End Hunger Connecticut! recognized three hunger leaders at it's Annual Meeting on December 7th at MACC Charities in Manchester. Senator Thomas Gaffey, Representative Andrew Fleischmann and Michael Allen, Food Services Director, Education Connection were given awards for their leadership promoting healthy schools and students in Connecticut. (In the photo above Board members Linda Drake and Beverly Goulet pose with awardee Rep. Andrew Fleischmann.)

Senator Thomas Gaffey and Representative Andrew Fleischmann, co-chairs of the Education Committee, led the debates on the School Nutrition Bill on the floor of the Senate and House last legislative session and were awarded for their leadership. The bill would have banned junk food, sugary drinks, and sodas from Connecticut schools in order to stem the rising childhood obesity crisis in the state. The legislation, which was heavily lobbied by the soda and vending industry, passed both Houses after long and grueling debates only to be vetoed by Governor Rell.

Michael Allen received the award for sponsoring the first ever Summer Food Service Program in Torrington last summer, serving meals to over 2,000 children. Without Michael's leadership there would not have been a program. EHC! applauds him for his committment to feeding kids in Torrington.

For the third straight year Connecticut's hunger and food insecurity rates rose. This past year Connecticut had one of the largest increases in food insecurity in the nation at 26.5%. The USDA reports that more than 280,000 people in CT are food insecure at some point during the year and over 98,000 also experience hunger.

While the term "food insecurity" may not be catchy, it describes a problem that many of our neighbors experience, lack of access to nutritious food for all family members. Food insecurity stems from inadequate household income or resources. Stemming the rising rates of food insecurity means dealing with issues related to poverty and economic and physical well-being.

Connecticut ranked last in the nation in the number of schools that participate in the School Breakfast Program according to a national study released in mid-December. Less than 50% of the schools in Connecticut that offer the School Lunch Program also provide school breakfast. The report, released by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), shows that Connecticut has moved to the bottom position out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, last year Connecticut ranked 49th.

Research continually proves that eating breakfast at school helps kids do better on math and reading tests, even kids who already ate at home. The School Breakfast program is important to children, parents, schools and the community as a whole. EHC! will return to the Legislature for the third straight year in hopes of getting more schools participating in the program.

Stay tuned for EHC!'s School Breakfast Report Card due out in early January. This report gives a town-by- town analysis of the School Breakfast Program in Connecticut.

The federal budget reconciliation process is still not over. Right before the holiday recess, the Senate approved a budget plan that differed from the House version of the bill. The House of Representatives plans to vote on the budget reconcilation package approved by the Senate in late January.

Although cuts to the Food Stamp Program were abandoned in the budget reconciliation bill, cuts to vital programs, like Medicaid and student loans remain. End Hunger Connecticut! is working in coalition with other groups to stop the dismantling of needed programs.

email: smancini@endhungerct.org

phone: (860) 560-2100

web: http://www.endhungerct.org