Senate Hearing Urges Action to Prevent Childhood Obesity

25 million American children are obese or at risk of becoming obese, according to data presented at the Senate Hearing on Childhood Obesity on July 16. The Senate heard testimony from medical professionals and policymakers, who emphasized the strong connection between poverty and childhood obesity, while stressing the widespread consequences of inaction in response to what Senator Chris Dodd called a “medical emergency.”

Jeff Levi, Ph.D, Executive Director of Trust for America’s Health offered testimony based on National Survey on Children’s Health reports that children of more affluent households are less likely to be overweight or obese. To illustrate this in concrete terms, in 2003, 22.4% of children below 100% of the poverty threshold were overweight, while only 9.1 percent of children at 400% of the poverty threshold were overweight.

A major reason for the disproportionate rates of obesity is access to affordable and nutritious food. Bruce Lesley, President of First Focus, a child advocacy group cited a Food Trust report showing that “people who live in lower-income areas without access to supermarkets appear to suffer from diet-related deaths at a higher rate than that experienced by the population as a whole.”

Obesity is a health issue with wide-ranging effects on children’s health and well-being. Childhood obesity is associated with depression, very early diagnoses of type 2 diabetes, low school performance, and a low quality of life, as reported in medical testimony by Dr. Francine Kaufman former National President of the American Diabetes Association, and Dr. Margaret Grey, Dean of the Yale School of Nursing. Annual hospital costs associated with obese children and youth have more than tripled since the 1980s, with obesity-related medical costs expected to rise as the current generation ages.

The lack of emphasis on prevention has led to a snowballing crisis which demands immediate reform. Levi argued that the source of the problem is largely environmental and also the result of poor policy choices. For example, school reform initiatives in recent years, namely No Child Left Behind, have effectively excised physical education funding and nutrition requirements from many school curricula and food programs and have left children unequipped to make healthy choices.

However, while immediate action is necessary, witnesses also emphasized that it would take wide-ranging and comprehensive solutions in order to counteract these problems. All testifying witnesses urged that government must acknowledge the profound effect rising childhood obesity rates will have on all levels of public life.

Kaufman illustrated the scope of childhood obesity problem when recounting her struggle to treat a 13-year-patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Said Kaufman, “for my patient to do well, the world in which she lived would have to change. Her neighborhood, her school, the healthcare system that focuses more on treatment than prevention- our country- would have to transform so that it promotes and supports healthy lifestyle habits and make the healthy choices the easy choices- the accessible and affordable choices.”

Lesley called on Congress to increase physical activity requirements in schools, support new obesity prevention initiatives, and improve medical care and nutrition programs for all children, which includes extending State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) funds to cover obesity-related expenses. He further urged Congress to support measures that would insure the safety of children within their neighborhoods and near their schools, making it safer for children to increase their physical activity.

Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry Use Increases Sharply, as City Welfare Rolls Decline

In March and April, City-supported food pantries served 1.39 million meals, marking a 9.3% increase compared to the 1.27 million meals served during the same time period in 2007, according to the New York City Department of Social Services. Soup kitchens were similarly affected, serving 559,798 meals in March and April, up 8.8% from last year. These sharp increases in soup kitchen and food pantry use coincide with reports that boast that the number of New York City residents receiving public assistance is at its lowest in 42 years.

“When New Yorkers need to obtain more than a million charity meals in just one month, something is very wrong,” said NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg. “There are many causes of hunger, poverty and homelessness in New York City, but these figures suggest that the way welfare reform is being implemented has increased poverty in the City.” Berg called on Mayor Bloomberg to re-examine current anti-poverty initiatives to ensure that welfare reform moves beyond the superficial success of decreasing the number of public assistance recipients without a long-term plan for their economic security, especially in times of recession.

The rate of client increase among all City soup kitchens and food pantries is likely higher than the Department of Social Services number, as only half of all City food programs receive City support, including many of the largest and most well-established programs. In 2007, 81% of soup kitchens and food pantries reported an increase in clients, with 40% stating that the number of clients served had increased “greatly,” according to NYCCAH’s Annual Hunger Survey. These numbers coincided with the onset of the current recession, which has led to an overwhelming demand for the services provided at soup kitchens and food pantries across the nation.

