[http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5118/images/Digest.gif] follow us: [http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5118/images/facebook.gif] <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Hn%2BwjOnKi3s7X54jAWle9jaQu8ehV%2Fgp> [http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5118/images/twitter.gif] <http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Low9EdsKn4MV%2Bmg5WhV07TaQu8ehV%2Fgp> ________________________________ The Weekly Food Research and Action Center News Digest highlights what's new on hunger, nutrition and poverty issues at FRAC, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, around the network of national, state and local anti-poverty and anti-hunger organizations, and in the media. The Digest will alert you to trends, reports, news items and resources and, when available, link you directly to them. Previous editions of the Digest are available on FRAC’s website<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=QpM1ABLMI8chplfS%2FkJiZzaQu8ehV%2Fgp>. ________________________________ Issue #44, November 14, 2012 1. Washington Post Reporter Terms SNAP/Food Stamps a “Real Success Story” 2. Minnesota Religious Groups Prepare for SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge 3. Some SNAP/Food Stamp Recipients Unable to Use EBT Cards in Wake of Hurricane Sandy Power Outages 4. As State Introduces New SNAP/Food Stamp Processing System, One North Carolina County Stands Ready to Help Recipients if Benefits are Delayed 5. Although SNAP/Food Stamp Participation Increased in Bronx Borough of New York, Food Pantry Still Struggles to Meet Needs 6. Breakfast in the Classroom Comes to More South Carolina Schools 7. Thousands of Des Moines, Iowa Students Participating in Breakfast in the Classroom 8. Research Finds Low-Income Children Consume More Calories at Fast Food Restaurants than When Eating Meals at Home ________________________________ 1. Washington Post Reporter Terms SNAP/Food Stamps a “Real Success Story” (NPR<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Tp%2FkQg0oOPpD956wUqY2PzaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 6, 2012) In an NPR segment discussing poverty as an issue that the presidential candidates missed during the election campaign, Washington Post political writer Melinda Henneberger noted that SNAP/Food Stamps are a “real success story,” when compared with the option of people going hungry. Poverty rates have risen, noted Marilyn Geewax, NPR senior business editor, from about 13 percent of Americans in 2007 before the recession began, to between 15 and 16 percent. “And that’s really this overhang from people losing their jobs, losing their homes.” At the same time, SNAP/Food Stamp participation has surged. “[T]hat’s where most of the help for poverty has gone, into trying to keep people fed,” said Geewax. ________________________________ 2. Minnesota Religious Groups Prepare for SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge (Minneapolis Star Tribune<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=UyYNfO0o%2FKykxMEgCDKq6jaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 2, 2012) Faith and community leaders in 15 of Minnesota’s Muslim, Jewish and Christian religious groups and community organizations began their SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge on November 11. On that day, participants traveled from Trinity Lutheran Church in Minneapolis to a Cub Foods store, where each participant purchased $31.50 worth of groceries. Most of the participants are attempting to live on those groceries for one week, the average per-person SNAP/Food Stamp allotment. “[T]he statistics are really horrifying and quite consistent that a very large percentage of households in the U.S….live in a chronic state of hunger,” said Rabbi Amy Eilberg, a consultant with the Jay Phillips Center for Interfaith Learning at the University of St. Thomas. The SNAP/Food Stamp Challenge, said Eilberg, is “a tool to raise awareness…of the presence of hunger in our community.” When she participated in the Challenge last year, Eilberg found it difficult to purchase fruits and vegetables after buying staples like bread and milk. ________________________________ 3. Some SNAP/Food Stamp Recipients Unable to Use EBT Cards in Wake of Hurricane Sandy Power Outages (Marketplace<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=ULYBo5yioPf%2FOApG82DZzTaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 5, 2012) In the New York City area, Hurricane Sandy’s power outages not only shut down cash machines and credit card swipers. EBT cards were also affected. “All the stores were closed,” said Ozzie Hernandez, who found he was able to use his EBT card at the Stop 1 Food market on Manhattan’s Lower East Side several days after the hurricane. “The electricity was out. People were not able to use their EBT cards or really didn’t have any type of access to food.” According to Kevin Concannon, USDA undersecretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, “[a]round 50 percent of the authorized stores that could process food stamps were either shut down or their power was shut down,” affecting about 1.8 million of New York’s SNAP/Food Stamp recipients. That’s why it’s a good idea, noted Mark Rank, professor of social welfare at Washington University, to keep expanding the number of businesses accepting SNAP/Food Stamps – doing so increases the number of vendors who can supply services during a crisis. New York’s SNAP/Food Stamp recipients will receive a reimbursement of half their October benefits, due to the hurricane. Follow this link to additional NYC SNAP/Food Stamp and Hurricane Sandy coverage<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=W7aK%2FuxlG3Bnw9m5Z%2FtJaTaQu8ehV%2Fgp>. ________________________________ 4. As State Introduces New SNAP/Food Stamp Processing System, One North Carolina County Stands Ready to Help Recipients if Benefits are Delayed (The Robesonian<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=btjEE4IxiVwjU1ogfBWDPDaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 6, 2012) Case workers at the North Carolina Department of Social Services are working to convert Robeson County’s 23,000 SNAP/Food Stamp cases to the state’s new administration system, NC FAST. Robeson County commissioners have approved funds, to be handed out in $50 vouchers, to help SNAP/Food Stamp recipients who experience the most serious delays in their benefits due to the changeover. “We don’t want people to go without food,” said DSS Director Becky Morrow. “We will do