Valentine Love: President’s FY 2012 Budget Proposal Includes Restoration of SNAP Cuts

Posted on February 25, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

As reported by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), the proposed 2012 budget released by President Barack Obama on Febuary 14th, 2011, provides strong support for the federal nutrition programs and the anticipated growth in those programs – especially as tens of millions of Americans continue to struggle with food insecurity, hunger, unemployment, and wages and hours of work that are inadequate to support families.

It covers expected growth in SNAP (food stamps) and child nutrition programs and funds the key elements of the recently passed Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act. (see link to School Nutrition Association web site, below).

Importantly, the President also proposes to restore the cuts to SNAP made in December to partially finance child nutrition reauthorization, and proposes to suspend for an additional fiscal year the time limits for certain working-age, low-income adults without dependents. Lots of links and information about the legislation and its impact available on the School Nutrition Association website here.

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Food Stamps (SNAP) Benefits Now Helping 1 In 5 In Jacksonville, FL

Posted on February 23, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

The Florida Times-Union reports recently that Food Stamp use has more than doubled in Duval County over the past five years. That grim statistic is twice the national average and is the second highest in a study of 22 cities nationwide.

In the Report, prepared by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), indicates the Food Stamps caseload increased by 131 percent between May 2005 and May 2010. Figures from the Florida Department of Children and Families, which oversees the program, show that has surged even more since May. More than 162,000 people now get help from the program. Jacksonville trailed only Las Vegas nationally.

Most regrettably, the FRAC report finds that although nearly 81% of eligible participants are enrolled in the program, the remaining lack of participation in Jacksonville leaves about $8.3 million each year of unused federal funds “on the table” that could be spent in the local economy.

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Just Released: “Hunger in Our Schools: Share Our Strength’s Teacher Report”

Posted on February 22, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

Just released this afternoon:  “Hunger in Our Schools: Share Our Strength’s Teachers Report.” Because teachers are on the frontlines of this battle, Share Our Strength wanted to hear directly from them about the hunger they witness in the classroom. One thing rings loud and clear: childhood hunger is having an impact on students’ ability to learn.

98% of teachers believe there is a strong connection between eating a healthy breakfast and a student’s ability to concentrate, behave and perform academically. That statistic may not surprise you, but here are some that will: 65% of K-8 teachers see students coming to school hungry because they are not eating at home, and 61% of those teachers use their own money each month to buy food supplies for the hungry children in their class. Here’s a link to Share Our Strength’s teacher survey web page, or you can get the full report in PDF format here.

Stop what you’re doing and read this disturbing, and heartbreaking report. Now.

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Kids Growing up to Be Soldiers? NOT!

Posted on February 21, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

Slightly off-subject for us, but troubling news: Whether you are pro or anti-military, the simple fact is that most young adults in the U.S. cannot qualify for military service, and one major reason lies with our troubled educational system.

USA Today reports that approximately three of every ten high school students fail to graduate on time with a diploma, according to the latest research cited by Education Week. Even more alarming, a recent Education Trust report shows that among high school graduates, 23% seeking to enlist cannot pass the military’s basic exam for reading, math and problem-solving. The story appears here.

While there are other disqualifying factors for military service — such as being overweight or having a criminal record — a poor education could be the biggest obstacle of them all.

A continuing long-term University of North Carolina study, started in 1972, found that at-risk children who participated in an early education program were two-and-a-half times more likely to be attending a four-year college at age 21 than those who did not participate.

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America Losing The War On Poverty

Posted on January 25, 2011 by endchildhungerblog
via Gawker“

It’s not always just about Kids.

43% of Hispanic women who live alone, and 34% of black women who live alone, live in poverty. One in six older Americans lives below the federal poverty line, according to a new government analysis which almost doubles the number of very poor seniors compared to the standard estimate. … Read More >>

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How Many Low-Income Florida Kids Getting School Breakfast?

Posted on January 13, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

It’s a busy day on the child nutrition front. The Food Research and Action Center has released its annual School Breakfast Scorecard and Urban School Breakfast Report. How many low-income kids in Florida are getting school breakfast? Not enough. You can download the Natioinal School Breakfast Scorecard here, and the companion survey of school breakfast in America’s Big Cities here.

P.S. You can also follow the issue on Twitter at #brkfastinclassrm.

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WalMart, FRAC & Others Launch Breakfast In The Classroom Inititative

Posted on January 13, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

Walmart has announced a $3 million program, in partnership with the Food Research and Action Center, NAESP Foundation and the School Nutrition Foundation to support and pomote the “Breakfast in the Classroom” inititative.

Fact: There are more than 25 million children in our nation’s elementary and middle schools, many of whom come to school hungry.  What happens next is heartbreaking.  Their attention spans shorten.  Their energy levels plummet.  Their productivity wanes.  Learning suffers.  Lives suffer.

Fact:  Eating breakfast at school helps children learn.  Studies show that children who eat breakfast at the start of their school day have higher math and reading scores.  They have sharper memory and show faster speed on cognitive tests.  They have broader vocabularies. They do better on standardized tests.  They focus better and behave better.

With Breakfast in the Classroom, breakfast becomes available to everyone – no matter their income level  – and it’s served after the opening bell. This makes it easier for all children to easily participate.  Children eat together in the classroom, usually the homeroom, at the start of the school day. They enjoy nutritionally well-balanced foods like breakfast wraps, yogurt, or fruit served directly in their classroom or grabbed from a cart in the hallway.  Check out the website here for more information.

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Revised Census Formula Shows More Living In Poverty

Posted on January 7, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

The number of poor people in the United States in 2009 was millions higher than previously known, with 1 in 6 Americans — many of them 65 and older — struggling in poverty due to rising medical care and other costs, according to preliminary census figures released yesterday.

Under a new revised census formula, overall poverty in 2009 stood at 15.7 percent, or 47.8 million people. That’s compared to the official 2009 rate of 14.3 percent, or 43.6 million, that was reported by the Census Bureau in September.

Read more on the report via the Associated Press here.

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Kraft “Fight Hunger Bowl” Raising Money And Awareness

Posted on January 3, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

The Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, to be played January 9th between Nevada & Boston College, is the only college football bowl game raising money and awareness regarding the hunger problem in the United States. The bowl game will celebrate the culmination of Kraft Foods’ HUDDLE TO FIGHT HUNGER program, which is the food company’s largest-ever branded initiative to fight hunger in America. The goal of the program is to donate as many as 20 million meals to Feeding America.

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Gerber and Yum-o! Form Partnership To Fight Hunger

Posted on January 1, 2011 by endchildhungerblog

Gerber has teamed up with non-profit organization Yum-o! to fight hunger and raise awareness of nutrition.

To support the alliance, Gerber will donate one dollar for every “Like” added on its Facebook page by January 15, 2011. Yum-o! encourages families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking by teaching families to cook, feeding hungry children, and funding cooking education and scholarships. Gerber will donate up to $500,000 to Yum-o! to enable the organisation to provide families with access to nutritious food.

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