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News in Anti-Hunger Work
The USDA is proposing policies to improve food access and healthy choices for low-income Americans by requiring stores that accept SNAP to carry healthier food options. Read their full
press release here.
Beginning in April, many States will begin revoking SNAP benefits to able bodied, working adults,
increasing hunger for an estimated one million people.
Though emergency food is not a permanent solution to this issue, anyone can call our USDA National Hunger Hotline from 8 AM- 8 PM EST for additional assistance as they navigate being unable to utilize the SNAP program.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is
working to combat the waiver expirations across the US. Let them know how you feel about the waiver expirations on their twitter @CenterOnBudget or by using #SNAPMatters in your tweets.
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Best Practices From Across the Country
Each month, Hunger Free America will highlight a best practice in anti-hunger from one of our partner organizations and VISTA members from across the country. The emergency food providers that we partner with are a part of the National Clearinghouse Database; it's
easy to add your organization to the database too. This month we will highlight Sonia Rocha and the South Texas Food Bank.
Sonia Rocha, AHOC member with the South Texas Food Bank, visited her local SNAP office to better understand the roles and personalities of the staff. Specifically, she identified key decision makers and friendly individuals with whom it was important to get
to know and cultivate relationships. Sonia explains that, “In order to get someone’s attention and eventually your point across, you need to know who you are talking to and where they rank on the organizational chart. If you introduce an idea that a partner
buys into, they begin working together towards your goals. Visiting them and getting to know the person working, not just the title, better helped me to get my point across, sell my idea, and eventually get everyone on board with what I needed from them.”
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USDA National Hunger Clearinghouse
Hunger Free America is operating the USDA National Hunger Clearinghouse Database as well as the National Hunger Hotline.
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The National Hunger Hotline is a great resource for people needing assistance accessing the online database. Anyone can call in between the hours of 8 AM and 8 PM EST, to talk
to a person about the food resources near them in English or Spanish.
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During summer months, the hotline provides information about meal sites where children 18 years old and under can get free, nutritious meals through the
USDA Summer Food Service Program.
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If you are an emergency food provider and would like to be added to the National Clearinghouse Database, follow this link:
http://nhc.fns.usda.gov/nhc/submit
The hotline can be reached at 1-866-3-HUNGRY
(1-866-348-6479) or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (1-877-842-6273) for Spanish, from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.
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