Outreach, Language Access Needed to Counter Lagging Immigrant Food Stamp Enrollment

Immigrants are disproportionately vulnerable to economic insecurity and remain disproportionately underserved by the food stamps program, according to a study entitled “Nourishing NYC: Increasing Food Stamps Access to Immigrant Communities,” released by the Urban Justice Center last week. According to the study, eligible non-citizens are only 77% as likely as citizens to receive food stamp benefits, with citizen children of non-citizens remaining particularly underserved.

Current law allows immigrants who have legally resided in the United States for at least five years to participate in the food stamps program. All legal immigrants under the age of 18 or receiving disability benefits, regardless of their length or residence are also eligible. The Department of Justice states that legal immigrants cannot face deportation or “public charge” designation (which can negatively affect immigration status) as a result of applying for nutrition benefits. Additionally, illegal immigrants are granted certain protections from immigration status disclosure when applying for benefits for their resident children.

A complicated history of immigration requirements on both the City and national level has contributed to widespread misperceptions about eligibility requirements which, when compounded with language barriers and a lack of targeted outreach to immigrant communities, has led to lagging participation rates for immigrants and their citizen children.

The Urban Justice Center called on the federal government to extend food stamp benefits to all lawful immigrants, regardless of their length of residency. City and state authorities were urged to increase language access through community pre-screening programs, modeled after the Food Card Access Project and the FoodChange outreach program, which have effectively increased immigrant food stamp enrollment. Further city and state recommendations included providing service notices in the seven languages in which applications are currently available: English, Arabic, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Korean, Russian and Spanish. For the over 83,000 non-citizens in New York City who are eligible for food stamps but do not receive them, these policy recommendations are a step towards granting them the federal nutrition assistance to which they are entitled.

Senator John Edwards Brings Half in Ten Campaign to East Harlem Food Pantry

On Wednesday, July 9, Senator John Edwards met with local food pantry clients and toured the Yorkville Common Pantry in East Harlem as a part of the “Half in Ten” Campaign, which aims to reduce poverty in the United States by 50% in ten years. The New York City Coalition Against Hunger and World Hunger Year joined Senator Edwards in bringing attention to widespread hunger and poverty in New York City.

Prior to his tour, Senator Edwards met privately with a group of current and former recipients of food from emergency food programs, like Yorkville Common Pantry, who shared their experiences and discussed methods for combating hunger and improving food access.

Following the meeting, Edwards emphasized the growing prevalence of food insecurity among working families both in New York City and the nation. “When you have people - mothers, children, entire families – going to bed hungry right here in the richest nation in the world, that's not just wrong – it's immoral. I have seen it all over the country, and I have also seen the hard work and dedication of the good people like the folks who are here today, who have dedicated their lives to putting an end to this injustice. It is time we all joined in the fight, and made a nationwide commitment to ending poverty in America."

As Chair of Half in Ten, Senator Edwards is working with partner organizations to increase public and government awareness of issues that affect the poor and middle class, strengthen a constituency to demand action on poverty legislation, and advance policies that assist struggling American families. Current Half in Ten policy initiatives include increasing the minimum wage to 50% of the average hourly wage, expanding access to the Earned Income Tax Credit, and guaranteeing childcare assistance and early education opportunities for low-income families.

These initiatives would profoundly impact the 1.3 million New Yorkers living in food insecure households, says NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg. "Poverty in the U.S. and New York are unacceptable, and Senator Edwards is absolutely correct in calling for it to be cut it in half in a decade. In a society with as much wealth as modern America, hunger should be doubly unacceptable. The Senator's visit not only highlights the growing domestic hunger problem, but enables us to begin a national discussion of the basic steps necessary to make sure that all Americans have access to the food they need to lead productive and healthy lives.”

