Senior food security

1. Senior food security Putting healthy food and relationships within reach for older persons in Idaho Lorraine Driscoll, AARP, Washington DC LDriscoll@aarp.org October 19, 2010

2. Our goals together today • Understand older persons & hunger • Learn what others are doing • Explore how Idaho groups might work together to: • -- Engage a broader community to help reduce hunger among older persons in Idaho • -- Build trusting relationships with older persons • Identify “next steps” for Idaho

3. Let’s start by celebrating achievements in Idaho to help reduce hunger • Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program • and House Bill 513 • USDA Food Stamp grant application • Grandparents raising Grandchildren – • 2010 Idaho legislation

4. Older persons & hunger • Nationally among people 60+, 2.5 million are at-risk of food insecurity (Half have income above the federal poverty line) • 2.5 million more are marginally food insecure • 750,000 suffer from hunger • Only 32% of seniors eligible for food stamps participate * Food insecurity is limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.

5. Risk factors for hunger in older persons • age 60-64 • living at or below poverty line • did not graduate high school • divorced or separated • living with a grandchild • renter

6. Three startling facts about Hunger in Idaho • Idaho has 5.7% rate of food insecurity, among older persons & is ranked 15th worst in country • 2. Idaho has 3rd highest rate of growth in grandparents raising grandchildren – a population at higher risk for poverty and hunger. (14,000 grandchildren) • 3. Overall, 1/3 of those who qualify for food stamps don’t receive them. Among older persons, 2/3 who qualify don’t receive food stamps.

7. Hunger speeds aging • Older Americans at risk of hunger have the same chance of “activities of daily living” (ADL) limitations as someone 14 years older. • ADL limitations are associated with loss of independence and nursing home admissions

8. Leadership to fight hunger among older persons in Idaho • Anti-hunger community • Business community • Faith-based Organizations • Aging Network • 5. State/local governments

9. Food distribution programs in Idaho • Emergency Food Assistance Programs • TEFAP/commodities (Community Action Partnership Assoc/Id) • Donated food (Idaho Foodbank; Second Harvest/Spokane) • Food pantries • Food Distribution program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR) • Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) • Not in Idaho yet—State Plan submitted in 2010 • 4. Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program • Not in Idaho yet—State Plan submitted in 2009 and 2010 • USDA Farmers’ Market Nutrition Services Incentive Program • “HIP” – Healthy Incentive Pilot • 6. Volunteer & National Service Organizations

10. Gaps in hunger supports • Food Stamps benefit many, but currently are underutilized in Idaho (3rd lowest @ only 50% of eligible) • Home-delivered meals & congregate meals help many older persons, but there are waiting lists, some don’t qualify & some have privacy concerns • Food pantries offer critical emergency help but have limited capacity, qualification limits, and may lack food appropriate for older persons and their special nutrition needs (My Pyramid?)

12. Barriers to SNAP enrollment Two-thirds of older persons who qualify do not receive food stamps/SNAP. Barriers include: • Not aware I might qualify • Don’t want to share info with stranger or state • Lack transportation to application center • Process is cumbersome for a small benefit • Others need the help more than I do • Stigma about asking for help • Can’t use benefit, as local stores don’t accept it • Think there is a “look back” on estate • Fear if “eligible” and “in need” will be put in nursing home • Myths: $10 benefit, retirement $, program will run out of $

13. Turning SNAP barriers around • BUILD AWARENESS of Food Stamp/SNAP & other food sources • EXPAND ACCESS AND FOOD SOURCES including fresh food and food appropriate for older persons • Improve process of accessing/using food stamps • ENGAGAE OLDER PERSONS & others to help solve hunger: • build a sense of empowerment • build trusting relationships • build comfort in accessing help

14. Service as a solution – 2 dimensions Service: Expand older persons’ access to food with outreach about food stamps, and other supports • Engagement: Offer interested older persons several opportunities to help others, e.g., • help enroll children, families, older persons in SNAP • help raise food/share with schools, families, older persons • help become part of informal caring community network

15. Examples of service efforts nationally to help stop hunger • Food stamp outreach in supermarkets & community • Combined food drives/food stamp outreach • SeniorCorps & Area Agencies on Aging programs • Family to Family • Community Gardens (Global Refugee Gardens/Boise; Backyard • Harvest/Moscow, Taft School Garden) • Weekend backpacks for students • Caring Community networks (IL, NY, OH, etc.) • Glean and share • Campus Kitchens • Policy • United We Serve Feed A Neighbor Initiative; • Greater Chicago food agenda; etc. • More…

16. Virginia & DC examples of broad engagement • Broad call to action with state leader(s) • Engagement of service clubs, business community, AARP members, AmeriCorps • Events posted on CreateTheGood.org • Dozens of simultaneous efforts across state

17. New York example In one week in April….. • AARP NY mobilized 2,600 volunteers, 60 local officials, and a myriad of community groups to raise visibility of unsafe streets and intersections and promote Complete Streets legislation using Create The Good resources. • The effort attracted 100+ media stories and new Senate • co-sponsors. • Two weeks ago, the bill passed the NY Senate 58-3.

18. Research on engaging boomers & older persons in service • Four in ten boomers & older persons want more opportunities to help others in their community • Most want flexible opportunities: 57% volunteer on their own; less volunteer with an organization. • The number engaged is growing, but hours are dropping. • It’s not enough just to volunteer. Boomers and older persons want to help others in meaningful ways (results) • Their skills, interests and experiences differ: Variety makes it easier to find something matching one’s passion & abilities

19. In response to research: self-directed toolkits • More than 2 dozen Do-It-Yourself Toolkits to help you help others save money on energy bills, prepare for a disaster, manage prescriptions or improve their lives in other ways. • Resources in Spanish at http://compartiresvivir.org/

20. In response to research: Empower people to post events • Searchable database of 250,000 service opportunities. • The ability to post your own opportunities and recruit volunteers.

21. Strategies for engaging older persons in service • Select a powerful cause • Choose effective strategy to help solve it and partners who can contribute assets (e.g., space, people, funds) • Consider self-directed (e.g., toolkits on CreateTheGood.org) • Identify/recruit project organizers in several communities • Post opportunities on CreateTheGood.org • Ideally, offer a variety of ways to help -- to tap a variety of skills, interests, experiences and schedules. Include self-directed opportunities

22. In-depth focus: What do groups in Idaho want to achieve together? “Next Steps for Idaho” • For example… • raise awareness • find/connect/outreach • policy/program priorities • other