AARP: Hunger Among Older Americans Rising

AARP continues to raise awareness of hunger among older adults, a growing problem nationwide. The affects of Hurricane Sandy have served to intensify the problem in the region. They are working with Hunger Solutions New York to raise awareness of nutrition assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the new name for the Food Stamp Program, as part of the solution. Here in New York State, roughly 500,000 people age 60+ may be eligible for SNAP yet are not receiving them.

Click here to read the full story.

Mark Bittman Backs SNAP

The New York Times recently posted a great opinion editorial by Mark Bittman, "Hunger in Plain Sight."

The need is everywhere. Whether you look at this from a moral perspective (love thy neighbor, remember?) or a practical one, it’s clear that SNAP and food banks deserve better funding, not worse. It seems absurd to have to say it, but no one in this country should go hungry.

Given the decisions currently facing Congress and state legislatures, Bittman's points are important factors to consider. 

To read the entire editorial click here.

Annual NYC Food Insecurity Report Released

Hunger and food insecurity soared citywide even before Hurricane Sandy, and have likely surged since then, according to a report released by the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, The Perpetual Storm: NYC Food Insecurity Before – and After – Hurricane Sandy.

According to the report, in 2012, food pantries and soup kitchens citywide faced a five percent spike in demand, on top of increases of 12 percent in 2011, seven percent in 2010, and 29 percent in 2009. Yet more than two-thirds of agencies reported a decrease in government funding and more than half report decreases in private funding in 2012. As a result, 63 percent of feeding agencies were unable to distribute enough food to meet current demand, up from 62 percent in 2011 and 51 percent in 2010.

Click here to learn more about NYCCAH's Annual Food Insecurity Survey. 

Hot and prepared food waiver extended for SNAP recipients impacted by Sandy

All of New York City, Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Westchester Counties:
Hot and Prepared Food Waiver Extended Until December 31

For The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has extended until December 31, the ability of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)/food stamp recipients to use their benefits to purchase hot and prepared foods from participating vendors.

Sometimes, when storm victims relocate, are living in shelters, have kitchen damage or are without power, it can be difficult to prepare meals. For these reasons, USDA permits this waiver to enable SNAP recipients to access hot, nutritious meals at vendors that already accept EBT cards (typically grocery stores and bodegas).

Click here to download an updated hot and prepared foods outreach flyer.

SNAP Has Big impact on Supplemental Poverty Measure

This month, the U.S. Census Bureau released data showing that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP), also known as food stamps, kept 4.7 million Americans out of poverty in 2011, including 2.1 million children.  It used a new poverty measure that counts taxes and non-cash government benefits.

Click here to read more from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

UPDATE Westchester County Disaster SNAP Program to Run Through Monday Nov 26.

People who lived in Westchester County on October 27 that suffered losses of property or income due to Hurricane Sandy may be eligible for a one-time SNAP EBT benefit to help pay for food.

Current SNAP/food stamp households do not need to apply. A one-time supplemental benefit may automatically be added to their account in November to bring their benefit level equal to the maximum household allotment.

The program will run through Monday, November 26 and will suspend for Thanksgiving Day. There are specific income guidelines and other requirements.

Applications  will be accepted for D-SNAP as follows: 

*Friday (11/23/12), Saturday(11/24/12), Sunday(11/25/12) -

Mt Vernon District Office, Yonkers District Office and White Plains District Office will be open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. 

The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will be open from 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM. 

*Monday (11/26/12) -

Mt Vernon District Office, Yonkers District Office, and the White Plains District Office will be open from 8:30 AM to 8:00 PM.

Peekskill District Office will be open from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.

The Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) will be open from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.  

The program ends COB Monday 11/26/12. 

Click here to download a flyer for non-SNAP recipients. This flyer contains locations to apply.
Click here to download a flyer for current SNAP recipients.

