Presentation Transcript

1. Session 2:What’s Happening OutSIDE the Food Bank? Meeting The Need Carey Miller, Executive Director Food Bank of Iowa Matt Unger, Program Manager Food Bank of Iowa
2. U.S. FARM BILL Bill Details Passed February 4, signed by the President February 7, 2014 $8.55 billion cut to SNAP by tightening the "Heat and Eat" policy DOES NOT EFFECT IOWA $205 million increase for TEFAP.  The TEFAP funding is expected to be frontloaded to provide greater resources in the initial few years of the bill when need is especially high.  New dairy program that triggers a dairy product donation to nonprofits like food banks when dairy prices fall below a certain level. $250 million for states to pilot innovative programs help SNAP participants get back to work.
3. U.S. FARM BILL Cont’d Clarifies allowable SNAP outreach activities (for example, forbids outreach workers from receiving rewards on a per-head basis for number of applications processed). Improves SNAP access by allowing SNAP home delivery for homebound seniors and disabled participants. Promotes access to nutritious food by tightening stocking requirements for SNAP retailers and testing new ways to use EBT cards (for example, swiping on a mobile device at a farmers' market). Improves SNAP integrity through new measures to combat trafficking of benefits by retailers and recipients and policy changes forbidding benefits for lottery winners and affluent college students. Protects SNAP nutrition education.
4. State food bank legislation IowaFood Bank Association Collaborative group of the 8 food banks that serve Iowa Works on behalf of the 8 food banks to lobby for legislation that will benefit us all. 2013 $1,000,000 one time appropriation Dollars can only be used for food purchase Every dollar appropriated had to be matched by privately raised funds Food Bank of Iowa portion = $360,000 Matching funds raised Over 500k pounds of food items purchased (260k pounds fresh produce) Some items include: skillet dinners, canned soups and vegetables, juices, cheese, and canned chicken
5. State food bank legislation 2014 The Legislative session rolls on… Items still being considered: A possible additional appropriation Sales tax exemption for food banks Possible tax “check-off” for Food Banks
6. FARM to FOOD Tax Credit What is it? Provides a tax credit for food commodity donations made to an Iowa food bank or emergency feeding organization. Credit is equal to 15% of the value of the donation or $5,000, whichever is less. Only producers who directly donate to a qualified agency are eligible for the credit. What do you need to do to benefit? To become a qualified agency, you must register with the Iowa Dept. of Revenue Register at www.iowa.gov/tax/taxlaw/farmtofood.html Click the link titled “Registration for Food Banks and Food Pantries” Once registered, the Dept. of Revenue will furnish you the forms to track donations
7. FARM to FOOD Tax Credit To Register:
8. FARM to FOOD Tax Credit The Reciepting Documents:
9. Cultivate Iowa What is it and How does it work? Connects local growers with emergency food providers to offer fresh produce to agencies serving clients in need Provides resources to help growers to start gardens and helpful tips for maintaining their gardens Emergency providers sign up via a website to be a location that can receive such products Growers connect to those emergency providers to donate their goods
10. Cultivate Iowa For Growers to connect: http://www.cultivateiowa.org/
11. Cultivate Iowa For Agencies to sign up to receive: www.ampleharvest.org
12. Map the meal gap update Map the Meal Gap (MMG) Begun in 2009 and conducted annually by Feeding America in conjunction with the Howard G. Buffet Foundation and the Nielsen Company Maps food insecurity from the state level down to the county level and sets a dollar figure to make up the number of meals being missed in a particular area 57% struggling with hunger have incomes above the federal poverty level 59% of poor households are food secure
13. Map the meal gap update MMGcont’d Also maps out the “program eligible” percentage of the overall food insecure population based upon: Percentage eligible for SNAP (up to 160% of poverty) Percentage eligible for other emergency assistance food programs (between160% and 185% of poverty) Percentage ineligible for any programs Shows an identifiable gap of folks in need with no option other than charitable response Maps out similarly for children looking at federal free and reduced lunch eligibility
14. Map the meal gap update New Data released April 21, 2014 Iowa Food Insecurity Rate now 12.7% 389,730 individuals 52% eligible for SNAP 8% eligible for other, higher income qualifying programs 40% dependent upon charitable response Iowa Child Food Insecurity Rate now 19.3% 139,200 children 56% eligible federal nutrition programs 44% dependent upon charitable response
15. Map the meal gap update Map the Meal Gap (MMG) Cont’d Iowa over the last four years 2009: Overall Food Insecurity – 12.8% (382,510 individuals) Child Food Insecurity – 20.6% (146,000 children) 2010: Overall – 13.4% (408,280) Child – 19.5% (138,340) 2011: Overall – 12.9% (395,620) Child – 19.3% (137,120) 2012: Overall – 12.7% (389,730) Child – 19.3% (139,200)
16. Map the meal gap update Map the Meal Gap (MMG) Cont’d Food Bank of Iowa Service Area over the last four years 2009: Overall Food Insecurity – 12.9% (181,740 individuals) Child Food Insecurity – 20.7% (69,410 children) 2010: Overall – 12.8% (183,420) Child – 18.4% (63,440) 2011: Overall – 12.6% (181,880) Child – 18.4% (63,320) 2012: Overall – 12.6% (181,810) Child – 19.2% (66,480)
17. Map the meal gap update Map the Meal Gap (MMG) Cont’d Iowa over the last four years – Program Eligibility breakouts Not much change over the past four years – more families are qualifying for food assistance programs, but food insecurity has gone largely unaffected by that change.