CT Summer Program Highlighted in National Report
| Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group was highlighted for quality meals and programming in the FRAC 2010 Summer Food Report and achieved Silver status in FRAC's Summer Food Standards of Excellence.
Congrats TEEG!
Learn more here.
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| Where can you find local tomatoes, corn,
fresh fruit, AND use food benefits?
Why
CT Farmers' Markets, of course! There
are over 90 farmers' markets in CT that accept EBT (SNAP) Benefits, WIC
Fruit
and Vegetable Checks, and Farmers' Market Nutrition Program (WIC and
Senior)
benefits.
Find them here!
More information on these programs and benefits:
WIC and Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
SNAP Use at Farmers' Markets through EBT
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The Temperature isn't the only thing heating up in CT!
According to Hunger Doesn't Take
A Vacation, a recent analysis by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) in
Washington, D.C., Connecticut's participation in Summer Nutrition Programs
increased by 6% in the summer of 2009. This means almost 2,000 more children were
fed at sites last summer! The CT State Department of Education reports that
there were 25 more sites and 4 new
sponsors in 2009. EHC! is pleased to see
that more low-income children received summer meals particularly in a time of
such need; however, participation is still too low. In the summer,
Connecticut reached only 25 children in Summer Food for every 100 reached in the National School Lunch Program during the regular
school year.
Read
more about the FRAC Summer Food Report here. Despite surging participation in
other federal food assistance programs due to the recession, national meal participation for low-income
children declined last year. Summer Nutrition Program participation in July
2009 dropped 2.5 percent when compared to July 2008. Cuts in state and local budgets
for summer school and recreational activities contributed to this decrease.
"The fact that participation fell at
a time when the economy was weak and children needed the Summer Nutrition
Programs the most is particularly disturbing. Low-income children across
the country clearly bore the brunt of budget cuts," said Jim Weill, FRAC
president. "The Summer Nutrition Programs have an important role, but
they are in trouble and must be improved." End Hunger CT! and FRAC continue to
urge Congress to take action to expand summer nutrition programs by: increasing the narrow SFSP area eligibility test; expanding an existing
year-round SFSP pilot project to all states; providing start-up and expansion
grants for sponsors; and increasing meal reimbursement rates.
End
Hunger CT! has launched its small summer grants programs to fund sponsors that have
come up with unique ways to get more kids to their summer food sites. The 2010
Operation Participation recipients are:Community
Renewal Team, Inc. of Middletown: Enfield Program Thompson Ecumenical Empowerment Group (TEEG) Groton Human Services Bridgeport School Food Services Windham Public Schools New Opportunities: Meriden Program |
There's no such thing as too much talk of summer food!
Summer
Food Clear Channel Communications PSA: Hear EHC! on 7 CT Clear Channel Radio
stations promoting summer food and how to find the site nearest you. Stations:
FM: 92.5, 95.7, 101.3 & 105.9; AM: 960, 1300 & 1410
Channel 8: News 8 did a fantastic story with Chef and School Food Director, Tim
Cipriano about hunger in the summer. Story and video here. Billboard: Working with community partners,
Picture of billboard located on Rt. 80 in New Haven.
| New Haven School Food
Services was able to secure a billboard to be donated to advertise summer meals
in New Haven. The ad space was donated by Personal
Touch Car Wash. The billboard has information pertaining to summer programs across the state as well.
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Three Years of Successful SNAP Outreach in Review
Our three year contract with United States Department of
Agriculture and the CT Department of Social Services has kept us BUSY. EHC!'s
outreach goes beyond passing out flyers. Effective outreach takes a dedicated
staff utilizing a variety of
approaches to educate the community about the
availability of federal food programs and assist individuals with SNAP. This year we had a
VERY successful site visit by the USDA. Below is a list of some of our activities and major accomplishments
from the 2008-2010 grant
period:
- Educated over 3,000 people on SNAP through workshops, forums, and programs
- With the help of our partners we pre-screened
over 2,000 individuals and families for SNAP eligibility
-Created a SNAP-info line 1-866-974-SNAP that addresses basic SNAP eligibility questions
-Received over 2,000 hits
a day on our web-based SNAP pre-screener
-Implemented an electronic faxing (efax) system with the CT Department of
Social Services Hartford Regional Office to submit complete
SNAP applications
seamlessly for immediate processing by the state
-Created and implemented a Motor Vehicle Network Public Service Ad for SNAP to
run in DMV locations
-Partnered with the Department of Social Services Rx bus to educate, inform,
and pre-screen potential SNAP recipients and present on this project at a regional
Food Nutrition Service Conference
Did we mention there are only 4 SNAP outreach staff members
here at EHC!?
Of course, there's even more work to be done. EHC! is always
looking to partner with organizations and agencies to promote, educate,
and train people on
SNAP. We can
also visit your site to do SNAP pre-screenings. If you're interested in
learning more about these opportunities, please fill out this form.
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Cooling Centers
Many
think of utility expenses being high during the colder months, but summer cooling
expenses can put just as much strain on household budgets, leaving
less money for food. Because of this, individuals and families may also be forced to forgo cooling
instruments, putting their health at risk- particularly for young children and
seniors.
EHC! would like to remind people that there is a utility deduction for
SNAP/Food Stamps and that there are Cooling Centers in CT. Please follow this link for a
list of
Cooling Centers around the state.
More information
concerning these sites and how to respond to excessive heat situations can be found on the
DSS, Aging Services' Division website.
