NPR: A Daily Fight to Find Food

This week, National Public Radio aired a two-part series about a family struggling with hunger: stretching food stamp dollars, visiting the food pantry, making healthy food choices, and experiencing hunger-obesity paradox.

The reports also addressed President Obama's commitment to end hunger by 2015 and the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization.

To listen to Part 1, click here.

To listen to Part 2, click here.

Action Alert: CNR Moves out of House Committee, Support Needed

On Thursday, 7/15, the House Education and Labor Committee passed the "Improving Nutrition for America's Children Act" (HR 5504).

Now that the bill is out of committee, efforts are underway to secure essential bill funding. We need support from all House of Representative members - please help by taking the following actions:

• Send a thank you to your representative if s/he sits on the House Education and Labor Committee. Tell your member how HR 5504 will help your community's low-income children (click here for a list of committee members).
  

• Contact your House Member to support HR 5504 and tell her/him that low-income children in your community will benefit greatly from program improvements in the bill (click here to find your representative by zip code look up).
  

• Provide your agency/school/non-profit's endorsement of the bill. Our national partner, the Food Research and Action Center is compiling a comprehensive list of organizations that officially acknowledge support of HR 5504 (click here to send an e-mail to FRAC).

For more information about HR 5504, please click here.
For more information about Child Nutrition Reauthorization, please click here.

Food Help NY: Connecting Your Clients to Nutrition Assistance Programs Webinar Materials Now Available

On June 30th and July 1st, the Nutrition Consortium hosted a free webinar about government nutrition assistance programs in NYS. Over 250 people registered for the webinar.

The webinar offered a brief overview of nutrition assistance programs and provided resources for organizations to help stop hunger in their local communities.

To access materials from the webinar, please click here.

USDA launches SNAP/Food Stamp Store Locator

USDA Unveils New Consumer Information Resources About SNAP for People in Need of Food Assistance

New SNAP Retail Locator and Signage Will Help Consumers Find Local Stores that Accept Benefits; Help Reduce Hunger and Promote Food Security Nationwide

WASHINGTON, May 19, 2010 – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced new resources designed to increase participation and expand access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), including new promotional materials proclaiming “We Welcome SNAP Benefits.” The new display will be used nationwide by retailers participating in the program, formerly known as the Food Stamp Program.

The department is also premiering the SNAP Retail Locator, an online search tool to help recipients locate a SNAP-authorized store near their home or workplace. USDA Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon made the announcement today on Vilsack’s behalf in an address to officials from the National Grocers Association, Food Marketing Institute, and Electronic Funds Transfer Association.

“Underscoring that SNAP benefits are welcome, rather than merely accepted, signals an important change in the way both retailers and program participants view these benefits,” Vilsack said. “These new tools will allow us to improve access and increase participation in SNAP, which serves as a vital resource to the most vulnerable Americans. Breaking down barriers to participation will help the Obama Administration deliver on its goal of reducing hunger and improving nutrition across the country.

To read the full press release

http://www.fns.usda.gov/cga/PressReleases/2010/0272.htm

Heat Wave, Power Outages and Replacement Food Stamp Benefits

There have been scattered power outages due to the heat wave we are experiencing this week. Remember that Food Stamp recipients who have lost power may be eligible for Replacement Food Stamps Benefits.

Things to Note about Replacement Food Stamps:

When food loss is due to a power outage or cutoff (of 4 hours or more) the district must provide a replacement issuance of food stamp benefits.

• Local Districts/HRA can issue replacement FS benefits up to the amount of the most recent food stamp benefit issuance for that current month.
• A household may not be denied replacement food stamps if it has applied for replacement issuances in the past.
• Districts should not require the household to bring in spoiled food as verification of a power outage.

Links to additional information and resources:

To veiw a memo by the Nutrition Consortium concerning Power Outages and Replacement Food Stamp Benfits click here.

To view a 2008 OTDA GIS concerning Issuing Replacement Food Stamp Benefits and Emergency Food Replacement click here.

To get form LDSS 2291 Request for Replacement of Food Purchased with Food Stamp Benefits (in both English and Spanish) click here.

New Summer Food Resources

Now available online! The Nutrition Consortium of NYS has new Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) resources for sponsors, sites, and communities interested in promoting free summer meals for children (click here):

• Summer Food Service Program Successes! Survey Results: Great Ideas and Efforts from Summer Food Sponsors
• Bridging the Summer Nutrition Gap: The Summer Food Service Program in NYS 2009
• Outreach Materials for Promoting Your Summer Food Program

For a list of summer meal sites in your area, please call the "Growing Up Healthy Hotline” at: 1-800-522-5006.

In NYC, click here to visit the Office of SchoolFood’s website to locate a site in NYC.

In addition, don’t forget to check our website for our latest publication on the School Breakfast Program in NYS, recommendations for improving NYS’ methods of direct certification for free school meals, and advocacy alerts about the federal Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization!

Please visit: http://www.nutritionconsortium.org/childnutritioncenter.htm