Governor Cuomo Promises to Expand Food Stamp Outreach, End Child Hunger in New York State

In Governor Andrew Cuomo's annual State of the State address today, he made particular note of child hunger across the state, expanding food stamp outreach and ending finger imaging requirements for applicants. Here is the quote directly from his statement made to more than 2,000 people in Albany:

No Child Should Go to Bed Hungry in New York

For all of our progress, there are still basic wrongs to right.
There is never an excuse for letting any child in New York go
to bed hungry. Statewide, 1 in 6 children live in homes
without enough food on the table. Yet 30 percent of New
Yorkers eligible for food stamps — over 1.4 million people —
do not receive them, leaving over $1 billion in federal funds
unclaimed every year. We must increase participation in the
food stamp program, remove barriers to participation, and
eliminate the stigma associated with this program. And we
must stop fingerprinting for food. No child should go hungry
in the great State of New York and we will do all that we can
to prevent it.

Hunger Solutions New York manages on of the country's largest food stamp outreach programs in the nation. The state and federally funded Nutrition Outreach and Education Program (NOEP), present in only 36 counties, helps 25,000 households enroll in the Food Stamp Program annually. We look forward to working with Governor Cuomo on his goal of expanding enrollment in the Food Stamp Program to all who are eligible.

Read the full address here.

New York State Council on Food Policy Recommends Ending Childhood Hunger by 2015, Passing a Strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization Bill

Today, Governor David A. Paterson received the New York State Council on Food Policy’s annual report and recommendations titled, “Making Connections: Developing a Food System for a Healthier New York State.” Authorized by Executive Order #13, the Council on Food Policy works to preserve and enhance agricultural food production in New York and to ensure that all New Yorkers have adequate access to safe, affordable, fresh and nutritious foods. Some of the significant steps the Council recommends New York State take in 2010 include:

1. Join the campaign to end Childhood Hunger by 2015
2. Support a strong Child Nutrition and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Reauthorization Act
3. Maximize federal funding for nutrition and food programs operating in New York.

Click here for the full press release on the Council's report.

For a copy of the Council on Food Policy’s annual report and all of its recommendations, please visit http://www.nyscfp.org and click on “Report to Governor”.

To learn more about the Council on Food Policy, visit http://www.nyscfp.org or contact the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets at 518-485-7728.

Nutrition Consortium Press Release Commends Congressman Tonko for Universal Classroom Breakfast Bill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Casey Dinkin, Manager of Advocacy and Communications
Nutrition Consortium of NYS
(518)229-8845
www.nutritionconsortium.org

Anti-Hunger Advocates Commend Congressman Paul Tonko for Bill to Expand Universal Classroom Breakfast

Albany, NY, 12/23/09—Anti-hunger advocates commended Congressman Paul Tonko for introducing a bill to expand Universal Classroom Breakfast programs by offering startup grants to schools. The Universal Classroom Breakfast Expansion Act (H.R. 4325) is aimed at replicating the successful model of universal breakfast in the classroom. Studies show that universal breakfast in the classroom is the most effective way to deliver morning nutrition to students, and a wide body of research documents the many positive academic, health, and social benefits of school breakfast consumption on children.

“The Nutrition Consortium of NYS applauds Congressman Paul Tonko for introducing this well-timed legislation, which will have a positive impact on children’s health, education, and well-being,” said Linda Bopp, Executive Director of the Nutrition Consortium of NYS, a statewide anti-hunger organization. “73% of New York’s low-income children miss out on school breakfast, despite rising numbers of children in New York who struggle with hunger.”

Bopp continued, “Research shows that moving breakfast from the cafeteria to the classroom more than doubles the number of children who participate. Congressman Tonko’s legislation is based on the well-documented link between increased school breakfast consumption and improved academic performance, including higher test scores, fewer nurse visits and disciplinary office referrals, and less absenteeism and tardiness. Making sure that children have nutritious breakfast to start their day is good for New York’s children, schools, and future.”
For more resources on School Breakfast, and Universal Classroom Breakfast see the following:

http://www.frac.org/pdf/breakfastforlearning.PDF
http://www.nutritionconsortium.org/childnutrition/documents/abcfinal.pdf
http://www.nutritionconsortium.org/childnutrition/documents/2007-2008ShinewithSBReport.pdf
http://www.nutritionconsortium.org/childnutrition/documents/BreakfastAftertheBellSlideshow.pdf