As Schools Close for Vacation, Doors Open for Summer Meals

As New York City children celebrate the beginning of summer vacation, sites across the five boroughs are ensuring that children can continue to receive free, nutritious meals throughout the summer. Over 700 hundred New York City schools, community centers, public pools, soup kitchens and food pantries participate in the federally-funded Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), offering breakfast and lunch throughout the summer to all children under 19. SFSP’s summer meals serve as a reliable source of nutritious food for children whose choices are otherwise limited to the offerings nearby fast food restaurants and bodegas, and who are more likely to gain weight and develop poor eating habits over the summer than during the school year. For students like ninth-grader Jessica Silva, free SFSP meals have already become an integral part of summer break. Says Silva, “If you don’t have money, or are just hungry and want free food, you can come here. It’s really good, too.”

Though program policies focus on making summer meals accessible-no fee, application, or ID is required to receive meals-nationwide participation rates are still well-below those of in-school free and reduced-price meal programs, which also suffer from underutilization. “Tens of thousands of [New York City] children are being reached through this program but hundreds of thousands of children need it, so we really need to get the word out about kids and parents needing to call 311 to find sites nearest them,” said New York City Coalition Against Hunger Executive Director Joel Berg. In an effort to increase awareness of SFSP, NYCCAH continues to conduct outreach among soup kitchen and food pantry customers while recruiting agencies to serve as future summer meals sites. Congress is set to review funding for SFSP, school meals and WIC before current funds expire in September 2009.

Visit the New York Department of Education for participating summer meals sites near you.

City CSAs Support Food Access and Community Action

The area surrounding the Jacob Riis Neighborhood Settlement House has only one grocery store, despite being home to Queensbridge Houses, the largest public housing development in the nation. In a neighborhood where fresh produce is very hard to find, the new Long Island City Community Supported Agriculture Project is offering residents not only a source for local produce, but also a chance to become directly involved in the fight for greater food access in their community.

The Community Supported Agriculture Project, or CSA, was created through the Craig Murphey Anti-Hunger Partnership: a collaboration between The New York City Coalition Against Hunger, the Hunger Action Network of New York State, Just Food, the East River Development Alliance, and the Farm at Miller’s Crossing. The goals of the project are twofold. The family-style CSA membership component allows Long Island City residents to purchase shares of fresh produce from a local farmer, which are then delivered and distributed weekly throughout the growing season. The Local Produce Link component supplies food pantries and soup kitchens receive an average of 180 pounds of farm fresh food each week paid for by New York State Hunger Prevention Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) funding.

The CSA relies on a core group of program members who work towards the self-sustainability of the CSA while organizing community events like farm trips and member dinners. The program stresses direct member involvement in the distribution and organizing process, requiring all members to volunteer at least four hours per season. “It gives you a sense of feeling empowered, that you are part of the production line to some degree” said Bill Newlin, executive director of the Jacob Riis Community Settlement House, which serves as the distribution point for the Long Island City CSA. The establishment of the Long Island City CSA marks the second of three pilot CSAs which NYCCAH has co-sponsored. The West Harlem CSA is in its second season of distribution and there are plans for the creation of a third CSA to serve another low-income neighborhood in the 2009 growing season.

NYCCAH Calls on Next President to Join the Fight Against Child Hunger

12.6 million American children live in households without enough food. The stark reality of rising food costs, food shortages, and the limited gains in the recent Farm Bill will shape the next President's position in the fight against child hunger in the U.S.

NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg and Tom Freedman outlined a strategy for the next President to end child hunger. First, they argue, the government should make increasing enrollment in the Food Stamps and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) programs a priority by offering a common application for all supplemental nutrition programs, while simultaneously increasing accountability for agencies that administer nutrition programs. Access to these programs should be combined with universal school breakfasts, which have proven effective in increasing student performance, attendance and participation.

In order for nutrition programs to be effective, the government must also address the underlying barriers to effective anti-hunger policy. Berg and Freedman site the success of state anti-hunger and anti-poverty initiatives and encourage the federal government to award economic incentives to states who are successful in combating child hunger. The government must also renew its commitment to fighting poverty by instating a true living wage, exceeding the $7.25 an hour which will take affect next July.

Finally, the government can improve the quality and accessibility of anti-hunger and anti-poverty programs through strengthening its relationships with non-profits that offer sources for innovative policy and recommendations for needed improvements. The call to action is urgent, says Berg. “Americans are ready to come together and defeat a common challenge like child hunger. The problem is finding the political will to do it.”

