The Weekly Food Research and Action Center 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. Secretary Vilsack Announces SNAP/Food Stamp Boost
(Philadelphia Inquirer, April 3, 2009)

“Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack says more than 30 million Americans who receive food stamps will see their benefits increase thanks to the federal stimulus act. Vilsack says the federal stimulus package includes an additional $20 billion in funding that will increase benefits for about 32 million people. Vilsack made the announcement Friday at Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia.”

2. Child Nutrition Director Takes USDA Post
(The News Enterprise, March 24, 2009)

Janey Thornton, child nutrition director for Hardin County (Ky.) Schools, has been appointed deputy undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at USDA. Thornton is slated to begin her job April 1. The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) administers programs such as SNAP/Food Stamps, school breakfast and lunch, and WIC.

3. Nutrition Boosts in Recovery Act are “Big Steps in the Right Direction”
(KGO San Francisco, March 16, 2009)

Government involvement is crucial to ending hunger for the 36 million Americans struggling with food insecurity, said Joel Berg, head of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger. Berg, a former food security official in the Clinton Administration, noted “The Obama stimulus package will provide a very practical boost to anti-hunger programs. It puts most of the money into the expanded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the new name for the food stamps program, but also provides significant funds for food banks, food pantries and soup kitchens.”

4. Additional Staff Needed to Handle High SNAP/Food Stamp Demand in Florida
(TCPalm.com, March 18, 2009)

Florida recently received a $5.4 million bonus from USDA for being the most improved state in SNAP/Food Stamp error rate. This editorial by three Florida advocacy groups* recommends that the money be used to hire new SNAP/Food Stamp employees and upgrade the program’s application technology. The state’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) expects that 288 additional full-time positions will be needed in FY 2010 to handle further SNAP/Food Stamp increases. The Florida SNAP/Food Stamp program experienced a 29 percent increase in participation over the past year as more than 408,835 people began receiving the benefit – the highest growth rate in the nation, as well as a record in number for the state. SNAP/Food Stamp centers in the state experienced a 40 percent increase in calls in October 2008 (versus October 2007’s call number); in October 2008, the call volume was more than three million, mainly from first-time applicants who were recently laid off. With every $1 in SNAP/Food Stamp benefit returning nearly double the economic benefit, Florida received a $1.4 billion economic boost last year. Many Florida nonprofit organizations have collaborated with DCF, providing SNAP/Food Stamp application assistance to the needy seeking help. “After dedicating some of our own private funds to help meet this extraordinary need, Florida must now allocate administrative funding to fully staff this program so that it operates efficiently,” concludes the editorial.
*Debra Susie, executive director, Florida Impact; Ted Granger, president, United Way of Florida; David Reaney, president, Florida Association of Food Banks.

5. Economic Recovery Boosts SNAP/Food Stamps in Maine
(Sun Journal, March 23, 2009)

According to Bob Thibodeau, program manager for Maine’s Food Supplement Program (Maine’s name for the SNAP/Food Stamp Program), state computers have already been programmed to boost the state’s 190,000 SNAP/Food Stamp recipients’ monthly allotment starting April 1, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “I’ve already contacted the Maine Grocers Association to let them know that there’s going to be that additional money coming in,” said Thibodeau. The money should start flowing into the Maine economy in mid-April, as the state’s EBT cards receive new funds between the 10th and the 14th of each month. In addition, the rule waiving the time limit that able-bodied adults without dependants could receive SNAP/Food Stamps will mean that more eligible residents of York, Cumberland, Sagadahoc and Kennebec counties will be able to receive the benefit through September 2010 (Maine’s other 12 counties already have “geographic exemptions”). Thibodeau expects that 5,000 to 6,000 new recipients will be added to the program’s rolls.