everything in our power to help these people.” DSS hired fifty temporary employees to assist in converting the county’s SNAP/Food Stamp cases to the new system, and Morrow told commissioners she may need to request more temporary help. ________________________________ 5. Although SNAP/Food Stamp Participation Increased in Bronx Borough of New York, Food Pantry Still Struggles to Meet Needs (NY City Lens<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=%2Bzu74rgLrhhFu%2BWE0J%2F8TzaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 3, 2012) In 2007, 80,000 of New York’s South Bronx residents received SNAP/Food Stamps; the number has increased nearly 50 percent to 120,000 in 2011, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Still, there are many in the borough who are unable to receive SNAP/Food Stamps, yet are experiencing food insecurity. They are turning to the Manna of Life food pantry, according Myrna Cruz, to the organization’s food coordinator. “We used to see the homeless and the destitute, now we’re seeing our neighbors, people we go to church with,” said Cruz, noting that there’s also been a large shift to employed people seeking the pantry’s assistance. “They’re embarrassed,” said Cruz. “You pay your taxes, you pay your dues, and you can’t feed your family.” Consequently, the pantry’s food is “flying off the shelves and we can’t stock it fast enough.” As the recession progressed, food donations dropped, according to Erbin Colbian, founder and president of Manna of Life. Increased TEFAP grants helped the organization in 2010 and 2011, but in 2012 the federal government provided no support. ________________________________ 6. Breakfast in the Classroom Comes to More South Carolina Schools (WCBD<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=86BI5clE%2FtijDGmbVnzKojaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 2, 2012; WCSC<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=fWA5JCjsHnl70jFjovFuxjaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 2, 2012) In November, Breakfast in the Classroom began in 15 of South Carolina’s Charleston County schools. The program will make breakfast free for all students at these schools and allow students to eat the meal in their classrooms. More than 6,000 children are expected to participate at the beginning of their first period class. Data shows that more than 54 percent of Charleston’s students are eligible to receive free or reduced-price school meals, yet few of them participate in school breakfast. “The success part of it is we are bringing breakfast to more students and helping them better academically, helping to reduce the number of tardies, and reducing the number of visits to the nurse’s office,” said Walter Campbell, the school district’s Director of Nutrition and Food Services. “Hopefully academically we can do our small part to benefit our district and have more students graduate.” Developing the breakfast in the classroom program at these schools is funded by the Walmart Foundation and supported by Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom. Ten major school districts have been selected this school year to build breakfast in the classroom programs through sharing the Walmart Foundation’s $5 million dollar grant. ________________________________ 7. Thousands of Des Moines, Iowa Students Participating in Breakfast in the Classroom (WHO TV<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=NMR8c1VB3GONNlwBRtWMHjaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, October 25, 2012) About 5,000 Des Moines, Iowa students are now receiving a free school breakfast every day, and are eating it in their classrooms, as part of the Breakfast in the Classroom Program. Breakfast in the Classroom is free for students at the 12 Des Moines elementary schools participating, and the district plans to add three middle schools in January. Many children have not been participating in school breakfast, because of late bus schedules, or the stigma attached to eating breakfast at school, notes Eyang Garrison of the Food Research and Action Center. “So when you move it from the cafeteria to the classroom more kids are eating breakfast.” Garrison said that schools offering breakfast in the classroom have seen breakfast participation jump from 20 percent to sometimes 100 percent of students. “Last year at 11 o’clock, the kids would be saying ‘I’m hungry. When can we have lunch?’ Now with all the kids having breakfast available they’re not getting that. They have their full attention until it’s lunch time,” said Sandy Huisman of Des Moines Public Schools. ________________________________ 8. Research Finds Low-Income Children Consume More Calories at Fast Food Restaurants than When Eating Meals at Home (KMBZ<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=w7Mb6EqrRjNHQi51wEabqTaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 2, 2012; RedOrbit<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=Azkm7LwlQ9wb%2FI4VhHZhcjaQu8ehV%2Fgp>, November 6, 2012) Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) found that children and adolescents consume more calories at fast food and sit-down restaurants than they would if they had the same meal at home; the effect is particularly pronounced for low-income children. “When lower-income youths are eating fast food, they are choosing more energy-dense, lower quality foods that tend to be higher in fats and sodium and can be purchased cheaply,” said Lisa Powell, the study’s lead author and professor of health policy and administration at the UIC School of Public Health. Powell and her researchers surveyed nearly 5,000 children ages 2-11 and 5,000 between the ages of 12 and 19 for the study, published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine. Youth also consumed twice as much soda when eating out, which Powell attributes to free refills. Larger portion sizes at restaurants also contribute to the problem. ________________________________ About Us: The Food Research and Action Center (www.frac.org<http://www.frac.org>) is the leading national organization working for more effective public and private policies to eradicate domestic hunger and undernutrition. Visit our Web site (www.frac.org<http://org2.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=qjLmTQtLqD3EggM4CcKkRDaQu8ehV%2Fgp>) to learn more. [empowered by Salsa]<http://www.salsalabs.com/?email> <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you wish to unsubscribe from the NFS-L List, please send an E-mail to: "[log in to unmask]". 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