Hunger Free Communities in Idaho (& Southeast Oregon): A Continuum of Community Response

Hunger Free Communities in Idaho (& Southeast Oregon): A Continuum of Community Response Presented by Peter Lawson Branch Coordinator,Oregon Food Bank Ontario, Oregon plawson@oregonfoodbank.org

Our Time TogetherToday: Session One—introductions, overview & definitions Session Two—A Place To Start Session Three—Taking Action Session Four—’next steps’ for Idaho

GOAL: Community-Wide Response Form A Core Group of dedicated community members Identify ‘what is going on’ in your community. What’s going well, what’s not. Plan (NASP*) Implement and Evaluate

Session One Introductions Hunger 101-Defining Food Insecurity – in our nation in Idaho & Eastern Oregon Celebrating our ‘successes’ Communication, Collaboration & Education: Solutions to addressing Hunger & Its Root Causes

Introductions • How Many of You…. • Know where Ontario, Oregon Is? • Work for an agency that serves low income individuals? • Volunteer? • Are familiar with the term “food insecurity”? • Are Broncos Fans?

Hunger 101 • Food Insecurity? What’s That?

Idaho Hunger Food Stamp Participation *highest % increase in caseload *3rd lowest participation rate 50% *no State Food Stamp Outreach Plan or efforts *10 of 30 DHW offices closed in 2010 Child Poverty – 19.7% Unemployment – 8.4% (June 2010) Seniors at risk of hunger – 15th worst in nation

Hunger in Eastern Oregon Remember-It’s a River, Not a Wall Food Stamp Participation Child Poverty – 25 % Unemployment-11-20% (Malheur/Harney Counties) 10,000 Emergency Food Boxes in 2009/2010 Regional Food Bank distributes 744,000 lbs of food per year

All the best intensions…but it’s just not working First-ever workshop… We’re working harder than ever, but we still have many struggling What is it going to take?

SESSION 2 • We know there are challenges, but how do we even know where to start?

Session 2: Finding The Tools • Community Score Cards • Community Food Assessments

Session 2: Finding The ToolsBefore We Start… Acknowledging there is a problem is the first critical step. Everything else comes second. Thank You to our community leaders who are addressing the challenges in their areas.

Session 2: Finding the ToolsThe Score Card • 1.Identifying Challenges & Obstacles • By the numbers (using available Data to start a conversation): Poverty Statistics for your County Free & Reduced Lunch Qualification & Participation Rates: Unemployment Rates Food Stamp Participation Rates

Session 2: Finding the ToolsThe Score Card 2. Identifying Existing Resources • Supplemental & Emergency Food Programs aka “Food Pantries/Meal Sites? • Federal/County Government Assistance Offices (SNAP, TANF, WIC) • Child/School Nutrition Services (Free & Reduced School Breakfast/Lunch/Snack Programs, Extension Services?) • Senior Nutrition Services (Senior Meals, Meals on Wheels, Senior “Brown Bag”) • Grocery Stores • Area Producers (Farmers/Ranchers/Processors)* • Farmers Markets • Community Gardens • Chambers of Commerce/Small Business Development Centers? • Transportation Resources (accessibility of car pool/ride share programs, public transit, buses to/from school/etc)

Session 2: Finding the ToolsThe Score Card 3. Recognizing who is and is not “at the table” Who are these people in your community? • Key Communicators • Community Stakeholders • Community Gatekeepers

The Score Card Sounds good, but how do we get the Score Card Information? Contacts (in the room/at the summit) Web Resources Post-Summit Support

Session 2: Finding the ToolsWhat’s A CFA? CFA Stands for Community Food Assessment-a collaborative and participatory process that systematically examines a broad range of community food issues and assets, so as to inform change actions to make the community more food secure.

Session 2: Finding the Tools • Score Card? CFA? They sound like the same thing to me! • Think of it this way: A Score Card is the place to brainstorm and outline. • A CFA is a way to put it into an understandable format that can be shared with the broader community.

CFA Reports • Interfaith Food & Farming Partnership, EMOhttp://www.emoregon.org/food_farms.php • Southeast Oregon Regional Food Bankhttp://www.oregonfoodbank.org/ofb_services/food_programs/ • Gorge Grown Food Networkhttp://www.gorgegrown.com/default.cfm

Session Three—Make a plan for your “Community Feast” So…you have a core group of community members invested and interested You have looked at your community and have a sense of what is going well and what is not Time to develop a community plan…

Overview -The Local Picture - Intro to Community Food Systems & Organizing - Your Food systems vision Creating a CFO Plan Resources & Tools Next Steps & Evaluation

Community FEAST Food Education Agriculture Solutions Together

FEAST? • A FEAST event is an opportunity for participants to engage in an informed and facilitated discussion about Food, Education and Agriculture in their community and begin to work towards Solutions Together that will help build a healthier, more equitable and resilient local food system.

What is community foods organizing? • Community Foods Organizing is the process of bringing together a variety of stakeholders to reshape a local food system that is more responsive to the needs and assets of a community. • The goal is promoting a healthier community; maintaining respect, promoting and celebrating culture, and ultimately improving its economic well being.

CREATING ORGANIZING PLANS • Step One: Create a local vision • Step Two: Who are your partners? • Step Three: What information do you need? • Step Four: Next Steps- - Leadership - Date to reconvene - Additional partners

Key Things to Remember • Community Food Organizing always highlights a community’s resources & assets as well as its needs. • The act of doing an assessment is an organizing tool. • CFO must include the grassroots of a community. • CFO is done with communities, not to them. • It’s about the conversation!!!!

Planning Tips • Feature LOCAL Food & Farms • FEASTs should be planned with a local steering committee & reflect local realities. • Plan for evaluation. • This is both short term & long term work. Results may not be instant. • Remember this is a celebration!!!

Peter RC Lawson Southeast Oregon Regional Food Bank (a program of Oregon Food Bank) PO Box 716 Ontario, Oregon 97914 (541) 889-9206 Office (541) 212-3098 Cell plawson@oregonfoodbank.org

Hunger Free Communities in Idaho (& Southeast Oregon): A Continuum of Community Response