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Hunger in Vernon. Sarah Santora, Foodshare Dawn Crayco, End Hunger CT!. Foodshare.
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Hunger in Vernon Sarah Santora, Foodshare Dawn Crayco, End Hunger CT!
Foodshare Foodshare is the food bank for Hartford and Tolland counties. Working with the food industry, Foodshare collects food that would otherwise be wasted and distributions 16 tons of food to partner agencies like Cornerstone Soup Kitchen, and the HVCC Tri-Town Pantry. There are also two mobile foodshare sites in Vernon where fresh produce, perishables and other food is distributed to the community.
End Hunger Connecticut! Our mission is to eliminate hunger in the state through legislative and administrative advocacy, outreach and public education. End Hunger Connecticut!, Inc. is a member organization open to all who are committed to working towards finding a solution to end hunger.
Definitions Food Insecurity: Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable food sin socially acceptable ways Food Hardship: lack of money to purchase food
The Facts • Connecticut 2006 – 2008 Food Security Numbers from the USDA: • Food Insecurity: 11% • 26th in national ranking • Very Low Food Security: 4.1% • 35th in national ranking • One of the largest increases from previous study in the nation. • 14.57% of CT residents reported Food hardship in 2010
Vernon • Residents below poverty: 5,036 • 25% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals • Community Food Security Ranking (1= most community food secure, 169= least community food secure) Vernon Ranking: 132
Emergency Food • Cornerstone, HVCC, Mobile Foodshare • Appr. Lbs of food distributed in 2010: 295,205 • Community Voices: • David Engelson-HVCC • Helen Syriac
SNAP SNAP (Food Stamps) provides low-income households with electronic benefits that are used like cash at most grocery stores and some farmers markets. In 2009 SNAP put food on the table for 31 million people per month. 51% of eligible residents are on SNAP (2,578) State participation rate: 69%
What others have done • SNAP Promotion -Infoline: 1-866-974 SNAP -Website: www.ctfoodstamps.org • SNAP Outreach -application assistance
School Breakfast The School Breakfast Program (SBP) is a federally funded meals program that started in 1966. The SBP provides nutritious breakfasts to students and gets them ready to learn. 42.5% of low income students eating lunch also eat school breakfast
What others have done In-Classroom Breakfast Grab n Go Breakfast Breakfast Promotions
Summer Food This program was created to provide the benefits of school lunch and breakfast during the summer when school is not in session. The program is vastly underutilized. Vernon -Lunch at Henry and Talcott Park -3,310 meals served last summer -56% increase in participation
What others have done • Added sites • Added meals (breakfast? snack?) • Added Activities • Promotions • Radio • Newspaper • School
Federal Money Left on the Table Ex. School Breakfast If Vernon fed 70 low-income students breakfast out of 100 eating lunch the town would… -bring in an additional $43,261 each year from the federal government -feed breakfast to 167 additional children each day
Opportunities • Foodshare, Mobile and other options • SNAP/Husky screening • Improving School Breakfast • Access to Food when school is out • Backpack Program • After school snacks • At-risk supper program • Summer Food