FRAC News Digest - October 8, 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 37, October 8, 2004

Nearly 24.4 Million Persons Using Food Stamps in July 2004
National School Lunch Week, October 11-15
Fuel or Food: Rising Energy Costs Force Poor to Choose
Nine Million U.S. Families Struggling to Afford Food and Housing
California: Misconceptions About Food Stamps Keep Eligible Persons from Applying
California: Governor Signs Bill Allowing Food Stamps for Drug Felons
Pennsylvania: School Reimbursement for Lunch and Breakfast Programs Boosted
Florida: Food Stamp Disaster Relief Helps Thousands in Storm Aftermath
Texas: WIC Benefits Go Electronic
Wisconsin: Minimum Wage Hike "in keeping with Wisconsin values" says Governor
California: 1 in 4 Bay Area Families Can't Afford Basics

1. Nearly 24.4 Million Persons Using Food Stamps in July 2004

("Food Stamp Participation Increases in July 2004 To Nearly 24.4 Million Persons," Food Research and Action Center, October 2004)

Participation in the Food Stamp Program in July 2004 (the latest data available) increased by 231,602 persons from the previous month, to 24,395,106 persons. Some of this increase was due to continuing high rates of joblessness, states improving access, and the effects of implementation of provisions of the 2002 the food stamp reauthorization. Participation in the Food Stamp Program has risen in 40 of the last 44 months. Participation in July 2000 was 16,879,118 persons.

http://frac.org/html/news/fsp/07.04_FSP.html

2. National School Lunch Week, October 11-15

("School Nutrition Association Celebrates National School Lunch Week; Week of October 11-15 Recognizes Efforts of Dedicated School Nutrition Professionals," Business Week, October 5, 2004)

The School Nutrition Association (SNA), will celebrate National School Lunch Week October 11-15 with the theme "Reach Your Peak With School Lunch." The week is designed to raise awareness of the importance of school food service and nutrition. Children who participate in the National School Lunch Program consume twice the servings of fruits and vegetables and greater amounts of grains and dairy than children who eat lunch brought from home. Meals served as part of the National School Lunch Program are provided in age-appropriate serving sizes. The week started in 1963 with a proclamation from President John F. Kennedy.

http://tinyurl.com/6pnw6

3. Fuel or Food: Rising Energy Costs Force Poor to Choose

("High energy costs drain household resources," Dallas Morning News, October 5, 2004)

Nearly half (46 percent) of households living on incomes less than 125 percent of the federal poverty level skipped meals "sometimes" or "often" in order to pay their energy bills, while 45 percent did not take medications prescribed by their doctors for the same reason, according to a recent study conducted in Missouri. Households at or near the federal poverty level spend nearly 20 percent of their annual income on home energy costs – four times as much as median-income households, said Meg Power, the executive director of Economic Opportunity Studies. Their options for cutting expenses are limited and can lead to sacrifices that are particularly harmful to children and seniors. Industry officials and assistance groups also worry that the federal energy assistance program is inadequately funded.

http://tinyurl.com/6k4m8

For the "Statewide Energy Poverty Study" by the National Low Income Energy Consortium:
http://www.nliec.org/partner.htm

4. Nine Million U.S. Families Struggling to Afford Food and Housing

("Working for a Pittance," New York Times, October 8, 2004)

More than nine million working families in America - one out of every four - earn wages that are so low they are barely able to survive financially, according to a new study jointly sponsored by the Annie E. Casey, Ford, and Rockefeller Foundations. For families in the lower-income brackets, life is a "harrowing day-to-day struggle to pay for the bare necessities." Twenty million children are in these low-income working families. The problem is "much bigger than most people imagine," said Brandon Roberts, one of the report's authors. For millions of working families, the problem is that their jobs pay low wages and offer no benefits. While the economy relies heavily on the services provided by low-wage workers, the report notes, "our society has not taken adequate steps to ensure that these workers can make ends meet and build a future for their families, no matter how determined they are to be self-sufficient." Mr. Roberts said he hoped the study, titled "Working Hard, Falling Short," would help initiate a national discussion and attention to the issue, particularly among lawmakers and the media.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/08/opinion/08herbert1.html?oref=login

5. California: Misconceptions About Food Stamps Keep Eligible Persons from Applying

("Study finds problems with food stamps," Alameda Times-Star, October 4, 2004)

