Negotiations Continue: Improve/Pass CNR and Stop Cuts to Food Stamps

Many Members of Congress are speaking out against the cut to SNAP/food stamps that helps fund the Senate's version of child nutrition reauthorization. Their concerns delayed the House from voting on the Senate's bill last week.

Congress still needs to pass a child nutrition bill that increases program access, improves nutritional quality, and helps low-income children.

Please continue the message.
It's quick and easy to send an e-mail to your member. Click here.

For more information about how over 2.8 million New Yorkers who receive food stamp benefits would be affected by cuts to their food stamp dollars, click here.

No Cuts to Food Stamps to Pay for Child Nutrition

Please contact your House of Representatives member to let her/him know that making cuts to food stamps to fund child nutrition is unacceptable.

This week, the House may vote to pass the Senate's version of child nutrition reauthorization. This bill includes $2.2 billion in cuts to future SNAP/food stamp benefits.

Anti-hunger advocates are urging the House to abandon this approach and pass a good child nutrition bill at a later time that improves access to healthy food without cutting SNAP/food stamp benefits.

With the Senate's bill, a family of four can expect their food stamps to drop about $59 a month starting in April 2013. Since 40% of all food stamp recipients in NYS are children, we may be helping nutrition at the school cafeteria line, but we are hindering nutrition at the dinner table.

It is critical that House members overwhelmingly hear from you. Your representative should not support a child nutrition bill that makes cuts to food stamps. Please call your Member of Congress and urge her/him to speak out, to weigh in with House leadership, and to vote against an effort to pass a child nutrition bill that makes cuts to food stamps.

Join the numerous groups not in favor of cutting SNAP/food stamps to fund child nutrition. They include:

• Over 1,600 national, state, and local organizations (click here for a list)
• 6 major national unions and national anti-poverty groups (click here)
• National women's advocacy groups (click here for a list)
• The American Public Human Services Association (click here)
• AARP, Voices for America's Children, and FRAC (click here)
• 16 House members of the NYS delegation and 90 others nationally (click here)

October 1 Food Stamp Program Budgeting Changes

On October 1, 2010 , Food Stamp Program (FSP) standards and deductions -- the measures used to determine the amount of food stamp benefits a household recieves -- will be adjusted. This adjustment happens annually to reflect changes to the Federal Cost of Living Allotments (COLAs).

2010 changes are unusual in that not many of the FSP standards and deductions are changing and those that are only changed by a few dollars. These changes to the October 1 standards will have very little impact on benefit amounts for families who currently recieve food stamps. These changes also will not greatly impact the eligibility of those who were previously slightly "over income" for food stamp benefits or who were considered categorically eligibile, but did not qualify for a benefit.

A new memo has been posted to the Food Stamp Center Policy Alerts web page which highlights the changes in the FSP standards and deductions for October 1, 2010.

New versions of the Food Stamp Benefit Estimator Tools have also been posted to the Food Stamp Center Tools/Resources section of the website. Please be aware that the Excel 2007 Food Stamp Benefit Estimator Tool is currently not working. While we fix this problem we remind you that thier is an Excel 97-03 Food Stamp Benefit tool that is working as well as our ever faithful budget worksheet.

Click here for the memo.
Click here for the Estimator Tools.

A Minute for Child Nutrition

Please take a minute for child nutrition. A 60 second phone call to your representative will make a difference! Congress needs to make Child Nutrition Reauthorization (CNR) a priority.

• The need for a strong Child Nutrition bill is more crucial than ever. Last week, the Census released new data about people living in poverty. Nearly 21% of our nation's children live in poverty. From 2008-2009, an additional 1.4 million children nationwide were living in poverty. To learn more, click here.
• We're long overdue for a bill that strengthens the child nutrition programs. In fact, we're operating on a one-year extension that runs out September 30th. Congress needs to give us a good bill before the extension ends in order to feed hungry children, improve the nutritional quality of meals, and strengthen the child nutrition programs.

This week, please call your House member in Washington, DC...

• Click here find out who your representative is. Feel free to use this toll-free number to call: 1-877-425-4810 and get connected to your member's office.
  
• You'll be greeted by an initial staff member. Provide your name and where you are calling from.
• Ask to speak with the staff member who works on child nutrition issues. You'll likely be transferred to a voicemail or asked to leave a message.
• Tell the staffer that your representative should: "Pass Child Nutrition Reauthorization and not make cuts to food stamps to fund the bill. Children cannot wait."
• If you'd like, share a brief story about what you do and/or your experiences with feeding children.
  
• Thank the staff member for her/his time.

That's it! That's your minute for child nutrition.

Additional Summer Food Resources Now Available

Two new summer food resources are now available online:

• Interested in learning more about the Summer Food Service Program? Take a visual tour of some summer food sites across NYS (powerpoint).

• Currently have a summer food program and want to learn how others are promoting their sites? View examples of how fellow sponsors and sites are currently promoting their summer food program (powerpoint).

Also, don't forget to check out our updated SFSP factsheet, SF Successes Survey, and report about the SFSP in NYS. Please visit our website.