Your Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP) Coordinator is a free and confidential partner in your community that can answer any questions you have about SNAP/Food Stamps. You can reach your local NOEP
Coordinators, Amarilis Hidalgo and Julie Deluna at:

Catholic Charities Community Services, Archdiocese NY
204 Hawthorne Ave.
Yonkers, NY 10705
914-476-2700

Or contact the Westchester County Department of Social Services at (914) 995-5000.

FreshConnect and Farmers' Market Nutrition Programs Update: Program Season Extended Statewide

The following alerts come from the NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets program staff.

Due to the severe weather conditions the downstate region experienced as a result of Hurricane Sandy, in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the NYFarmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) has been granted permission to extend the program season statewide as follows:

·         Recipients may continue to exchange FMNP checks for fresh, local produce through Saturday, December 1^st  

·         Authorized farmers may continue to deposit FMNP checks at KeyBank branches through Friday, December 14^th

Farmers who experience any difficulty transacting their FMNP checks at non-KeyBank branches should continue to contact our agency for support. Given the deadline extension we will not be in a position to reimburse for “late checks” after December 14^th, 2012. Also, keep in mind that while farmers may deposit any volume of checks, no more than 250 checks per day may be cashed “on-the-spot” at KeyBank branches. All other program rules and regulations apply.

________________________________________________________

Due to the severe weather conditions the downstate farmers marketing region experienced as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the FreshConnect Program has decided to extend the program season statewide as follows:

·         Fresh Connect Checks may be issued to SNAP recipients through Saturday, December 1^st, 2012

·         Fresh Connect Checks may be exchanged for SNAP eligible food items through Saturday, December 1^st, 2012

·         Fresh Connect Checks may be submitted for reimbursement through Friday, December 14^th , 2012

In addition, due to the power outages in your farmers market region, and the fact that SNAP EBT wireless terminals require electricity to operate, special permission to issue Fresh Connect Checks is being granted as follows:

·         At farmers markets operating in the affected region, Fresh Connect Checks may be issued to SNAP recipients without the purchase of $5.00 of SNAP benefits. Maximum issuance of checks in this way should be $10.00, or five (5) Fresh Connect Checks, per SNAP recipient, per market day.

Farmers who experience any difficulty reimbursing their Fresh Connect Checks should continue to contact our agency for support. All other program rules and regulations apply.

School Wellness Programming: Grant Funding Available

From Action For Healthy Kids:

Exciting New School Grant Opportunity!

Is your school looking for a way to implement district wellness policy?  Are you looking for a plan that will help your school become a healthier place to learn? Did your school lose physical activity equipment or experience playground damage from Hurricane Sandy? Do you want help reaching national recognition award levels (HUSSC, Alliance…) for wellness programming at your school?

Game On!  The Ultimate Wellness Challenge is the answer to all of these questions and many more.

Action for Healthy Kids is pleased to announce grant funding to support elementary schools’ wellness initiatives for the 2013 calendar year.  With generous funding from Stop & Shop/Giant Family Foundation, AFHK will award 40 schools with $1,000 each to impact nutrition and/or physical activity programming.  Grants are currently only available in the following states:

Washington, D.C.  Maryland Virginia New York New Jersey Connecticut Massachusetts

Important deadlines:

Grant Introduction Webinar (Monday, December 3rd at 4:00 pm) Great Deadline Submission (Friday, December 14)

For more information, please Click Here.

More Hurricane Sandy Updates

As response efforts continue throughout areas affected by Hurricane Sandy, we will continue to provide you with updated information regarding resources for victims and those responding. Please feel free to contact us with new information or questions.

Click here for more information.

WIC Update for Hurricane Victims

From the New York State Department of Health:

New York State Announces Easing of Requirements to Ensure WIC Recipients Receive Food or Infant Formula Benefits

ALBANY, N.Y. (November 8, 2012) - State Health Commissioner Nirav R. Shah, M.D., M.P.H. announced today that certain requirements in the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program have been temporarily relaxed for participants from areas affected by Hurricane Sandy to ensure that families in the program have access to infant formula and nutritious food. In addition, the State has received an order of powdered and ready-to-use infant formula from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that will provide for the needs of 21,800 infants for one month as regular supply chains recover from the storm.
"By temporarily suspending some WIC requirements, families will be able to obtain vital food and infant formula for their children during the recovery effort," Commissioner Shah said. "As the State works to get organizations, businesses and services up and running, we are taking action to limit any delays families may experience in receiving their WIC benefits."