Inadequate Benefits Force Food Stamp Recipients to Sacrifice Necessities

Early this month a Congressional coalition led by Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. called on legislators to temporarily raise food stamp benefits by 20% in to account for sharply rising food costs. Congress has yet to rule on the measure, which would offer some aid to struggling families until the farm bill’s limited increase in benefits is enacted in October. The coalition’s plea was unprecedented. It comes on the heels of a USDA report that the maximum monthly food stamp benefits for a family of four is $34 below the cost of maintaining a minimum healthy diet for a month.

The sacrifices being made by food stamp recipients in order to put food on the table are indicative of the kind of economic squeeze not seen since the 1970s. “What we are hearing from constituents is that they are having to make tougher and tougher decisions like to water down milk for kids or not purchase medication to keep money for food,” said City Council Speaker Christine Quinn. The 1,200 soup kitchens and food pantries in the city are ensuring that New Yorkers are not going hungry, but these agencies do not have the resources to serve as a primary defense against hunger, and have been severely strained by the increase in clients in recent months. New Jersey resident Cassandra Johnson has resorted to buying expired food with her food stamp benefits in order to feed herself, her niece and nephew. “We are not coping,” says Johnson.

City Council Takes “Huge Step” in Increasing Food Stamp Enrollment

A recent City Council study found that 600,000 families citywide are eligible for federal food stamp benefits, but have not applied. In response to these findings, City Council has vowed to increase outreach to the one million New Yorkers who receive Medicaid benefits but have yet to apply for food stamps. At a press conference on Wednesday, June 18^th City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg emphasized the needless waste of unclaimed food stamp benefits, noting that food stamps benefit the City by putting federal funds directly into the local economy. “We’re leaving money on the table in Washington,” said Quinn. Council staff plans to increase awareness of food stamp eligibility through mailings to current Medicaid recipients and by direct outreach at supermarkets. “We have a moral obligation to ensure government does everything in its power to reach out to those who qualify to help build a healthier New York,” said Councilman Eric Gioia. Berg called the measure a “huge step” in the fight against hunger in New York City.

Food and Fuel Set Pace for Inflation

Food prices increased in May in the context of the on-going economic problems of rising prices coupled with lackluster growth.

Though the federal reserve has been using the word “inflation” with care in recent weeks, consumers are confronting the reality of inflation at gas pumps and grocery stores. Food prices increased by 0.8 percent in May, after remaining level in April. Pork and fresh fruit were among the products most affected by increases, with fruit and melons marking a 5.9 percent rise in prices since last month. Gas prices also shot up by 9.3 percent.

Food cost increases have been common news in recent months, with the price of a gallon of gas rivaling the cost of a gallon of milk. But recently economists have begun to address the inevitability of spreading inflation, as businesses are forced to recoup rising costs by raising prices for consumers. The Labor Department reported this week that the Producer Price Index, which measures costs for manufacturers, rose by 1.4 percent in May, marking the biggest increase in producer prices since November of last year.

Of course, the problem of rapidly increasing commodity foods is a global problem. In a meeting of the “Group of 8” in Japan on Saturday, finance ministers from the world’s richest nations warned that higher prices of oil and other commodities (including food) poses a real threat to the world economy.

Especially for low-income consumers, the on-going increase of the cost of goods poses a threat of continued inflation for food and other necessary consumer goods. Despite the fact that the Farm Bill raised the allotment for food stamps recipients, the continued increase in the price – and cost – of consumer goods forebodes a difficult future for low-income Americans who do not have the safety net of medical coverage and more comprehensive social services available to low-income individuals in other industrialized countries.

