Together we can! : a what, why, and how handbook for working to end hunger in your community

38 Pages·2000·2.7 MB·English

by  United States. Food and Nutrition Service

Archive Document
Historic,
Do assume
not content reflects current
scientific knowledge, policies, or practices.
1
A How
What, Why, and
Handbookfor Working To End
Hunger Your Community
in
United States Department of Agriculture
Food and Nutrition Service
January 2000
FNS-315
USDA
United States Department ofAgriculture
Food and Nutrition Service
December 1999
FNS-315
The United States Department ofAgriculture (USDA) prohibits
discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of
race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability,
political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status.
(Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs) Persons with
.
disabilities who require alternative means for communication of
program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should
contact USDA's TARGET Center at [phone] (voice and
TDD).
To file a complaint ofdiscrimination, write USDA, Director,
Office ofCivil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and
Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call
202-720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity
provider and employer.
2 Together We Can!
Contents
Welcome 4
Chapter 1: So You Want To Fight Hunger: How To Use This Handbook 5
Chapter 2: What They Do and Why They Need You: USDA's Food and Nutrition Programs 6
Chapter 3: Filling the Hunger Gaps: All Kinds of Projects for All Kinds of People 10
WHAT: Support Nutrition Education 11
WHAT: "Adopt" an Elderly Person or Shut-in 13
WHAT: Hold a Food Drive 14
WHAT: Hold a 5-Mile Walkathon 17
WHAT: Organize a Gleaning Event 20
WHAT: Grow a Community Garden 23
WHAT: Bring the Summer Food Service Program to Needy Children in Your Community 25
Chapter 4: What Next? Putting It All Together 27
Chapter 5: Resources 32
Media Plan 32
The Emerson Good Samaritan Act, Summarized 33
Names and Numbers 34
Special Note
This document has been prepared to beInternet
friendly. It has been designed with a minimum of
graphics andformattingso that additional copies
may be downloadedfiom USDA's web site as easily
aspossible.
Table of Contents 3
—
Welcome
s Secretary of Agriculture, I've been troubled ments to fight hunger. By helping communities help
by the fact that although we live in the most themselves at the local level, we can help weed out
prosperous nation in the world, there is hunger.
hunger amid plenty. And while USDAs
—
nutrition assistance programs food stamps, WIC, That is what this handbook is all about. It's about
school lunch and breakfast, and food distribution finding common sense approaches to helping those
play a major role in combating the problem of in need. It's about bringing together what each of us
hunger in America, wiping out hunger is something does best and recognizing that each of us has
the government cannot do alone. Everyone, includ- something important and unique to contribute.
ing you, can and should play a role. Every effort moves us closer to our goal of a hun-
ger-free America where everyone has the opportu-
That is why USDA created the Community Food nity to live a life of self-sufMency and dignity.
Security Initiative. This initiative creates and ex-
pands grassroots partnerships that build local food Together we can!
security systems and reduce hunger. We are bring-
ing together citizens, States, municipalities, tribes,
nonprofit groups, and the private sector. These
partnerships are building on the best practices of DAN GLICKMAN
existing efforts to catalyze new community commit- Secretary
4 Together We Can!
:
Chapter
1
Want
So You To Fight Hunger:
How
To Use This Handbook
I Between 1995 and 1998—a period marked by This chapter outlines the resources you will find in
—
the strongest U.S. economy in a generation the the pages ahead:
number of hungry people in America did not
decline significantly. CHAPTER 2 describes USDAs Federal nutrition
programs, and it explains how grassroots groups
) Food Stamp Program participation has fallen five can play a critical role in improving the effectiveness
times faster than the number of people in poverty. of these programs at the local level.
Between 1995 and 1999, the number of people
participating in the Food Stamp Program dropped CHAPTER 3 provides a variety of action plans for
4.4 million, while the number of people in pov- specific anti-hunger activities. These activities are
erty fell by only 900,000. varied in both time commitment and complexity.
