April 25, 2012 -- By Celeste Perkins,
FNS Outreach Coordinator

It was a beautiful day at the annual White House Easter Egg roll on the South Lawn.  The Power Panther was able to make it out and get the kids moving.  The Power Panther also stood head and shoulder with Bob Harper, trainer on the TV show “The Biggest Loser,” as well as with Jared, spokesperson for Subway restaurant- all three addressing obesity in their unique ways.  Throughout the day, the Power Panther impressed the kids by dropping down to do pushups, keeping in step with the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative.  The theme for this year's Easter Egg Roll was, “Let’s Go, Let’s Play, Let’s Move!," which promoted health and wellness.

For more fun news about the event visit: www.whitehouse.gov/eastereggroll 

In the mean time keep moving!
 

Power Panther with Bob Harper, trainer
on The Biggest Loser

April 23, 2012 -- Action for Healthy Kids is an organization that fights childhood obesity by helping schools become healthier places and is a FNS partner.  Now Action for Healthy Kids is announcing in cooperation with partners such as Kellogg's and the Walmart Foundation, its School Grants for Healthy Kids opportunities for the 2012-2013 school year.

Over 500 schools nationwide will be awarded funds that will range from $1,000 to $5,000 with significant in-kind contributions from Action for Healthy Kids in the form of people, programs, and school nutrition expertise.

First Lady Michelle Obama with students from an
Action for Healthy Kids school.

The organization will also provide schools with management expertise and support to develop strong nutrition programs around school breakfast, competitive foods, summer meals, access to healthy food and nutrition education.

Award amounts will be based on building enrollment, project type, potential impact, and a school's ability to mobilize parents and students around school wellness initiatives. Schools must participate in the National School Lunch Program and National School Breakfast Program; and must have a free/reduced priced meal eligibility greater than 50% to be eligible.
 
Visit Action for Healthy Kids website for more information: www.actionforhealthykids.org

Click link below for more details regarding School Grants for Healthy Kids:
www.actionforhealthykids.org/upcoming-events/grant-opportunities/school-grants-for-healthy.html
 

April 18, 2012 -- By Audrey Rowe, Administrator - Food and Nutrition Service
 
As reauthorization of SNAP approaches, policymakers, interested citizens, and you
(E-update readers) need reliable information to assess the program's strengths and identify opportunities for improvement. USDA's new Building a Healthy America report draws on a wide range of research and analysis to present the latest information on SNAP's operations and impacts. Please download, read, and share.

Some key points include:

Program Participants
●  In 2011, SNAP served nearly 45 million people, about one in seven Americans. Nearly half of SNAP participants are children. 8% of all participants are age 60 or older, and about 20% of households include a disabled member.

Work Support
●  75% of the people who receive benefits for a year or less - and about 40% overall - live in households with earnings

Program Integrity
●  In fiscal year 2010, the program achieved the highest level of overall payment accuracy in its history. The record low error rate has been achieved during a time of rising State caseloads. In the past 10 years, the error rate has declined by 56% although SNAP participation has grown by 134%.
 

Reducing Poverty
●  Census Bureau analysis shows that SNAP would lift 3.9 million Americans - including 1.7 million children - out of poverty if its benefits were included in the official measures of income and poverty.

Economic Multiplier
●  Every $1 in new SNAP benefits generates up to $1.80 of economic activity.

Other SNAP Topics in the Report Include:
- Diet Quality of SNAP Participants
- Reasons for Not Participating in SNAP
- SNAP Participation Rates by State
- SNAP Modernization
- And much more

Again, you can view and/or download the report by clicking here.

Hunger Hits Home Trailer

April 12, 2012 --  One of USDA's esteemed partners, Share Our Strength, has collaborated with Food Network to produce an inspired movie about the problem of childhood hunger in this country.

The one hour special takes a first-hand look at the crisis of childhood hunger in America through the eyes of the parents, children, activists, educators, and politicians on the front-lines of the battle. It also features our very own USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

The documentary will premiere on Food Network this Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 8:00 p.m. ET.  However, before Saturday comes around you can:
 
1. Watch the trailer. 
2. Download the "Hunger Hits Home" viewer guide, which goes over some of the issues covered in the documentary.
3. Visit Share Our Strength's No Kid Hungry Center for Best Practices for ideas and resources to help you end hunger in your community.
 