Rethinking Ethanol: When Food-to-Fuel Means Gas or Groceries

Worldwide demand for increased grain production has dampened initial excitement about a future powered by ethanol. Queens City Councilman Eric Gioia has drafted two-fold resolution calling on Governor Paterson to petition the Environmental Protection Agency for a state-wide waiver on federal ethanol production requirements, while urging the federal government to gradually withdrawal their use of edible crops for fuel production. NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg supports the measure, calling government subsidies of ethanol production a “corporate welfare program,” which acts as “one of the most pointless contributors” to food cost increases. Biofuels production contributed to one half of the growth in demand for staple crops in the past year, according to the International Monetary Fund, and with the U.N. calling for a 50 percent increase in world food production by 2030, the 30 percent of America’s corn crop devoted to biofuels has begun to look less like progress and more like a liability. Alternatives to food-based fuel include increasing the efficiency of traditional fuel and improving hybrid technology, while encouraging car owners to scale back their time spent behind the wheel.

New Yorkers Suffer from Lack of “Mainstream Plan to Reduce Hunger”

Americans who depend upon emergency food programs need more than a meal or a pantry bag. The increased need for emergency food programs across the nation points to a lapse in governmental oversight of social programs coupled with economic problems that leave many citizens unable to afford the most basic of necessities.

The 350 emergency food programs in Brooklyn, like programs across the nation, have seen an increase in customers who are steadily employed but have been hit hard by the forces of rising healthcare costs, a spiraling economy, and the inadequacy of current food stamp benefits, which should serve as the first line of defense for food insecure households. For Brooklyn residents, the force of gentrification further amplifies the problem: according to a report recently released by Congressman Anthony Weiner, nearly 30 percent of Brooklyn residents pay half or more of their income for shelter.

As NYCCAH reported in last year’s Hunger Survey, 67 percent of Brooklyn pantries suffered from shortages in 2007, following federal and state funding cuts. The crisis in Brooklyn is far from unique, and the solutions need to address the nationwide problem. “We need a federal commitment to living wage jobs so people can earn enough to feed their families and pay rent. We also need universal healthcare so that if you are working full-time you’re not impoverished,” said NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg. It is an agenda that defies the romanticizing of the soup kitchens and food pantries that fill a need in the absence of essential government action. “The Right has convinced Americans that the anti-poverty programs of the 1960s and 70s were failures,” said Berg. “The vast majority believe that the War on Poverty didn’t work. In reality, between 1960 and 1973 the poverty rate was cut in half.”

It is this kind of response and the attendant fiscal commitment that will make emergency food programs obsolete. “This agenda is to the right of Teddy Roosevelt,” Berg says. “It’s a mainstream plan to reduce hunger and poverty.”

Farm Bill to Overcome Legislative Limbo

Following an error of omission, legislators are poised to override the Presidential veto on the 2007 farm bill in its entirety, thus finally passing the $309 billion legislation. Though opponents of the bill have generated speculation about further legislative deliberation in light of the error, widespread and bipartisan support has all but guaranteed a successful override of the bill in its current form.

Fast Food Tax Breaks Conflict with City Health Initiatives

A 1976 New York City tax incentive program, designed to create jobs and support home-grown businesses amid the threat of suburban exodus, is now funneling funds from the nearly $410 million-a-year program to fast food restaurants and chain retailers. In a recent report of the city’s Economic Development Corporation, Manhattan borough President Scott Stringer argued that the subsidies are inconsistent with Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed health initiatives, and offer benefits to “businesses that simply do not deserve tax payer support.” Administered by the city’s Industrial and Commercial Incentive Program, the program limits some subsidies to businesses above 96^th street, which may attract an uneven number of fast food and gas retailers to low-income areas with higher rates of diabetes, obesity and asthma. “If there was ever a picture of self-defeating government policy, this is it,” said Stringer, who has urged state legislators to reform the program when it expires in June. Last year, the budget of the incentive program exceeded spending on New York City Housing Authorities by nearly $20 million.