6. Kentucky Governor Notes Economic Benefits of SNAP/Food Stamp Boost
(Louisville City Hall Examiner, March 29, 2009)

“Food stamp customers get the primary benefit of this increase,” said Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, commenting on the boost in benefit through the economic recovery act. “But when we consider that the money goes to local businesses that employ local workers, we see that this increase is doing a lot of good for many Kentuckians.” SNAP/Food Stamp recipients in the state will see a boost in their benefits in April and will benefit from increased purchasing power at grocery stores. “For many of our customers, food benefits make the difference in planning nutritious meals,” said Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Janie Miller. “This means that families are better able to purchase healthy foods. Eating right makes a notable difference in both children and adults well-being.”

7. Ohio SNAP/Food Stamp Numbers Rise; Staffing Numbers Drop
(WCPO, March 25, 2009)

The number of SNAP/Food Stamp recipients in a number of Southwestern Ohio counties has risen significantly; in January 2009, Butler and Warren counties saw 31 percent increases from January 2008, Hamilton County’s increase was 16 percent, and Clermont County was up 19 percent. However, state budget cuts and a hiring freeze has meant that fewer employees are on hand to process applications. According to Clermont County’s Office of Adult, Child and Family Stability director, Crystal Patrick, the county lost three case managers and will not be replacing them, which puts additional pressure on the remaining 38 case managers who are handling between 290 and 500 cases. Patrick instituted changes to streamline the application process to assist with the caseload. Under the old system, applicants were given an appointment to return to the office in the following two weeks, but now clients can walk in and be helped right away, applying that day and in some cases begin receiving benefits the next. “[I]f they bring all their identification with them – they would be approved the same day,” said Patrick.

8. New Mexico SNAP/Food Stamp Numbers Rise as Other Safety Net Numbers Drop
(The New Mexico Independent, March 27, 2009)

This editorial reports that New Mexico, which has the second highest food insecurity rate in the nation, saw its SNAP/Food Stamp enrollment rise significantly as nearly 7,000 more residents began receiving the benefit in February 2009. However, Medicaid and General Assistance participation has dropped in spite of the recession, the state’s high poverty rate (ranking it third in the nation) and the state’s rising unemployment which increased from 3.7 percent in January 2008 to 5.1 percent in January 2009. Only 11 percent of the more than 1,000 New Mexicans seeking help in January and February received it; the editorial points out that that was the highest denial rate in recent history, and the department cut benefits to those already enrolled. Between September and November, 4,448 people dropped out of the Medicaid program, the first major decline in enrollment since May 2007. The state “has an enormous opportunity to draw federal dollars into our economy through Medicaid, the food stamp program and New Mexico Works,” the state’s cash assistance program. Declining safety net program enrollment is a “grave concern” as the state experiences its worst economic downturn in 25 years.

9. SNAP/Food Stamp Process Streamlined in One Washington State County
(Oregon Public Broadcasting, March 25, 2009)

Pete Casimir, manager of the Spokane Valley Community Services Office, has dealt with the state’s hiring freeze by having employees processing SNAP/Food Stamp and other applications use the phone for “some of our intake” and reducing the number of times applicants have to come into the office. The changes have been helpful, said Linda Stone of the Children’s Alliance; “They’ve gone paperless, so everything is scanned in and they don’t lose as much stuff as they may have in the past,” she noted. The hiring freeze and social services cutbacks, at a time when more people are looking for help, have forced the state to process client applications faster, which “will have an impact on families being able to get a response more quickly and hopefully get more benefits,” said Stone.

10. More Dollar Stores Now Accept SNAP/Food Stamps
(Detroit News, March 25, 2009)

Food sales produce one of the lowest profit margins for dollar stores, said Patrick McKeever, a senior analyst studying discount stores for MKM Partners LLC, but food attracts more foot traffic. More dollar stores are accepting SNAP/Food Stamps as the number of people on government assistance rises. Food is the “sleeper hit” for Dollar Castle stores, which has seen sales in all categories of merchandise up; most Dollar Castle stores sell dairy products, and a few locations offer frozen food. One shopper noted “We’re able to buy stuff today that we wouldn’t have before,” and discount store shelves are now stocking more brand names. Other dollar chains offering food and seeing increased sales during the recession are Dollar Tree and Dollar General.

