The Farm Bill is the authorizing legislation for Food Stamps and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). The Farm, Nutrition and Bioenergy Act of 2007 (aka The Farm Bill, H.R. 2419) passed the United State House by a vote of 231 - 191 in July, embedded in the legislation is a very important nutrition component that would invest more than $4 billion over 5 years to the Food Stamp Program and raise funding for The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). These investments represent real progress in addressing hunger in the U.S. - however, as the vote goes to the Senate further improvements must be made. Senators Dodd and Lieberman need to hear how important it is for this legislation to pass with the necessary changes to strengthen the nutrition title of the Farm Bill.

What You Can Do: Contact Senator Dodd at (800) 334-5341 (in CT only) or (202) 224-2823 (Washington, DC office) and Senator Lieberman at (800) 225-5605 (in CT only) or (202) 224-4041 (Washington, DC office) and urge them to support the legislation.

Message: Build on the House's nutrition title investments by further strengthening benefit increases (especially for the minimum monthly benefit and standard deductions), raising the resource limits significantly, and restoring Food Stamp eligibility to more vulnerable groups currently left out.

Contact Connecticut House Members Joseph Courtney, Rosa DeLauro, John Larson, and Christopher Murphy and thank them for supporting this important piece of legislation. Representative Christopher Shays voted against this bill on the floor and needs to hear from you about your disappointment with his vote. It's important that they all hear from you as this legislation may come back to them for another vote - and our elected representatives need to hear from their constituents on this very important issue.

In the 2006-07 school year, three towns participated in an In-Classroom School Breakfast Pilot grant that EHC! initiated at the legislature: New Britain, Stratford and Bridgeport. The recipient schools, North End Elementary School of New Britain, Second Hill Lane School of Stratford, and Beardsley Elementary School of Bridgeport all experienced a tremendous increase in the number of students eating breakfast in school. Due to its overwhelming success, two of the three food service directors are developing or implementing plans to expand breakfast to other schools within their districts and starting in the 07-08 school year Stratford has expanded in-classroom school breakfast to all of their schools! Participation in School Breakfast increased over 33% in each school.

This summer, children in Middletown participated in gardening activities as a part of the Summer Food Service Program. With a small grant from EHC! and the Carson Family Foundation, Wesleyan students belonging to the student-run Long Lane Farm orchestrated a hands-on educational experience at three locations throughout the city. Activities included the maintenance of a community garden where children planted and cared for carrots, lettuce, squash, herbs, melons, and tomatoes. The children also constructed coloring books illustrating the life-cycle of a plant while snacking on the seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables from Long Lane Farm and other local growers. EHC! is proud of this partnership that stimulated minds and palates alike. (In the picture above, Dawn Crayco, EHC! Child Nutrition Advocate and ear of corn, joins Wesleyan students and summer food kids in Middletown this summer.)

Last June we were sad to see Sally Mancini, our Assistant Director leave the organization. Of course, we are happy that she decided to take some time with her daughter Cate and she has picked up some consultant work on the side.

Suzette Strickland, Food Stamp Outreach for Hartford - Tolland Counties has taken on additional responsibility as the Food Stamp Policy Access Manager and Phyllis Cappuccio has agreed to be the Food Stamp Program Manager along with her duties as the Food Stamp Outreach in southeastern Connecticut. They are ready, willing and able to answer any questions or help you out in any way! So, please feel free to call either one of them at 860-560- 2100.

Ellen Graham has joined us as the Policy Coordinator here at EHC!. Many of you may hear from her in the coming months as we roll out a new campaign! Ellen has a Masters of Social Work from UConn and spent last legislative session as a lobbyist assistant with J Blei and Associates, End Hunger Connecticut!'s lobbying firm. She joined us with knowledge of many of our programs and policies. Additionally, Ellen is active in many community groups in Manchester and Hartford.

Change can be difficult, but often good - and we are feeling energized and ready to continue our great work here at EHC!

email: lucynolan@endhungerct.org

phone: (860) 560-2100

web: http://www.endhungerct.org