April 2, 2012 -- By Jimmy Nguyen, Food and Nutrition Service

Most kids cannot wait for school to let out in June. However, for some parents, when school is out for summer, they have to worry about where their kids will get breakfast or lunch. USDA's Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) fills this summer meal gap for many low-income families. Local organizations all over the country participate in the SFSP and serve meals at schools, recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, churches, day camps, summer camps, housing projects, and Indian reservations.
 

Now you can advertise the summer food sites in your community by using our free Radio Public Service Announcements (PSAs). It's never too soon or late to start advertising summer meals. We have provided four PSAs to choose from and each of them are under 30 seconds. Two of the PSAs focus on recruiting summer meal sponsors and volunteers and the other two PSAs focus on letting families know where they can go to receive summer meals. Please download and then give one or all of the Summer Food PSAs to your local radio station to play for free.

• PSAs to recruit sponsors and volunteers to serve summer meals - #1 / #2
• PSAs to tell families where they can get free summer meals - #3 / #4

Click here to download the PSA transcripts  (Some radio stations will have their DJs read the PSA).

Now you may be asking, "How can I get my local radio station to play a PSA?" Well, here are some instructions that you can follow:

1. Look up radio stations in your area by going to radio-locator.com.

2. Pick some stations that you always listen to and contact their public affairs director or station.

3. Some stations post details about PSA submissions on their websites. However, if they don't, you can ask the station's public affairs staff the following questions:

a. How should I submit a PSA - via e-mail or regular mail?
b. What format should it be in?
c. Do you require the transcript?
d. Will one of your DJs read the PSA or will you just play the recording?
e. When will the PSA be aired and for how long?

4. Follow the radio station's instructions. If all goes well, sit back, relax, and listen for the Summer Food PSA to be played.

Contact getinvolved@fns.usda.gov if you have any further questions.

Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth Training Video on Their YouTube Channel

March 28, 2012 -- By Duke Storen, Director FNS Office of Strategic Initiatives, Partnerships, and Outreach

A classroom floor becomes a garden as 2nd graders at Hiawatha Elementary in Webster, Iowa decide which of their favorite fruits and vegetables will be planted in their school garden. Gathered in anticipation around a rectangle that represents the actual size of the garden bed, their teacher skillfully guides the planning, helping them consider which plants will thrive in Iowa’s climate, which plants require more or less sun, and which plants will be compatible neighbors. Along the way, the teacher introduces math concepts – deftly integrating her classroom lessons into a real world experience. Soon the students will be planting this garden for real - just as they have planned it - as will 4,000 other youth in 57 schools in Iowa, Arkansas, New York and Washington participating in Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth (HGHY), a project of the People’s Garden School Pilot Project.
 

This snapshot is from of a series of training videos that help teachers deliver lessons in planting, maintaining and harvesting gardens; learning about eating fruits and vegetables; and other aspects about working together to use natural resources to grow food. All lessons, selected after a national search to find the best nutrition and gardening curricula for grades 2 and 4, are aligned with STEM concepts (science, technology, engineering and math) and based on the 4-H Youth Development model of Do – Reflect – Apply.

4-H Youth Development Model

These videos, along with pre-recorded webinars and other downloadable resources, comprise a comprehensive toolkit designed to train educators in implementing HGHY’s educational components. Developed by the project’s national Content and Delivery Team, the toolkit makes efficient use of technology by providing clear and consistent on-line training for educators from coast to coast. All webinars and toolkit elements are available on the project’s website for easy access (peoplesgarden.wsu.edu). Currently, materials on the website are protected for project use, but you can view a sample of training webinar at breeze.wsu.edu/pg_gr2_un2. You can also watch this teacher in action, along with other training videos, on the YouTube channel www.youtube.com/user/ExtSchoolGarden.

Follow the progress of Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth on-line:
• Project website: peoplesgarden.wsu.edu
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/HealthyGardensHealthyYouth
• YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/ExtSchoolGarden

Leadership for Healthy Gardens, Healthy Youth is provided by Washington State University Extension, in collaboration with the Cooperative Extensions of Cornell University, Iowa State University and University of Arkansas. The project director, Brad Gaolach, Ph.D. can be reached at gaolach@wsu.edu.
 

21 de Marzo, 2012 -- Por Lisa Pino, Administradora Deputada de SNAP

La misión del Servicio de Alimentos y Nutrición del USDA (FNS) es proveer asistencia nutricional a todos los niños, familias y personas de bajos recursos que la necesiten para ayudarlos a estabilizarse económicamente. Para poder lograr este objetivo, nosotros trabajamos en conjunto con una red de asociados quienes nos ayudan a combatir el hambre. Especialmente, esperamos incrementar el acceso a la asistencia nutricional en la comunidad hispana mejorando la participación en el Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program o SNAP (antes conocido como Cupones de Alimentos), el programa más grande que tenemos para combatir el hambre.
 

