May 2015
Building The Movement

Who Banks on Food Banks?

 

A recent study from Canada raises uncomfortable questions about who really benefits from poor people's reliance on food banks. Put Food in the Budget is a grassroots activist group working to hold the Ontario Government accountable on promises made-but not kept-to reduce poverty. Their broad goal is achieving social and economic justice for the growing numbers of poor people in the province.After hosting community conversations with food bank volunteers and participants, the group shared a four question survey:

  • What does it feel like to go to a food bank?
  • Why won't Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne set social assistance and minimum wage rates high enough that people don't have to go to food banks?
  • Why don't corporations and other employers pay their employees enough so they don't need to go to food banks? (12% of those helped by food banks work, according to HungerCount 2014.)
  • How do Premier Wynne and CEOs of major corporations benefit if people rely on food banks?
The report begins with an infographic that demonstrates the relative financial value of donations. It analyzes the data and includes compelling quotes from food bank stakeholders, concluding that the purpose of corporate charity campaigns is to distract us from the income inequality between the wealth of large corporations and most Canadians. The report is a must read for people interested in examining the role of donors in perpetuating hunger and poverty. Put Food in the Budget is starting campaigns to educate corporate donors. Read the full report here.

Farmers are "in" right now. With today's trend towards local food and sustainable agriculture, farmers are making the news, appearing on lists of most influential people and changemakers. The farmers we hear most about seem to be in or near cities, often new to the field, raising vegetables, selling at farmers markets. We've read the articles about rooftop farmers in Brooklyn and vegetable farmers growing heirloom varieties for Berkeley restaurants. They all deserve the recognition; because farming is hard work any way you do it.


But there are a lot of farmers we do not often hear about. Most farmers are not growing vegetables for direct markets, and most of the food Americans eat doesn't come from farmers markets. Corn and soybean acreage is 36 times that of vegetables, while the value of the top five commodities (corn, soybeans, animal products) is 200 times that of direct sale items. Most farmers, therefore, live far from cities, raise corn and soybeans and livestock, and sell into commodity markets, not farmers markets. And (surprise!) many of them are trying to change the system they're in-by using fewer chemicals, or planting cover crops, or making the three-year transition to growing organically or looking for a local market for their product. Even bigger surprise: some of these rural commodity farmers are outspoken activists, organizing against policies and practices that hurt the land and their communities. Read more here. 
Hunger & Health

Poverty, Trauma and Resilience


With a steady stream of deaths of African-Americans at the hands of police, frequent deaths of trans people of color, and protests inspired by #BlackLivesMatter, the targeting of black and queer bodies is unavoidable. How does structural racism and the trauma that ensues inform our work? The McSilver Institute for Poverty Policy and Research, based out of the NYU Silver School of Social Work, hosted a full day exploration of the topic Poverty, Trauma and Resilience. The day started with a panel on the Trauma of LGBT Displacement in the US and Abroad. A Fabulous Attitude: Low Income LGBTGNC People Surviving and Thriving on Love, Shelter & Knowledge, a 2010 report based on an innovative and intersectional participatory action research project with low income LGBT people was discussed. The report highlighted a previously underreported account of low income LGBTGNC people's encounters with racial profiling, the shelter system, police harassment, public benefit bureaucracies, agency and shelter staff, government violence, and LGBT organizations. (McSilver is re-releasing the report). Social isolation and fear were coping strategies, but the research was compelled by beliefs in the need for structural change and the power of communities to renew themselves without relying on state systems.

Another panel discussed a second report, Facts Matter! Black Lives Matter!: The Trauma of Racism. Beginning with statistics on the burden of racial oppression, and describes the pain and distress of systemic racism:

The trauma of racism refers to the cumulative negative impact of racism on the lives of people of color. Encompassing the emotional, psychological health, and economic and social effects of multigenerational and historical trauma, trauma of racism relates to the damaging effects of ongoing societal and intra-social-group racial micro aggressions, internalized racism, overt racist experiences, discrimination and oppression within the lives of people of color.


 

The study is particularly optimistic about the role of culturally responsive education to link schooling to culture. It concludes with research findings that highlight and map the significant association between community location and a range of outcomes, including health, educational achievement, exposure to violence and economic prosperity. 

Resources
Community Food Projects: Planning & Community Engagement Strategies

New Entry Sustainable Farming Project will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday, June 2nd at 1 pm EST for organizations interested in learning more about how to prepare for the Community Food Projects grant program. Long-range planning and community engagement are two fundamental aspects of a successful proposal, so it's important to start thinking about it now. The presenters, Aley Kent from the International Rescue Committee and Tes Thraves from the Center for Environmental Farming Systems, will speak about examples from their work. Register here. 
How Hungry is America? Report

FRAC released their annual report, How Hungry is America? on food hardship. It reviews 2014 data for every state based on responses to the question: "Have there been times in the past twelve months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?" Important findings this year include:
  • The economy is improving, but tens of millions of people are still struggling to afford the basics.
  • There's not one state that is free from hunger.
  • Such high food hardship rates are unacceptable, yet some in Congress continue to propose huge cuts to proven and effective programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), school meals programs and other supports. 
It's important to contact your elected officials. Tell your Members of Congress that you want them to solve hunger by strengthening our nation's safety net. Add your name to the Support SNAP petition.
News
WhyHunger Chapin Awards Gala


 

You're invited! Tickets and sponsorships are now available for the annual WhyHunger Chapin Awards Gala that will be held on Tuesday, June 23rd at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in NYC. Honorees include singer songwriter Grace Potter receiving the ASCAP Harry Chapin Vanguard Award, Co-founder and Ambassador Bill Ayres, receiving the WhyHunger Lifetime Achievement Award, and legendary singer songwriter Felix Cavaliere of The Rascals who will be presented with the ASCAP Harry Chapin Legacy Award by Paul Shaffer of the Late Show with David Letterman.
 
 

Guests will enjoy a cocktail reception, silent auction, dinner, and a special 40th anniversary Exhibit: the WhyHunger Story. And, of course, some amazing music! Please join us for this special evening as we celebrate our 40th anniversary, honor Bill and recognize artists who stand with us through their philanthropic work in the fight against hunger and poverty.


Get your tickets today! Can't make it? You can still make a donation or add a note of support to our commemorative journal here. Thank you for your support.

Help Update the Find Food Database

 

WhyHunger is expanding the comprehensive Find Food database of emergency food providers (food banks, food pantries, food access sites) to include more information about healthy food and nutrition. We need your help! Please verify that your organization's profile is accurate in the database. We have new categories that will better capture the work that organizations are doing to better serve their communities, including addressing hunger and health. If you need to update your record, please email database@whyhunger.org. If your organization is not in the database, please join us here.
In This Issue
Who Banks on Food Banks?
New Series! WhyHunger Farmer Profiles
Poverty, Trauma and Resilience
Community Food Projects: Planning & Community Engagement Strategies
How Hungry is America? Report
WhyHunger Chapin Awards Gala
Help Update the Find Food Database
 
Please verify that your organization's profile is accurate in the database. To update your record, email
database@whyhunger.org. If your organization is not in the database, please join us here.
Our Hotline number has changed to 1-800-5-HUNGRY. Please update your records and find outreach materials here.   
Nourishing Change is meant to encourage conversation and dialogue about transforming communities, community food security and the emergency food system. We want to hear from you! Email us at  nourish@whyhunger.org
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Nourish Network for the Right to Food
WhyHunger
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Contributors: Betty Fermin and Jessica Powers.