Three Ways To Reduce Childhood Food Insecurity

New research, using simulation modeling, identifies three policies that ensure young children have reliable access to food.


●    Increasing SNAP benefits by basing benefit calculations on the Low Cost Food Plan (vs. the Thrifty Food Plan), gives participant families with children 8% more  food purchasing power, and  helps 5.31% of food-insecure people in those families to become food secure.

●    Increasing WIC age-eligibility from age 5 to 6, increases the food purchasing power of 1.47% of newly eligible 5-year-olds’ families, helping them to become food secure.

●    Maintaining the current Community Eligibility Program (CEP) criteria (>40% poverty rate) in the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, assures that the food purchasing power of 3.17% and 3.77% of families with children who participate in free and reduced-price meals, respectively, shift into higher income-to-poverty-ratio categories. Consequently, 3.23% of food-insecure School Meals participants’ families became fully food secure.

Source: Children’s Health Policy, 11/16/17, Reducing Food Insecurity

AFSCME Local 318 Members Step Up To Support Foodshare

Al Marino, center, Foodshare's Corporate and Community Giving Manager, accepts a $500 donation from AFSCME Local 318 Executive Board members Bob Augusta, Tony Ruggerio, Rose Phillips, Pat Davis, Valencia Johnson and Jennifer Pelletier.

 Responding to the continued problem of food insecurity throughout Connecticut, members of AFSCME Local 318, representing more than 600 state administrative and clerical workers in central Connecticut, have donated $500 to Foodshare.
          “As state employees and union members, we are blessed to have decent, family-supporting jobs,” said Local 318 President Robert Augusta, who works for the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DHMHAS). “We want to give back to the community in a meaningful way. Donating to Foodshare is a way to help the countless working people in our state who don’t always know where there next meal is coming from.”     
 
Augusta and fellow Local 318 Executive Board Members, Patricia Davis, Jennifer Pelletier, Rose Phillips, Anthony Ruggiero and Valencia Johnson presented the donation to Al Marino, Foodshare’s Corporate and Community Giving Manager.
          “We applaud the public service workers from AFSCME Local 318 for their generous contribution to our cause,” Marino said. “There are currently 127,000 people living in Hartford and Tolland counties who are food insecure. Every dollar donated provides two-and-half meals to individuals and families in need.”
        
 

SNAP Helps Adult College Students

Cost is the main barrier facing many adults who pursue postsecondary credentials. Unmet need--the gap between expenses and what adult students can pay--averages roughly $8,000 for the lowest-income students. Providing such students access to public benefits — like subsidized child care, SNAP, Medicaid, and TANF— can reduce unmet need, decrease debt levels, increase financial stability and help students care for their families.

In an effort to make it easier for states to align these policies, six federal departments released an interagency letter, “Aligning Federal Supports and Program Delivery for College Completion,” that highlighted how those who are receiving SNAP or other benefits can benefit from federal financial aid for college. SNAP, for example, has complex rules for students attending postsecondary education and training more than part-time, but states can define whether low-income students enrolled in college or certain occupational programs more than part-time qualify. In addition, some low-income students receiving federal or state work-study funds are eligible for SNAP.

Source: Center for Law & Social Policy, 11/22/17, SNAP Helps College Students

Hunger Action Team Celebrates 3 year Anniversary

“A little over three years ago, Stephanie Haines, who is the Minister of Mission and Faith Formation at Gilead Congregational Church, reached out to Beatrice Maslowski, a community network builder at Foodshare.

The result was the formation of a Hunger Action Team (HAT) serving the towns of Hebron, Andover, Marlborough, and Columbia, a group that celebrated a 3-year anniversary - and a list of impressive accomplishments - recently.”

Source: Hartford Courant, 12/1/17, Local Hunger Action Team Marks Anniversary, Success

Turkey Prices Down This Year

Thanksgiving season often marks the low point for the retail markup for whole turkeys. This year, low wholesale prices are likely a good sign for price-conscious consumers.

The average price for a whole frozen hen in August was just under 97 cents per pound, 3% below January and 19% below August 2016. As of the fourth week of September, prices had fallen farther to 96 cents. The last time wholesale prices were below $1 per pound as late as September was in 2010.

Source: USDA, 11/6/17, Turkey Prices

With turkey prices down this year, please consider purchasing a turkey (or several) and donating them to Foodshare!

To find a local drive near year visit ATurkeyand30.org!