The WIC program provides services to more than half a million people statewide. While a majority of New York State WIC clinics are open, six local WIC sites in New York City and on Long Island have had to cease operations as a result of Hurricane Sandy, and other sites are only operating in a limited capacity. Participants should call their local agency first to ensure they are able to provide services. If a local WIC office is closed, participants can receive assistance at another WIC agency. The State Health Department has enabled the State WIC help desk to rapidly transfer WIC participants to a different local agency if their normal agency is not operating. In addition, WIC participants in communities affected by Hurricane Sandy whose checks have been lost or destroyed during the storm may request replacement checks by contacting their local WIC agency.

In addition, due to power outages and disruptions in the delivery chain, some grocery stores and vendors are having difficulty receiving supplies that WIC families can purchase, including bread, milk and cheese, fruits and vegetables. Families experiencing disruptions in obtaining WIC benefits due to Hurricane Sandy should call the Growing Up Healthy Hotline at 1-800-522-5006.

At this time, three regional food banks have been designated as receiving sites for the infant formula from FEMA, which began arriving Wednesday, November 7th: Long Island Cares, Inc. – The Harry Chapin Food Bank, Hauppauge; Food Bank for NYC (Food For Survival, Inc.), Bronx; and Food Bank for Westchester, Inc., Elmsford. The food banks will coordinate distribution through their normal emergency food networks including food pantries, shelters, and soup kitchens. Additional venues, such as disaster recovery centers and emergency departments are being evaluated as potential infant formula distribution sites. The WIC program continues to advocate breastfeeding as the healthiest and safest way to provide food for an infant, especially in a disaster, and the emergency formula should only be used for currently formula fed infants.

To assist local WIC agencies serve the needs of their clients during the storm recovery, the State Health Department has worked closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure that WIC participants will be allowed to:

• Partially redeem WIC checks if not all the items listed on the check are available. This will be in effect in New York City, Nassau County and Suffolk County through November 25, and in Westchester, Putnam, Rockand and Orange counties through November 10;
• Substitute certain foods -- milk, bread, cheese and peanut butter - if WIC brand or specified package sizes are not in stock. This policy will be in effect from November 8-November 25 in New York City, Nassau County, and Suffolk County; and
• Use ready-to-use infant formula in areas with water supply issues.

Under temporary exemptions granted by the State, local WIC agencies may:

• Mail checks if transportation issues prevent the beneficiary from coming in to the WIC agency;
• Certify applicants to receive benefits even if their child is not physically present at the WIC agency site; and
• Tailor food packages, including ready-to-feed formula, and other shelf stable foods, to reflect that some people may not have access to their homes or may continue to experience power and water issues.

The following links and contacts contain helpful information on locations in each community where families can go to obtain infant formula and other food:

• Long Island Cares, The Harry Chapin Food Bank (Nassau and Suffolk counties)
  (631) 435-0478 OR (631) 435-0460
  http://www.licares.org/ (click on "Where to Get Help" on right hand side of webpage)
  
• Food Bank for Westchester (Westchester County)
  (914)923-1100
  http://foodbankforwestchester.org/programs_services/food_patch_directory.Shtml
  
• Food Bank for New York City
  311 OR text 311-692
  http://www.foodbanknyc.org/news/food-program-locator

Updated resources for communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy

Hunger Solutions New York posted new information for community-based organizations and individuals related to Hurricane Sandy. Find resources related to:

• replacement SNAP benefits
• emergency food and water distribution
• child nutrition programs; and
• other resources

are now available  on our web site. Click here for the latest information.