Inaccurate perceptions of the food stamp program keep people from applying, according to a study by the Alameda County Community Food Bank. The percentage of households in California which are eligible for food stamps but do not apply, has risen since the late 1990s. The food bank now plans to focus on dispelling those myths. It has joined with the County to train hunger relief agency workers about food stamps. The study also pointed out that old-fashioned food stamp coupons have been replaced by something resembling a credit card, decreasing stigma in the check-out lane. The food stamp program brings $47 million into Alameda County each year, said Jessica Bartholow, the food bank's director of education and outreach. If all of those eligible participate, that number could double, said Bartholow.

http://www.timesstar.com/Stories/0,1413,125~1486~2445127,00.html

6. California: Governor Signs Bill Allowing Food Stamps for Drug Felons

("Governor vetoes most of 121 bills; One to let drug offenders get food stamps gets his signature," San Francisco Chronicle, October 1, 2004)

Drug felons in California became eligible for food stamps, thanks to a bill Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/10/01/BAGG6928GQ1.DTL

7. Pennsylvania: School Reimbursement for Lunch and Breakfast Programs Boosted

("Senate Education Committee Approves Bill to Increase School Reimbursement for Lunch & Breakfast Programs," Yahoo News, September 29, 2004)

Pennsylvania's state government reimbursement to schools for breakfast and lunch programs would rise from 10 cents per meal to 11 and 12 cents, respectively, thanks to legislation approved by the State Senate Education Committee. "Without the breakfast and lunch programs, our neediest boys and girls may not get the nutrition they need. And it goes without saying that if you're going to school hungry, you're probably not learning," said Senator James J. Rhoades (R-29), committee chair. A supporter of the bill cited escalating food costs, changing federal nutrition standards, and the need to stem childhood obesity by changing school menus as reasons why the increase is needed. In 2004-05, Pennsylvania schools will receive $27.24 million in state funds and $298.2 million in federal funds for the lunch and breakfast programs.

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/040929/phw048_1.html

8. Florida: Food Stamp Disaster Relief Helps Thousands in Storm Aftermath

("Food Stamp Disaster Relief: Ivan, Frances, Charley and Jeanne Aftermath," Food Research and Action Center, October 5, 2004)

Federal and state officials and anti-hunger advocates have been working to connect needy people hard hit by Hurricanes Ivan, Frances, Charley, or Jeanne with food stamp benefits. Florida's Sun Sentinel reported that nearly 13,000 Palm Beach County residents sought hurricane-relief food stamps. Even though the county is one of the wealthiest areas in the U.S., tens of thousands there live paycheck to paycheck. Some were applying for food stamps for the first time in their lives, having lost income and food due to the storms. Officials expect to get 50,000 applications for food stamps.

For more information and full news articles:
http://frac.org/html/federal_food_programs/FSP/Hurricane_2004.html

9. Texas: WIC Benefits Go Electronic

("New WIC card debuts," El Paso Times, October 6, 2004)

Participants in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program in El Paso began receiving their benefits electronically through their Lone Star Card. Before WIC benefits were electronic, participants used a voucher to pay for their WIC groceries and used the Lone Star card for their other groceries. "This is much better and a lot more easy than it used to be. I'm glad they're doing this," said Roseanne Rivera, a WIC participant. "It works," exclaimed Eric M. Bost, undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services at the USDA upon visiting a grocery store and watching Rivera use the card. El Paso is the only city in Texas where the proposed "smart" WIC Electronics Benefits Transaction card is being tested.

http://www.borderlandnews.com/stories/borderland/20041006-177272.shtml

10. Wisconsin: Minimum Wage Hike "in keeping with Wisconsin values" says Governor

("Doyle slams wage hike blockers," Oshkosh Northwestern, October 6, 2004)

Governor Doyle recently lambasted the state’s legislature for approving its own pay raises in recent years but denying "a working mother an increase of just $1.35 an hour,” Doyle said, referring to the Workforce Development department’s recommended boost to the minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.50 an hour. “It’s a modest proposal in keeping with Wisconsin values,” said the Governor. The state minimum wage has not been raised since 1997. A supporter of the hike said if minimum wage workers saw the raises CEOs experienced in the last several years, the former would already be earning more than $15 an hour.

http://www.wisinfo.com/northwestern/print/stories/print_18106780.shtml

11. California: 1 in 4 Bay Area Families Can't Afford Basics

("1 in 4 families can't afford basics; United Way study finds widespread poverty," San Francisco Chronicle, September 29, 2004)

One in four Bay Area families can't afford the basics of housing, food, health and child care without government aid, according to a report released by the United Way of the Bay Area. The study, "The Bottom Line: Setting the Real Standard for Bay Area Working Families," looks at income and prices across the region to come up with a "self-sufficiency" standard for each of the nine Bay Area counties. It found that across the region 493,058 of 1,996,186 households lived below the standard.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/09/29/BAGU590OJP1.DTL