A Hawk Is Rescued

Foodshare had an interesting visitor on Monday morning. A hawk flew into the truck garage portion of our warehouse and couldn’t figure out how to get out.

Our helpful friends at the Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton came out to help and identified her as a young, female Cooper’s hawk but had no luck coaxing her out -- so the hawk stayed overnight until Tuesday.

On Tuesday, with help from Nick Watson, a wildlife relocation expert, along with some Foodshare staff, we were finally able to direct her back outside where she belongs.

A happy ending!

Screening for Food Insecurity

What is the best way to screen for food insecurity? The 18-item U.S. Food Security Scale (USFSS) is the gold standard, according to a recent editorial in the American Journal of Public Health. The tool was developed after five years of extensive testing, consultation, and expert review.  Its length, however, makes its use in most clinical settings impractical.

The first two questions in the USFSS, commonly known as the Hunger Vital Sign, ask how often within the past 12 months “we worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more,” and “the food we bought just didn’t last and we didn’t have money to get more.” Recent research has shown the Hunger Vital Sign to be both a sensitive and specific tool, and thus reliable is ascertaining whether a patient is food insecure, but only if the screener asks both questions and gives the patient 3 response options: “often true, sometimes true, or never true.”

Source: Children’s Health Watch, 11/2/17, Food Insecurity Screening

Access To Grocery Stores Affects Food Shopping & Spending

Researchers believe that poor access to stores that sell a wide range of healthy and affordable foods results in poorer diet and diet-related health problems. Six percent (6%) of American households lack of access to supermarkets, which may mean that they rely more heavily on convenience stores or fast-food restaurants. A new USDA survey of how the local food environment influences where households get food and how much of their food budget is spent at various types of retailers reveals:

●    77% low-access households shopped at supermarket, superstore, large grocery store, or warehouse store compared to 87% percent for households with sufficient access.
●    Low-access households spend almost the same percentage of their weekly food expenditures at large stores as households with sufficient access.
●    Low-access households are less likely to buy food at a restaurant than households with sufficient access (69.5% compared with 85.8%) and spend less than half as much per person as households with sufficient access ($9.90 compared to $19.56).

Source: USDA, 10/17, Grocery Store Access

2017 Fall Newsletter

Check out our fall newsletter to see how our community is working together in support of Foodshare's mission!

SNAP Helps Cut Child Poverty in Half

Thanks to government programs, the child poverty rate fell to a record low of 15.6% in 2016, a little more than half its 1967 level of 28.4%.  Data incorporating the Supplemental Poverty Measure (which counts the income that the SNAP, rental subsidies, and other federal non-cash benefits and tax credits provide) show that the drop is largely attributable to safety net programs, particularly SNAP and refundable tax credits for earned income and child care.

This improvement has benefited all demographic groups.  Between 1991 and 2016, SPM poverty rates among black, Hispanic, and non-Hispanic white children were all cut roughly in half.  When poverty is measured without counting safety net income, child poverty is only modestly lower than it was in the 1960s.

Source: Center on Budget & Policy Priorities, 10/5/17, Child Poverty

Food Insecurity Tied To Chronic Disease

USDA researchers recently used health, demographic, and food security information to look closely at the relationship between 10 chronic diseases in low-income working-age adults and the food security status of their households. They made two striking findings. First, they found differences in adult health across four levels of food security ranging from high to very low food security.

This finding is important because it suggests that food security status tracks closely with health. For example, the predicted probability of hypertension for low-income working-age adults living in a household experiencing very low food security was 10.5 percentage points higher than for those in high food-secure households, while in low-income households with marginal and low food-security, the predicted probability of hypertension was 3.5 and 5.4 percentage points, respectively, higher than in high food-secure households.  Second, researchers found similar differences for all of the health conditions they examined—hypertension, coronary heart disease, hepatitis, stroke, cancer, asthma, diabetes, arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease. In all cases, the likelihood of having the particular health condition increased as household food security worsened.

Source: USDA, 10/2/17, Food Insecurity & Chronic Disease

SNAP May Be Best Path To Seniors' Health

A recent study demonstrated that access to SNAP results in fewer hospital and nursing home admissions. Researchers studied the entire population of 69,000 Maryland seniors who are on both Medicaid and Medicare (known as “dual eligibles”).

The results were remarkable. Access to SNAP reduced a senior’s likelihood of admission into a hospital by 14% and reduced the likelihood of entrance into a nursing home by 23%. The study also found that the more SNAP dollars seniors received for healthy food, the lower the odds they would have to spend additional days in a hospital and nursing home. And, because connecting seniors to SNAP results in lower healthcare utilization and better health, it also leads to health care savings. The researchers estimated that connecting dual eligibles to SNAP delivers $2,100 in annual health care savings per senior enrolled.