Economic Crisis Fuels Twin Threats of Hunger and Obesity

With economic downturn comes hunger, and with hunger comes obesity. Though this equation seems to counter the traditional logic of dieting, for families trying to survive on food stamps, buying low-cost high calorie-food is often the only solution for making limited allotments last into the second or third week of the month, prompting a cycle of serious weight gain. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that women in poverty were 50% more likely to be obese than women of higher economic status, while a 2006 University of Pennsylvania study found that poor 15 to 17 year olds were also 50% more likely to be overweight or obese than children from higher-income families. Derek Felton, a Philadelphia anti-hunger advocate who was raised in poverty, describes the cycle of hunger and weight gain that accompanies inadequate benefits levels: “I was the oldest of seven, with a lifetime of no breakfasts to eat. When we had the chance to eat, we ate white bread to feel full.” Tianna Gaines, a mother of three suffering from obesity, makes up for empty shelves at the end of the month by overeating when her benefits arrive. “You go without eating and then gorge,” she says. “Then you go to sleep with a full stomach. That’s how the weight picks up.” On the heels of these studies come reports that childhood obesity rates are leveling, though the health of low-income children in the wake of skyrocketing food prices remains to be seen. The newly-passed farm bill may provide some relief for food stamp recipients by indexing benefits to better account for inflation and raising the minimum standard deduction for calculating benefits levels. Though these measures may help families stretch their food stamp benefits, the data on obesity levels among low-income Americans points to a need to widen the scope of obesity prevention initiatives, to include an acknowledgement of the ways in which economic status forces many Americans to eat food that they know to be harmful. In order for obesity rates to undergo a truly significant change, we will need to further address not only behavioral causes of this disease, but also the underlying economic factors that make low-income Americans more susceptible to excessive weight gain.

What's At Stake

The future of the farm bill remains uncertain.

Here’s the good news: Yesterday the House again approved the farm bill by 306 to 110 and the Senate quickly voted to support the bill by a majority of 82 to 13. Both of these votes were sufficient to override President Bush’s veto (Wednesday).

The problem is that this vote was to override Bush’s veto on the “original” farm bill – which suffered from an administrative glitch that failed to include a 34-page section on foreign aid, which accounts for only $200 million, or less than one percent, of farm bill spending.

Despite yesterday’s victory, therefore, some doubt the constitutionality of this vote and Senate will again have to vote on the bill. The question is: Will they vote on the bill in its entirety or only on the section that was previously omitted? Either way, Bush will also have another opportunity to veto the “new” bill after the Senate votes.

In the midst of this political squabbling, let us not forget that 66% of the funds allocated for the farm bill will provide additional funding to food stamps and other essential nutritional assistance programs that provide low-income Americans with the support they desperately need in these difficult economic times.

Congress Set to Re-Play Veto Override

Yesterday May 21, seemed to be a day of uncharacteristic swiftness for the nascent farm bill. As expected, President Bush vetoed the bill and the House responded with an override vote of 316 to 108, moving the bill one step closer to a final override vote in the Senate before the holiday recess.

However, an administrative blunder rendered both the veto and the vote moot and insured that the passage of the farm bill will be sluggish as were farm bill deliberations. The error concerned a 34-page section of the bill addressing foreign aid, which was omitted from the copy of the bill submitted to the President and subsequently vetoed.

The House must now approve the corrected farm bill, which it is expected to do today, and submit the bill for approval by the Senate before issuing it for another Presidential veto and a subsequent override by both houses. Though such errors have previously been rectified through mutual agreement of the President and lawmakers, thus circumventing this kind of legislative backtracking, House Republican leaders have chosen to enforce by-the-book standards in order to emphasize the mistake by Democratic leadership.

Meanwhile, food pantries are forced to ration supplies and families across the city are struggling to stretch their Food Stamp benefits under the insufficient provisions of the 2002 farm bill.

The New York City Coalition Against Hunger and more than 1,000 national, state and local organizations signed letters demanding that Members of Congress override President Bush’s veto of the Farm Bill (H.R. 2419).

Contact your representatives today to urge them to support the Farm Bill and to vote to override the veto of the 2008 Farm Bill Conference Report.

Hunger and Abundance

There are 64 billionaires in New York City and yet 1 in 5 children lives in a food-insecure household.

The recent economic crisis has further worsened the problem of hunger in the “land of plenty.”

“Downturn leaves food pantries bare” proclaimed a recent headline in Am-NY. The article highlighted the increased need and decreased supplies in food pantries throughout New York at the same time as state and local budgets cut funds to these programs.

As Joel Berg, Executive Director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, explained, for food pantries: “It’s gone from bad to worse to worser.” Berg also stated that, as a result of the current situation, “[p]eople are suffering more.”