Government Programs Help Kids and Families in Tough Economic Times

The Schuyler Center for Advocacy and Analysis has released a publication highlighting the damaging impact of poverty on children. Children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of poverty-- especially those under the age of five, whose brains are just developing, need good nutrition, stability, and high-quality early learning experiences to grow and develop. This publication explains how children are disproportionately affected poverty and underscores the importance of government programs that have helped significantly to prevent and alleviate poverty during the recession. 

Click here to read the full publication. 

Replacement SNAP Benefits for New Yorkers Impacted by Hurricane Sandy

From Governor Cuomo:

Governor Cuomo Announces Replacement SNAP Benefits for New Yorkers Impacted by Hurricane Sandy

50% of Monthly Benefits Automatically Issued to Recipients in Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan, Westchester Counties and parts of NYC

Albany, NY (November 3, 2012)Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced New York State has received a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to replace food lost by recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, formerly known as Food Stamps, in areas hardest hit by Hurricane Sandy. Under this grant, which the State requested with the help of the City of New York, current recipients of SNAP will be automatically issued 50 percent of monthly benefits to replace food lost as a result of the storm starting next week. The Governor also announced that SNAP recipients in these areas will be able to purchase hot and prepared foods with their benefits. New York State will be able to issue up to $65 million in replacement benefits.

The City of New York helped identify 77 eligible zip codes which include all of Staten Island for the State’s waiver request. Beginning next week, recipients of SNAP benefits in those 77 zip codes and in Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan and Westchester counties, will automatically have 50 percent of their October monthly SNAP benefit amount deposited in their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) account. A complete list of zip codes in New York City that are included can be found at otda.ny.gov/news/SNAP-replacements.pdf. Additional zip codes in New York City that experienced extended power loss may be added as more details about the number of households affected becomes available.

“Hurricane Sandy left many residents in downstate regions of New York State without the most basic of necessities, such as shelter and food,” Governor Cuomo said. “These partial replacement SNAP benefits will help families replace food lost from the storm and restock their kitchens. I thank Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and Undersecretary Kevin Concannon for their support and quick action on approving our requests for assistance.”

Other current SNAP recipient households that have lost food purchased with SNAP benefits due to Hurricane Sandy are also entitled to replacement benefits. The loss must be reported by Wednesday, November 28, 2012, and the household must return a signed and completed form, found at otda.ny.gov/programs/applications/2291.pdf, by close of business on Monday, December 10, 2012. The form is also available at local department of social services offices. To find your local department of social services, visit otda.ny.gov/workingfamilies/dss.asp, or call 1-800-342-3009.

SNAP recipients in New York City and Nassau, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Suffolk, Sullivan and Westchester counties will be able to use their benefits to purchase hot foods and prepared foods, in recognition of the fact that so many New Yorkers lost power or have been relocated as a result of the storm and are unable to store food or have access to cooking facilities. Normally, federal regulations do not allow the purchase of these items with SNAP benefits. The food must be purchased at authorized retailers, like grocery stores, that already accept EBT. The U.S. Department of Agriculture granted a request for a waiver from New York State for this requirement that is effective immediately and expires November 30, 2012.

Households that do not currently receive SNAP assistance can check their eligibility quickly and easily, and apply online, by visiting myBenefits.ny.gov. New Yorkers can also use New York City's ACCESS NYC, an online service for New York City residents to apply for SNAP and other City, State and Federal benefit programs.

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Replacement SNAP Benefits Extended: Nov 28 Deadline to Report Loss

From NYS:

Current Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly Food Stamps) recipient households that have lost food purchased with SNAP benefits due to the Hurricane Sandy disaster are entitled to a replacement issuance of benefits provided that the loss is reported within 30 days of the event, by November 28, 2012, and the household returns a signed and completed form LDSS-2291, “Request for Replacement of Food Purchased with Food Stamp Benefits,” by the close of business on Monday, December 10, 2012. 

You can find the location of your local Department of Social Services by calling the toll-free New York State Temporary Assistance Hotline at 1-800-342-3009. 

Click here to download an updated replacement benefits form and guidelines.