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Notice:
New Britain Department of Social Services has moved their office from Lafayette Street to their new location at:
30 Christian Ln.
New Britain, CT 06051
The phone number remains the same. (860) 612-3400 |
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CT's Stagnant Participation in School Breakfast
In early January, the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) released its annual School Breakfast Scorecard that ranks states by participation in the federal School Breakfast Program. For the fourth year in a row, CT is last in the number of schools that offer school breakfast and ranks 47th in the number of children that participate in school breakfast. While this is a disheartening trend, it is important to note there are some very innovative and successful school breakfast programs expanding in Connecticut. Schools are making significant efforts to serve in the classroom or in the hallway, and after the bell rings -as a part of the school day. School communities are quickly seeing alternative school breakfast as a feasible venture with high returns. As one school food service director points out, it's a win-win for all involved-teachers, parents, principals, school nurses and especially the kids.
Increasing School Breakfast is Goal #1 of EHC!'s CT Campaign to End Childhood Hunger. Please call EHC! at 560-2100 ext. 303 if you're interested in working with an advocate on a school breakfast expansion project in your town.
Why increase School Breakfast Participation?
Expanded availability, accessibility, and participation in school breakfast is one of the best ways to support the health and educational potential of children, particularly low-income children. Adequate nutrition and freedom from hunger are absolutely essential for good health and academic achievement, and yet these goals are not always achievable for families who are struggling to make ends meet. Federally-funded school breakfast programs make critical nutritional contributions to childrens' health and education.
-FRAC
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"SNAP" INTO ACTION AGAINST HUNGER
A large number of anti- hunger advocacy groups across the United States have been participating in what is known as the SNAP/food stamp challenge. The challenge was created to spark awareness about the inadequacies of SNAP/food stamp monthly allotments, by challenging community leaders, organizations, churches and policy makers to live off of $3 a day for a week or the entire month.
End Hunger Connecticut! collaborated with the Food Stamp Project last year to promote their own food stamp challenge. They found that while living on a SNAP/food stamp budget for just a week was a struggle, it did not even come close to the struggles encountered by low-income families for whom this is reality.
We are asking for your support again. Be a part of "SNAP Into Action Against Hunger", (formerly known as the Food Stamp Project.) Live on a SNAP/food stamp budget for a week to explore what it's like to walk a week in their shoes. It's an experience you'll never forget.
The kick-off event is March 3, 2009 at 6:30 p.m. at the Charter Oak Cultural Center, 21 Charter Oak Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106. For more information visit www.charteroakcenter.org or call Suzette Strickland at End Hunger Connecticut! 860.560.2100 ext. 305.
Co-sponsored by:
-Charter Oak Cultural Center
-End Hunger CT!
-Foodshare
-Jewish Community Relations Council
-Hands on Hartford
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Summer 2008: In Review
While snow is on the ground and the sunscreen is packed far away, sponsors of the Summer Food Service Program are already beginning to plan for feeding this coming summer. Last year was an amazing year for summer food in Connecticut. CT's state-wide participation jumped 11% equaling an increase in 3,031 kids being served breakfast and/or lunch each day. The full State Department of Education summer status report can be found here. Recipients of EHC!'s Operation Participation grants saw huge strides in their daily meal counts as well (see the chart below for details).
Summer Food is vital to the thousands of CT children that receive school meals and would otherwise go without during the long summer months. End Hunger CT! would like to congratulate the following sponsors for their outstanding service to children in their community last summer. The sponsors listed below increased their meal service by 25% or more.
 -Hartford Public Schools
-Killingly Board of Education
-Manchester Board of Educaton
-CRT, Middletown
-New Britain Board of Education
-Norwich Board of Education
-Town of Stratford
-Town of Stonington
-Town of Vernon
-West Haven Board of Education
-Education Connection, Torrington
-Yale University
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Child Nutrition Reauthorizaton 2009
Sign-on to the Child Nutrition Forum's Statement of Principles Today!
A message from FRAC: Congress has a unique opportunity in the upcoming reauthorization of the child nutrition programs to improve access, meal quality and nutrition for millions of children, particularly low-income children in child care (the Child and Adult Care Food Program - CACFP), in school (breakfast and lunch programs), during out-of-school time (afterschool, on weekends and during the summer), and at home (the WIC Program). Thousands of diverse national, state and local organizations are committed to a reauthorization bill that has a bold vision to eliminate child hunger. These organizations are now joined by President Obama who has set the goal of ending child hunger by 2015. To that end, these organizations are committed to passage of a strong child nutrition reauthorization bill in 2009.
Help create change and stand up for childhood hunger in CT by signing on your organization/agency to the Child Nutrition Forum's "Statement of Principles".
Read more and sign-on by continuing here.
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Welcome Aboard!
As a nonprofit organization, End Hunger Connecticut! is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board's job is to determine the mission and vision of the organization and develop goals and plans that will move it toward that mission. The Board has the "buck stops here" responsibility to make sure that the organization operates ethically, efficiently, and effectively and stays focused on our mission to eliminate hunger in the state.
New Board Members:
Joseph Antelmi
Student, University of Connecticut
Terrance McIntosh
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Resources
The Partnership for America's Economic Success has released an issue brief called "Reading, Writing, and the Hungry": The consequences of food insecurity on children, and on our nation's economic success. The report cites that children who gohungry in kindergarten are noticeably behind their peers in reading and math by the thirdgrade. Additional negative consequences of food insecurity include, low birth-weight, obesity, mental health issues, dental health problems, poor education outcomes, and long-term economic costs. You can find the full report here.
School Breakfast Webinar Opprotunity
School Breakfast Webinar: A New Resource and Success Stories-Wednesday, February 11th 2:00 - 3:00pm (EST)
Please join a school breakfast webinar hosted by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
Topics covered will include:
. An introduction to a new breakfast resource
. Suggestions for School Breakfast Week celebrations
. Three featured guests who will share their school breakfast success stories and lessons learned.
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Find my legislator
Lucy Nolan
End Hunger Connecticut! |
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