> Charitable organizations report major increases in CHAPTER 4 is designed to inspire local organiza-
demands for food at food banks and feeding tions that are ready to do more than provide food
centers serving the hungry. for the hungry. This chapter provides examples of
organizations that are attacking hunger at its
— —
I Almost one-third of Americans eligible for food source poverty7 by combining food service pro-
stamps do not obtain them. grams with nontraditional and multi-faceted anti-
hunger programs such as health care, child care
These are the facts. And these facts paint a disturb- services, and job training.
ing picture of hunger in America. But fighting
hunger is not a hopeless cause. By bringing together CHAPTER 5 provides additional resources, including
the resources of Federal nutrition programs and a media plan, "Good Samaritan" law information,
private anti-hunger efforts with those of local and and useful names and phone numbers.
community organizations, hunger in the United
States can be eradicated. Thank you for reading Together We CanI We hope
that you will find useful information on every page
This handbook, Together We Can!, offers step-by- of this handbook. And we hope you are ready to
step plans for combating hunger, whether as an use this information to take your first step in joining
individual volunteer, a member of a community USDA and thousands of caring people like yourself
organization, or an experienced anti-hunger advo- who believe we must all work to ensure that no
cate. It outlines volunteer opportunities within child, no family, no individual goes hungry in this
existing Federal nutrition programs, provides action land of plenty.
plans for specific anti-hunger activities, and catalogs
resources available to fight hunger at the commu-
nity, State, and national levels.
Chapter 1 • So You Want to Fight Hunger: How To Use This Handbook 5
Chapter 2:
Why
What They Do and They Need
You:
USDA's Food and Nutrition Programs
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and
The
Organizations
Nutrition Programs are this Nation's first and
most powerful line of defense against hunger. Organizations are also working with these programs
They are helping about one in six people in to ensure that their communities are making the
America every day. And because these programs very best use of all available resources. Local com-
have the resources of the Federal Government munity groups, religious organizations, even inde-
behind them, they can reach further and wider than pendent businesses can be found performing activi-
any local program or individual alone. ties such as:
& Donating free space for food storage and distribu-
By working with these programs, you are putting
tion.
the entire force of the Federal Government to work. ) Establishing food distribution sites accessible to
More importantly, you can customize your efforts to seniors and other individuals or families in need.
the very personal needs of the hungry in your I Operating a Summer Food Service Program site in
community. You know where the pockets of hunger a low-income area.
are in your own home town. You know your town's
economic needs and its culture. You understand
your local customs and history. Either as an indi- Everyone Has a Role
vidual or as a member of a volunteer organization,
you can use this knowledge to help catch those who Even those who do not have the time to work
are not easily reached by our national nutrition directly or consistently with a program can take on
safety net alone. very important volunteer work. It is critical that the
—
American public be educated educated about the
resources available and the roles they play in
Individuals keeping this Nation one of the healthiest and least
hungry in the world. An education project is one of
Right now, individuals are working with USDA's the simplest, and yet most often overlooked ways to
food and nutrition programs to: help. Educating the public helps our programs reach
I Show participants how to safely store and handle more people and is as simple as:
foods. I Writing and distributing articles for print and
ft Teach participants how to cook healthful meals electronic media.
and to best use USDA commodities. & Creating posters and pamphlets that can help
& Help participants and applicants fill out forms and local agencies in education efforts.
translate for those who do not speak or write & Talking to friends and family members.
English.
) Provide transportation. Of course, the very first step is to educate yourself.
I Help out with children in the office and at food The list below gives a brief overview of all the food
distribution sites. and nutrition programs within USDA that are
available to assist eligible individuals in their time of
need. Ifyou find yourself thinking, "I didn't know
this much help was available," you have just taken
that very first step toward helping USDA help
Americans in need.
6 Together We Can!
Our National Food and of the most popular. In those areas with an FMNP,
Nutrition Programs in addition to receiving their food vouchers, WIC
moms and expectant moms also receive coupons for
fresh fruits and vegetables from local farmers'
The Food Stamp Program (FSP) markets. The program gives WIC families access to
fresh fruits and vegetables they might not find in
The Food Stamp Program is the cornerstone of the their local grocery stores and at the same time
USDA nutrition assistance programs. It provides supports local farmers by giving them additional
electronic benefits or coupons that can be ex- outlets for their fresh produce.
