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

Help End Finger Imaging for Food Stamp Recipients in NYS

On Monday (6/28), the Senate passed a bill which would end finger imaging requirements for food stamp-only applicants and recipients in New York State.

For more information on Senate Bill S6291 click here.

The Assembly is now moving their version of the finger imaging bill (A01681).

These bills represent an effective way to:

• simplify access to food stamp/SNAP benefits while still satisfying USDA requirements;


• eliminate a potential barrier and/or deterrent to otherwise eligible applicants;


• eliminate a policy that is inconsistently and sometimes inaccurately applied;


• save the State money by removing the finger imaging requirement;


• and maximize the amount of federally-funded food stamp benefits coming into New York State’s economy.

Because finger-imaging is a deterrent and/or barrier to participation, New York State is losing out on millions in federal food stamp benefits that would be coming into the State if every eligible person applied for benefits. These benefits could then be assisting households to alleviate hunger and be creating jobs in the community.

ACTION:Please help to end finger imaging in NYS by calling your Assembly member today and ask them to pass Assembly Bill A01681 and end the practice of finger imaging food stamp applicants and recipients in NYS.

To find your local Assemblymember click here.

AARP Foundation Commits to Help Alleviate Hunger

Earlier this month, the AARP Foundation announced a commitment to help alleviate hunger among older adults during Poverty and Aging: The Growing Problem of Hunger and Older Adults, a forum it hosted to raise awareness of the unique issues faced by older adults and to encourage innovative strategies and solutions to address them.

In the coming months, the AARP Foundation will launch an anti-hunger initiative that includes distributing outreach and planning toolkits on helping older Americans who are food insecure; working to simplify and eliminate barriers to enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); and encouraging and helping older adults apply for SNAP benefits. While more than 7 million older Americans are eligible for SNAP, less than one-third – approximately 2.4 million individuals – are actually receiving benefits.

Event materials may be found at www.aarp.org/povertyandaging.

Calls Needed Today to Tell Senate: Don't Cut Food Stamp Program

From the Food Research and Action Center

SNAP Cut Proposed as Offset for Senate "Extender"Bill

Last night, seeking ways to pay for the pending American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes and Preventing Outsourcing Act (H.R. 4213) ("extenders bill"), Senate leaders included a proposal to cut billions from future SNAP benefits.

The "extenders" bill provides important support to continue extended unemployment insurance and enhanced Medicaid matching funds to the states, but it is unacceptable to pay for such benefits by raiding desperately needed SNAP/Food Stamp dollars. The SNAP/Food Stamp cut would take the form of ending (current proposal as of June 1, 2014) the boost in benefits that Congress included in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). This would return millions of families to the situation where SNAP/Food Stamp benefits typically ran out in the third or early in the fourth week of the month. It would increase hunger just when the President's 2015 end-childhood-hunger deadline is coming, and it would increase obesity by making it even harder for struggling families to purchase healthy food.

The cut is estimated to total $9.56 billion, nearly one half of all the SNAP/Food Stamp investments in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

Message/Action: Call your Senators today and tell them to oppose the SNAP offset in the American Jobs, Closing Tax Loopholes and Preventing Outsourcing Act (H.R. 4213), and to fix the package immediately so needed Medicaid and Unemployment benefits can pass without harming SNAP/Food Stamp beneficiaries. Your Senators need to weigh in with leadership today. Making more people hungry is not an acceptable way to pay for other benefits.

Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121, or to access the Senate directory, click here (pdf).