2-1-1
Infoline also has the most up-to-date information and site listings available
on their website at www.infoline.org.
Please
share with anyone who may be interested or who works with clients that may not
have sufficient cooling mechanisms available to them.
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Children in
the Recession: Gov. Rell signs An Act Concerning Children in the
Recession
Over a year ago, under the leadership of Speaker of the
House Christopher Donovan, CT became the first state to form a legislative task
force to help children deal with the impact of the recession. Co-chairs
Representative Karen Jarmoc and Diana Urban, the CT Commission on Children, and
experts on childrens' issues (including End Hunger CT!) met regularly over the
year at the Capitol and throughout the state to devise a legislative plan to
address child poverty and its consequences during times of great need. After
hours of presentations, testimony, meetings, and public hearings, HB 5360- An
Act Concerning Children in the Recession was formed.
The bill called for a unified government response when CT
unemployment rates reach 8% or higher, including streamlining application
processes (SNAP/Food Stamps, Care4Kids, etc.) and securing available federal
dollars. Additional pieces addressed TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy
Families) and education allowances, Care4Kids notice, essential services for
homeless families, and outreach efforts for nutrition and child nutrition
programs. The legislation cleared the House of Representatives 137-7 on April
27 and unanimously in the Senate on May 5.
On July 14th,
with members of the Speaker's Task Force on Children in the Recession looking
on, Governor M. Jodi Rell signed the bill containing the task force's
recommendations, An Act Concerning Children in the Recession. A brief video
of the signing ceremony, held in the governor's office, is below.
Video
An Act Concerning Children in the Recession Bill
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New
and Noteworthy Summer Food Program
Children
and Volunteers Eat, Learn Together at Free Lunch Program
Thursday,
July 15 marked the kick-off of the Enfield Summer Food Program, known as the
"Lunch Bunch" at St. Patrick's church
hall, now a location in Enfield where any child 18 and under can come eat a
healthy lunch during the week. Meals are provided by Community Renewal Team, Inc.
The project is a state and local collaboration to address the high rates
of food insecurity in Enfield and the subsequent need for community resources
like summer food. Volunteers and Board representatives from the collaborating
organization joined on this day to read to the children with books provided by
the Enfield Town Library.
Irina reading to the Enfield "Lunch Bunch".
| Representatives from the Northeast Regional USDA
office and the CT State Department of Education were also in attendance. Only
in its third week of operation, the site broke record this day, proving meals
to 37 children and proving that summer food is very much needed in Enfield.
CRT
also provides summer meals to programs in town including those at JFK Middle
School, and the Enfield Child Development Center.
The
Enfield Summer Food Program is a collaboration between State Representative
Karen Jarmoc, Enfield Food Shelf, Community Renewal Team, End Hunger
Connecticut!, Foodshare, Saint Patrick's Parish, the Town of Enfield Social
Services and United Way of North Central Connecticut.
Check
out the Enfield Food Shelf's photo gallery documenting everything Enfield
Summer Food from planning meetings to martial arts and smoothies.
Kristen Chasse, Uconn Grad Student, preparing smoothies with children at St. Patrick's church in Enfield.
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New Research and Resources SNAP Retail Locator A new USDA SNAP Retailer Locator finds stores that
welcome SNAP benefits. It is easy to use- just click the link and enter a street
address, city and State, or zip code. A map of
the closest approved stores will appear.
Child Food
Insecurity in the United States: 2006-2008
Connecticut
among the Top 10 states with the highest increase in the rate of children under
18 who are food insecure. According to a report released by Feeding America on July 1,
one in six children in Connecticut doesn't have enough to eat. The report,
titled Child Food
Insecurity in the United States: 2006-2008, listed Connecticut's
numbers jumped 2.9 percent from the previously reported study released last
year. Connecticut is the only state in the Northeast to see such a substantial
increase.
Action Guide for Child Care Nutrition and Physical
Activity Policies
The
Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) recently developed the Action
Guide for Child Care Nutrition and Physical Activity Policies. The action guide
is intended to help local and community child care, early education and
after-school programs establish and implement policies and practices that
encourage healthy lifestyles in children. The goal of these policies and
practices is to create an environment that consistently supports children's
health and learning. The
action guide is available on the CSDE's Web site
For additional information, please contact Susan Fiore, M.S., R.D., Nutrition
Education Coordinator, CSDE, at [email protected]
or 860-807-2075.
KIDS COUNT Data Book The Annie E. Casey Foundation released
its annual 2010 KIDS COUNT Data Book on July 27, 2010.
Access the report, national and state profiles here.
CT State Profile
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End
Hunger CT! Inc. is dedicated to ending hunger and promoting
healthy nutrition by promoting access to federal nutrition assistance
programs,
speaking
out to raise awareness of hunger in the state of Connecticut, and
advocating
for positive change
of local, state and national programs.
We provide SNAP
outreach/training and assistance in Hartford, New London, Tolland, and
Windham
counties. Child nutrition services include Summer Food Service Program, After-School Snack, and School Breakfast outreach and assistance.
SNAP Outreach
Staff
Hartford/Tolland
Counties Suzette
Strickland 860.560.2100 ext. 305
Windham
County
Carl Asikainen 860.874.5349
New London County Suzette Strickland 860.560.2100 ext. 305
SNAP Bi-Lingual
Advocate Yaira
Arroyo 860.560.2100 ext. 306
Dawn Crayco 860.560.2100 ext. 303
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Lucy Nolan End Hunger Connecticut! |
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