Mira el Webinar de SNAP en español
por oprimir aquí.  

En diciembre, más de 120 organizaciones asociadas de habla hispana se unieron a FNS para participar en su primer webinar en español acerca de los requisitos para ser elegibles en SNAP. Colaborando en el USDA estaba la Oficina de Organizaciones Religiosas y Comunitarias, juntos condujimos el webinar para informar a los líderes comunitarios bilingües sobre la política de SNAP y compartir información acerca del trabajo que estamos llevando a cabo así como también los recursos y las herramientas que tenemos para conducir programas de alcance en la comunidad latina y contestar una serie de preguntas y preocupaciones acerca de la Elegibilidad de los emigrantes en SNAP.
 

El dialogo ilustró nuestro compromiso de asegurarnos el acceso al programa para todas las personas elegibles, sin importar su lugar de origen, raza o etnicidad. El año pasado, el USDA dio un paso histórico cuando: anunciamos el plan de La Mesa Completa, el cual es el resultado de la directiva del Secretario de Agricultura Tom Vilsack de desarrollar un plan de alcance comprensivo de los programas de FNS dirigido a la población latina; lanzamos MiPlato, la versión bilingüe del nuevo icono de alimentos MyPlate; promulgamos nuevas políticas sobre los requisitos de emigración relativos a SNAP, por la primera vez en más de una década; y lanzamos el nuevo Localizador de Tiendas de SNAP en español.

El acceso al programa continúa siendo una prioridad porque aunque 46 millones de personas al mes reciben la asistencia de SNAP, millones de personas elegibles no participan: latinos, emigrantes, adultos mayores, veteranos, y trabajadores de bajos recursos. En el 2007, únicamente 56% de los latinos elegibles recibieron SNAP e inclusive con 6.6 millones de latinos participantes en el programa en el 2010 todavía la participación fue baja.

La misión de FNS es proveer a todos los niños, familias y personas de bajos recursos elegibles la asistencia nutricional que necesitan. Todos los días, trabajamos con un sin número de organizaciones asociadas nacionales, estatales y locales para asegurarnos que nuestros programas continúen haciendo la diferencia para millones de personas que están viviendo con hambre alrededor de la nación. Y ellos merecen ser ayudados.

Para oír la grabación del webinar en español del USDA, oprima aquí. Para aprender más acerca de cómo colaborar visite nuestra página web o contáctenos en getinvolved@fns.usda.gov.

Shoshona Smith provides a ready
ear for the voiceless
 

March 8, 2012 -- By Shoshona Smith, Americorps VISTA - Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative

Working at the Preble Street Resource Center, a day shelter, soup kitchen, and food pantry for homeless and low-income community members, my position as an AmeriCorps VISTA with the Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Corps has opened my eyes to the social isolation and invisibility that often accompanies poverty. “People go out of their way to walk or drive around Preble Street, so they don’t have to think about or deal with us,” a client explains matter-of-factly.
 
 

Through the Preble Street Maine Hunger Initiative, I work with over 50 emergency food providers throughout Cumberland County. I frequently visit food pantries with new resources and opportunities for both providers and clients. Some of the most fulfilling moments of my work are those times when I am able to offer a forum for sharing. For many having a voice is empowering. Too often low-income community members don’t get heard.
 

With this in mind, the Maine Hunger Initiative team has administered over 700 surveys to food pantry clients. In these surveys clients described their experience feeding their families with limited food resources and their needs that go unfulfilled (a common concern was not having access to diabetic food). The majority of those surveyed (83%) of people worry about running out of food before they have money again to buy food, whereas 30% reported this as a constant worry.

I have been able to provide clients with the opportunity to share their stories in other venues as well: through a radio show which does yearly promotion for a ‘Stuff the Bus’ food drive to benefit Preble Street, for a senior hunger PSA, which we are currently in the process of producing.

I have been a witness to organized forums for clients to speak with the city’s mayor, town manager, and state representatives about their concerns and needs that often remain unmet.

At Preble Street, I witness staff working everyday to offer what society often does not; unconditional positive regard and a ready ear.  Every opportunity for clients to share their stories and to be seen and heard is an opportunity to build happier and more confident individuals, stronger relationships, and more adept solutions to individual situations and poverty as a whole.