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Congressman Paul Tonko Introduces Bill to Expand Universal Classroom Breakfast for Low-Income Children

From Representative Tonko's website (http://tonko.house.gov/2009/12/rep-tonko-introduces-bill-to-expand-univeral-school-breakfast-program.shtml):

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Paul Tonko introduced a bill today in the U.S. House of Representatives that will help thousands of low-income children receive a free, nutritious breakfast at school. The Universal Classroom Breakfast Expansion Act will create a competitive grant program that will assist schools serving low-income children to establish a universal classroom breakfast program.

"Every child deserves a healthy breakfast to start their day, but the current school breakfast program misses too many students," said Congressman Tonko. "That is why I am proud to introduce the Universal Classroom Breakfast Expansion Act, to help our schools ensure that every child has access to a good breakfast every day. Especially in these difficult economic times, for our municipalities, schools and families, it is important that we give our nation’s children the opportunity to succeed and enhance their mind, body and soul. Daily breakfast does just that."

The Nutrition Consortium's Executive Director, Linda Bopp, is quoted in the press release:

Linda Bopp, Executive Director of the Nutrition Consortium of NYS, said, "We commend Congressman Paul Tonko for introducing the ‘Universal Classroom Breakfast Expansion Act’, and urge all members of the New York State Congressional delegation to co-sponsor this legislation that allows for universal classroom breakfast start-up grants. At a time when so many families across the state are struggling to make ends meet, the School Breakfast Program offers a healthy and affordable option to ensure children begin their school day without hunger. Research shows that schools with universal breakfast in the classroom programs have double and triple the breakfast participation rates of those who serve in the cafeteria."


For the full press release, go to: http://tonko.house.gov/2009/12/rep-tonko-introduces-bill-to-expand-univeral-school-breakfast-program.shtml

Congress Should Expand Federal Nutrition Programs: New York Times Op-Ed

Hunger in the United States

New York Times Editorial, November 18, 2009

Congress should make a priority of expanding federal nutrition programs that are aimed at helping millions of struggling families feed their children. The need to bolster these programs was underscored again this week in a dismaying Department of Agriculture study showing that a record number of households had trouble getting sufficient food at one time or another last year.

These facts are troubling enough, but a separate federal study showed that even before the recession began, more than two-thirds of families with children who were defined as “food insecure” under federal guidelines contained one or more full-time worker. This suggests that millions of Americans were trapped in low-wage jobs before the downturn that made it more difficult for them to provide children with adequate nutrition.

More

End Childhood Hunger by 2015

From the Food Research and Action Center's (FRAC) new website:

www.endingchildhunger2015.org

During the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama announced a goal of of ending childhood hunger in America by the year 2015. Since taking office, President Obama, U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, and other members of the Administration have reiterated that commitment.

FRAC has set out seven essential strategies in "Ending Childhood Hunger by 2015: The Essential Strategies for Achieving the President's Goal". They focus both on improving and expanding the nation’s nutrition programs, and bolstering the economy and strengthening supports for working families in order to move more out of poverty, the root cause of hunger in this country.

In brief, the seven strategies are:

-Restore economic growth and create jobs with better wages for lower-income workers.
-Raise the incomes of the lowest-income families.
-Strengthen the SNAP/Food Stamp Program.
-Strengthen Child Nutrition Programs.
-Engage the entire federal government in ending childhood hunger.
-Work with states, localities and nonprofits to expand and improve participation in federal nutrition programs.
-Make sure all families have convenient access to reasonably priced, healthy food.

More information on the strategies can be found in the FRAC paper.

“As a nation, we can and must reach this critically important goal of eradicating childhood hunger,” said Jim Weill, FRAC president. “President Obama made this a campaign pledge and his administration has re-committed itself to making sure all children are well fed each day. That will also mean healthier, better educated children with brighter futures. This paper outlines a realistic strategy for accomplishing the goal.”

“The Obama Administration takes the 2015 commitment seriously, and it is incumbent on the rest of us – members of Congress, governors, other public officials, anti-hunger advocates, faith-based institutions, child advocates, business, labor, and service providers – to do so as well,” Weill said.