11. Bulk of Economic Recovery Going to Help Needy
(Ventura County Star, March 18, 2009)

A large share of the economic development act funding “will pay for less visible … things,” notes this editorial. “It will spend billions on human services, thus putting money in the pockets of nurses, teachers, school-bus drivers and others whose jobs would otherwise be imperiled by state cutbacks in spending on education, healthcare and social services.” In Modesto, Calif., Governor Schwarzenegger staged a “photo-op” highlighting a $47 million freeway overpass project soon to begin construction. But $27 billion out of the $31.5 billion the federal stimulus brings to the state over the next two years “will pay for … basic human services. It will be distributed broadly throughout the state, trickling through the economies of every community.” There are significant numbers to report. The Ventura County Human Services Agency reported that in January, grocery stores in Oxnard took in $2.6 million in SNAP/Food Stamps alone, translating into $90,000 a day that “circulates throughout the economy,” helping to pay salaries of store employees. With the April 1 SNAP/Food Stamp increase, those same grocery stores stand to gain an additional $353,600 more by the end of the month. The editorial concludes that the governor’s publicity office should have him highlight this issue, and asks “Wouldn’t it make good TV news footage to film Arnold Schwarzenegger wearing an apron bagging groceries?”

12. Outreach Helps Clients Access SNAP/Food Stamps
(Syracuse Post-Standard, March 22, 2009)

The number of residents on SNAP/Food Stamps grew 14 percent (up 4,000 recipients) in four Syracuse-area counties between June 2008 and February 2009, and calls to local food banks are up. One food bank outreach coordinator now gets 30 calls on some days, up from the 10 calls she used to get daily. “People are panicking,” she said, and she is too, as Governor Paterson cut half of the funding for the Nutrition Outreach and Education Program; it used to get $2 million, which the federal government matched, and next year the state will give only $1 million, which means that the 45 outreach programs in the state could be reduced to 14. Callers to the program include people with jobs who can’t make ends meet in this economy, people who have been laid off, disabled people, the elderly, and former middle class residents struggling through the recession. One woman, a former school cafeteria worker, now in her 80’s, recently received outreach help, and said she never thought she’d need help. She qualified for some SNAP/Food Stamp assistance – the minimum amount being $14 a month (16 after the stimulus package takes effect) – and said that’s all she needs. Outreach workers have been fielding questions on heating help, housing assistance, low-cost phone service, and have been doing outreach at layoff fairs in Central New York.

13. Hunger in Pennsylvania Spurs Creation of Bipartisan Anti-Hunger Caucus in State Legislature
(Jewish Social Policy Action Network, March 25, 2009)

State hunger statistics moved Sen. Mike Brubaker to form a Legislative Hunger Caucus, composed of colleagues from both parties in the House and Senate. Although the state is a food and agriculture production leader, the most recent USDA food insecurity report found that 10 percent of residents – 492,000 households – are at risk for hunger, and one-third of those households have one or more hungry members; hunger is at its highest level in the state. Food insecurity and hunger costs the state more than $3.2 billion a year ($90.4 billion nationally), according to the Economic Cost of Domestic Hunger Study (released June 2007). Senator Daylin Leach, who authored this piece, is one of sixty-six House and Senate members who signed onto the Caucus, which has as its goal “to decrease the human and economic toll of hunger in the Commonwealth by breaking down the barriers to anti-hunger programs and by developing cooperative programs between government and the private sector to address hunger issues.” Several of its goals include:

educating the State Assembly on hunger issues;
improving access to food and nutrition for low-income children;
increase families’ access to anti-hunger programs;
enacting legislation to help low-wage families obtain more food from grocery
stores by indexing the minimum wage, strengthening earned income tax credits, and improving access to nutrition assistance programs;
requiring an annual hunger report; and
influencing and supporting federal anti-hunger programs.

The Caucus plans on meeting twice a year and has already held its first meeting, which discussed the scope of hunger in Pennsylvania.