Source: Philly.com, 9/26/17, SNAP Benefits Seniors

SNAP Benefit May Lower Health Care Spending

Enrollment in SNAP may be associated with lower health spending, a new study suggests. Researchers examined data on health spending for U.S. adults who were eligible for SNAP, including 1,889 people who were SNAP participants and 2,558 who were not. Overall, the study found, SNAP participation was associated with about $1,400 less in average annual health care costs for each low-income adult.

There wasn’t much difference in annual health spending based on SNAP participation when researchers only accounted for two factors that can influence medical costs – age and gender. The difference was much more pronounced, however, when researchers also considered race, region, insurance, education, income, disability and other medical problems. When all of those factors were taken into account, SNAP enrollees had average annual health spending that was $1,409 less than people who didn’t participate in the program.

Source: Huffington Post, 9/26/17, Health Care Spending

Harmonizing “Use By” Labels To Reduce Food Waste

Confusion over "date" labels on foods is a major culprit in creating food waste. Once a "sell by" date has passed, lots of us toss out food that's perfectly safe to eat. The typical U.S. family spends about $1,500 on food it then throws away. A new initiative aims to harmonize "use by" labels around the globe. The Consumer Goods Forum, a network of 400 of the largest food and consumer goods companies around the globe — including Walmart, Kellogg, Nestle, Campbell Soup, and Amazon — is asking retailers and food producers to take steps to simplify date labels. The forum is asking producers to use two standard phrases on food packages in the future:

• "BEST if Used By," which describes the quality of a food product. This term is meant to convey that "the product may not taste or perform" its best after the specified date, "but it is safe to use or consume," and
• "Use By," which applies to highly perishable products. It means the products should be consumed by the date listed on the package and disposed of after that date.

Source: NPR, 9/20/17, Food Labels

DC’s Largest Food Bank Cuts Junk Food By 84%

A year ago, Washington D.C.’s Capital Area Food Bank decided to turn away junk food. From soda to chips, the CAFB has reduced the junk food it supplies to its 444 nonprofit partners, including soup kitchens and food pantries, by 84%.  Nearly half of the people receiving CAFB meals have high blood pressure, nearly a quarter have diabetes, or they live with someone who suffers from those illnesses. 

These customers’ doctors were telling them to reduce the salt and sugar in their diet and increase fiber. CAFB has not only cut back on sugary snacks and drinks, but it’s also boosted the amount of protein if offers, including 544,000 more pounds of beans and other vegetarian protein than in fiscal year 2015 — an increase of 57%. To improve its inventory, CAFB had to circle back with the 12 grocery store retailers that donate the bulk of the bank’s food to change from the high-sugar, low-nutrition items they historically provided. To date, the CAFB has managed to make improvements and retain relationships with all of its major food donors.

Source: Fern’s AG Insider, 9/18/17, Cutting Junk Food

Signs of Summer

For the past several years Foodshare’s Hunger Action Teams have worked hard to let families know where kids can get a healthy and free summer lunch through the USDA’s Summer Meals program.

Bloomfield Town Pool 2016

Bristol B & G Club 2016

HATS saw the need to promote the meal sites and strategized how to get them out on the curbs where meals were being served.

When signs were available from other sources we used them, when they were not we funded Partnership Program awards or paid the cost for signs, knowing that kids would benefit greatly and the program would thrive.

Our goal?  More food security for kids who were able to get a free or reduced cost lunch during the school year.

Vernon Park, 2016

This year’s signs topped all – big, bright and beautiful orange signs graced more than 100 entrances to meals across our region.. When our friends at Budget Printers heard what we were doing they generously donated a large part of the cost. Hats off to Budget Printers,1718 Park Street in Hartford for showing such great community spirit!

New Britain, 2017

Hartford, 2017

Increasing signage was just one of the ways Foodshare has promoted the Summer Meals program. Stay tuned for information about our Expect More Healthy Kids events and Championship coming soon!

Healthy Food Donation

Over 50 pounds of chayote (aka cho-cho) was donated to Foodshare and in less than 15 minutes it was on its way to the food pantry at Charity SDA Church in East Hartford.  Beulah Gayle picked up the two cases of fresh fruit as part of her weekly pickup at Foodshare.