changed for food at qualified retail food stores. This
translates into supporting millions of families going
through rough times until they can stand on their The National School Lunch
own again. Thanks to food stamps, millions of Program (NSLP) and School
families are able to support themselves and main- Breakfast Program (SBP)
tain their health and dignity until they can once
again become self-sufficient. One nutrition program that almost every American
has participated in is the National School Lunch
Program. USDA is working hard so that our next
Special Supplemental Nutrition generation can say the same about the School
Program for Women, Infants, and Breakfast Program. These two programs provide
Children (WIC) and the WIC children of all income levels with the nutritious
meals they require to learn better and grow
Farmers' Market Nutrition Program
healthier. Every school day, more than 26 million
(FMNP)
USDA
children in 96,000 schools are eating school
lunches, and 6.9 million children in 68,000 schools
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for
Women, Infants, and Children is a very long name are eating USDA school breakfasts. Meals are
for a program built on a very simple idea: by help- required to meet national nutrition and safety
ing pregnant women and mothers and their very standards.
young children, the Federal Government can im-
prove nutrition and health, and reduce health care
Summer Food Service Program
costs. And it works. For every dollar taxpayers
(SFSP)
invest in WIC, they save about $3 in future medical
costs.
In many communities SFSP serves free meals to
children in low-income areas during the long sum-
On any given day in WIC clinics around the country, mer months, as well as at other times when schools
participants receive healthcare services, referrals for
are not in session. In addition to feeding children,
themselves and their children, and learn about
these sites also provide activities and educational
nutrition and food safety. They then apply these opportunities during those times when too many
lessons after receiving vouchers to redeem in their
children are left unsupervised. Sponsors of approved
local authorized food stores for healthful, nutritious
summer feeding sites include religious institutions,
food.
local governments, school districts, residential
summer camps, and community facilities. More
Just seven years old, the WIC Farmers' Market
than 2 million children a year are served through
Nutrition Program is one of the newest nutrition
this program.
assistance programs, and is quickly becoming one
Chapter 2 • What They Do and Why They Need You: USDA's Food and Nutrition Programs 7
\:
Child and Adult Care Food Program Food Distribution Program on
(CACFP) Indian Reservations (FDPIR)
In addition to children 12 and under, CACFP also FDPIR is one of USDA's finest examples of tailoring
serves the elderly and disabled adults in need. a program to best serve its clients. This program
Programs can be found in child care and outside- provides a package of foods to low-income families
school-hours care centers, family and group day who live on Indian reservations and to Native
care homes, homeless shelters, and some adult day American families who live near reservations. Many
care centers. CACFP also provides free snacks to Native Americans participate in FDPIR as an alter-
children under 18 who participate in after-school native to the Food Stamp Program because they do
activities in low-income areas. More than 2.6 not have easy access to food stores. In addition,
million children and 58,000 adults are served FDPIR worked with Indian tribal councils and others
through CACFP. so the commodity packages would better meet their
taste preferences and dietary needs. Distributed
commodities include a wide variety of nutritious,
Commodity Supplemental Food wholesome foods, many ofwhich have reduced
Program (CSFP) levels of fat and sugar.
Similar to WIC, CSFP is a food distribution program
that serves low-income pregnant, post-partum, and Nutrition Program for the Elderly
breastfeeding women, infants, and children. It
differs from WIC in that it serves children until their The Nutrition Program for the Elderly reimburses
6th rather than 5th birthdays, postpartum women up senior centers and programs that provide meals to
to a year after giving birth rather than for only 6 the homes of senior citizens in need.
months as in WIC, and, unlike WIC, it serves the
elderly. Another major difference is that CSFP
provides a complete package of nutritious foods Cooperative State Research,
rather than food vouchers as in WIC. It is also not a Education, and Extension Service
national program; it is available as an alternative to (CSREES)
WIC at local sites in 18 States and on two Indian
reservations. In cooperation with its partners and customers,
CSREES' purpose is to improve economic, environ-
mental, and social conditions in the United States
The Emergency Food Assistance and globally. These conditions include improved
Program (TEFAP) agricultural and other economic enterprises; safer,
cleaner water, food, and air; enhanced stewardship
TEFAP provides USDA commodity foods to all 50 and management of natural resources; healthier,
States for distribution to needy households. TEFAP more responsible, and more productive individuals,
reaches out to those who need help when they need families, and communities; and a stable, secure,
it most. By providing foods to nonprofit organiza- diverse, and affordable national food supply.
tions such as food banks, food pantries, and hot
meal programs, TEFAP also serves as a doorway to CSREES works in partnership with the public and
other government services for those who have the private sectors to maximize the effectiveness of
most trouble accessing them, such as the homeless, limited resources. CSREES research, extension, and
elderly, and mentally ill. educational leadership is provided through programs
8 Together We Can!