14. Connecticut Couple Take SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge
(WFSB, March 24, 2009)

For the 40 days of Lent, Linda Boothroyd and her husband joined a group of Connecticut residents living on $3 a day for food to experience what it’s like for people using SNAP/Food Stamps. The challenge, titled “SNAP Into Action Against Hunger,” has opened the couple’s eyes – they haven’t felt full, and are tired of eating the same things day after day. “We can’t wait until it’s over,” said Linda Boothroyd. “That’s the sad part, because you think about the people who are living this, and it won’t be over for them.”

15. Colorado Expands Access to Free School Meals
(Times Call, March 26, 2009)

Colorado’s House and Senate passed Senate Bill 33, which provides free meals to preschool students eligible for reduced-price meals. A previous bill provided free meals for kindergarten through second-grade students eligible for free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch. Senate Bill 33 “will increase the amount of kids who can get breakfast for free,” said Shelly Allen, director of nutrition services for the St. Vrain school district.

16. $1 Billion in Farm Revenues Linked to WIC Foods
(Cattlenetwork.com, March 19, 2009)

According to USDA statistics, farmers received nearly $1.3 billion from commodities sales “used in producing the $4.6 billion in WIC retail food sales.” Milk, at $978 million, had the largest sales figure (two-thirds, or 67 percent of all WIC sales), although the new WIC food package reduces its priority. Milk is one food that undergoes one stage of processing into a WIC food – from raw milk processed into milk suitable for drinking, and has “the largest share of farm revenue ($585 million, 46 percent). Eggs, fresh fruit, vegetables, and other foods that require minimal processing account for $289 million in sales.

17. Nutrition Director Creates Healthier, Fresher Head Start Menu
(San Diego Union Tribune, March 18, 2009)

Kristen Smith became director of nutrition services at San Diego’s Neighborhood House Association in 2008, and her first order of business was to overhaul the menu of foods offered. Smith, a registered dietician, saw to it that the 22-member kitchen staff was trained in food preparation from scratch, and she purchased immersion blenders and industrial food processors. The vast kitchen, which was standing idle, now serves nearly 10,000 meals and snacks every weekday to 4,000 low-income children enrolled in the Head Start program. Not only has the revised menu been a hit with the 3-5 year olds in the program, but Smith was able to stick to state-mandated nutrition guidelines and stay within the budget. It costs $5.20 a day to feed one Head Start child breakfast, lunch and a snack, which breaks down to $1.56/breakfast, $2.93/lunch, 71 cents/snack, and if dinner is offered, $2.78 for that meal. Head Start educators instruct the children on the new foods they’re eating and healthy eating habits, and serving meals family-style helps with portion control. The San Diego model has attracted interest from Head Start and other education institutions across the country. Said Neighborhood House Association president and CEO, “Part and parcel of Head Start is being proactive in reducing obesity over time. We are cutting-edge in terms of food-service providers in that arena.”

18. Number of Families Living in Motels Climbs During Recession
(The New York Times, March 11, 2009)

Many of the families facing unemployment and eviction are the “hidden homeless,” currently living in motels, sharing apartments with others or living in garages, and are not counted in homeless data. Consequently, they receive little public aid. Cities with hundreds of motel families include Denver, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Portland, Ore. The housing shortage in Orange County, Calif has forced many – experiencing homelessness for the first time after years in the workforce – to live in motels where Disneyland visitors once stayed. “The motels have become the de facto low-income housing in Orange County, said Wally Gonzales, director of Project Dignity. Getting aid to these families is especially difficult in California, which is laying off social workers due to the budget crisis. Numbering in the thousands in Anaheim, rental aid from federal and county programs only gets to a few of these families, according to Bob Cerince, coordinator for homeless and motel residents services in the city. Motel rooms go for $800 to $1,200 a month for a single room, occupied by families with at least one working parent. Those with jobs find themselves living in motels for years as they struggle with bad credit ratings and trying to save enough money for first and last month’s rent on an apartment. One family’s current experience: After both parents in the Garza family lost their jobs and were evicted from their apartment last August, they moved into the Costa Mesa Inn, where their nine-year old daughter shares a bed with two younger brothers. President Obama’s stimulus package may help, as it provides $1.5 billion for homeless prevention, which includes rental and security deposit assistance.

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