Chayote is rich in amino acids, a good source of vitamin C and folate, and is low fat.  It can be eaten raw or cooked.  It can be added to soups and salads or stretching a meat dish.  In short, it’s a versatile healthy food that not enough people know about.

Next time you are looking for healthy foods to eat and donate – think Chayote. 

 Foodshare encourages healthy food donations such as Chayote.

Beluah Gaye (left) to distribute fresh chayote at the Charity SDA Church Food Pantry in East Hartford; and Jim Palma (right) donated the fresh chayote to Foodshare.

Summer Meal Champions!

On a rainy Saturday morning in August, thirty-one kids from five towns made their way to Parker Memorial Community Center in Hartford for the Expect More Healthy Kids Championship Event. On the line were awesome prizes: a Minion’s bike, an electric scooter, a Fitbit, and gift cards to Toys R Us and Target.

Leading up to this event, more than 250 children competed each week in July to earn ribbons and an invitation to the final competition. From the kid’s perspective, it was fun and games. But Foodshare had a serious reason behind it -- getting the word out about free summer meals in our region.

Why does Foodshare care about a federal program like summer meals? We realize that the 11.5 million meals we provide at pantries, shelters and community kitchens are only one part of the equation. To keep Connecticut kids strong, we need strong programs in place like school meals and summer meals.

The USDA Summer Meals Program began as an extension of the school lunch program in 1968, yet it is still the ‘best kept secret’ in child nutrition programs. Few parents know that there are free meals for kids at 600 locations across Connecticut -- less than 25 percent of kids who receive a free or reduced cost lunch at school will get a summer meal!

So while the kids enjoyed fun activities – field games, basketball, and Yard Goats baseball - we were asking them to go back to friends and family as ‘ambassadors’ for the free meals at their summer programs. A week of nutrition education rounded the activities out, with the help of the SNAP4CT staff who taught basic “My Plate” rules for healthy eating during relay races. Fox61 and iHeart Radio provided a media spotlight to get the word out. Panera provided delicious sandwiches for competitors and their families at the championship, and donations to Foodshare from their new delivery program. Stop & Shop provided the funding for us to do this important outreach. It was truly a team effort and we can Expect More Healthy Kids as a result.

Foodshare thanks all of our partners and special thanks to the City of Hartford Department of Families, Children, Youth and Recreation who graciously facilitated activities on two sites and provided the Championship venue. Thanks to Fox61 morning anchor Tim Lammers for acting as master of ceremonies, a passionate advocate for Connecticut kids!

FoodXChange Draws 165 Hartford Residents

One hundred and sixty-five people attended the first ever FoodXChange program at the Hartford Public Library, SAND/Ropkins Branch on July 26, 2017. The event was a partnership of Foodshare’s Promise Zone Hunger Action Team, Hartford Public Library, Farrell Treatment Center, and the House of Bread. This pilot program invited community members to exchange their packaged, processed foods for fresh fruits generously donated by the House of Bread. Altogether, the event exchanged 301 servings of processed, prepackaged food for 653 servings of fresh produce! Most of the participants were parents and children.

In addition to providing participants with healthy food, the FoodXChange featured a number of activities like:

• Live music performed by two students and a teacher from the Charter Oak Cultural Center.
• A sugar demonstration and healthy recipe booklets provided by the UConn SNAP-Ed nutrition program.
• A kid's area with interactive games.

Thank you to all of the community partners and residents who helped make this event a success! 

Interns Succeed With Summer Meals

Summer Meals Squad pictured left to right: Jim, Maddie, Megan, Angelina, Sarah S, Bea, and Jack

During a four week period we had the privilege of having three hardworking, young ladies contribute their skills and talents for our Summer Meals program.

Maddie Appleton, a nursing student from Central Connecticut State University, served as the Summer Meals Event Coordinator. As coordinator, Maddie managed and organized all of the sports activities that were held at a summer meals site. The activities included; basketball, baseball, track and field, and nutrition education.

Angelina Opoku, a UConn student supported the efforts of publicizing the summer meal sites. As an American Savings Foundation intern, she held the responsibility of performing various outreach activities to get more kids to attend a summer meal site. Angelina successfully distributed close to 20,000 flyers to numerous towns within the Hartford region.

Megan Ewald, a recent college graduate from Michigan served as a Summer Meals VISTA. Megan was in charge of serving children a healthy meal at the summer meals sites in  Plainville. She also provided support to Maddie in coordinating the sport and food education activities at five different sites.

Angelina, Maddie, and Megan, we wish you all the best!