On the other hand, despite the increased need for food pantries and soup kitchens, the New York Times recently found that Americans waste an estimated 27 percent of the food available for consumption. This amounts to about a pound of food per American per day.

“We’re not talking about table scraps,” said Berg, explaining the extent of wasted food in the United States. “We’re talking about a pan of lasagna that was never served.”

Rising Food Costs Pose Increased Threat to Seniors, Students

Vulnerable populations, including low-income children and seniors, are the hardest hit by economic crisis.

Many seniors have recently found that Social Security is no longer enough to cover their food expenses. “It’s a damn shame,” said Mary Hood, 89, who relies on Haber House Senior Center in Coney Island for many of her meals. “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer…Sometimes I run out of money before the end of the month.” Conditions are similar for Clara Stock, 82, who receives $1,100 in social security a month, which she uses to pay rent, utilities, and $200 in medication through Medicare Part D. “I just want to tell the truth about what is going on,” said Stock. “The most I eat is here at Haber House. And only what I need very, very much, do I buy.” This frustration is compounded by recent strains on emergency food programs, which have forced many programs to scale back the number of meals they serve. Local chapters of Meals on Wheels, a free food delivery service for seniors, have been hit hard by both rising gas costs and food prices, forcing four out of ten local chapters to relegate new customers to waiting lists.

Rising food costs have also threatened the quality of school nutrition programs, as the cost of milk and eggs has outpaced even the overall rate of food inflation. For large school districts an increase of several cents on staple items is anything but trivial. "For every penny on a carton of milk, it costs me $30,000 a year," said Lynnelle Grumbles, food service director at Visalia Unified School District in central California. The federal government offers reimbursement for school meals based on conformity to nutrition guidelines and the income of students within the district. For students whose families earn less than $27,000, thus qualifying for free meals, the government reimbursement rate is $2.47 cents. But many school districts are reporting they are now losing money by serving free meals that comply with government standards. “The declining federal adjustment in school nutrition programs has made it harder and harder for schools to provide healthy and nutritious meals that children want to eat," said California Representative George Miller, chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee.

The House Education and Labor Committee and the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee will meet in July to discuss adjustments to federal school lunch reimbursements for the upcoming school year.

House Passes Farm Bill With Veto Override in Sight

Yesterday, May 14, 2008, the House of Representatives voted 318 to 106 to pass the farm bill (The Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008). The bipartisan vote surpassed the 2/3 required to override a presidential veto, making it more likely that the bill, which the House has debated for seven months, will be passed into law. Several legislators from both sides of the floor voiced concern about the bill’s lack of extensive farm policy reforms. However, many other representatives, like House Agriculture Committee ranking Republican Bob Goodlatte noted that, “only 17% of the farm bill spending is devoted to farm bill programs, while nearly 70% goes to the nutrition title alone.”

The mounting need for expanded food stamp access and emergency food funding helped fuel compromise on the bill, which will provide an additional $10.4 billion in funding for nutrition programs over the next ten years out of a total budget of $289 billion. As Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders stated, “This legislation is not perfect, but it is a step in the right direction. I also am pleased that this bill begins to address the alarming needs of local food shelves and that my colleagues included important provisions to give access to and education on fresh, healthy produce to school children.” The Senate is expected to pass the bill with a similarly strong margin as early as today, and to reach the President as soon as May 20. If vetoed, Congress will attempt an override before the Memorial Day recess.

AG Secretary Fumbles on Farm Bill Nutrition Title

As Congress rallies for bipartisan votes to pass the Farm Bill and, if so, override of a Presidential veto, the Bush administration continues to display a fundamental misunderstanding of the bill’s nutrition title and the inefficiency of nutrition provisions under the 2002 Farm Bill. The current bill would increase nutrition spending by $10.3 billion over 10 years, while increasing the standard income deduction for food stamp eligibility to more fully account for current inflation for the first time since 1996. The bill would also index benefits to inflation rates and raise the minimum monthly benefit from $10 to $14. Despite these desperately-needed reforms, in a May 9 press conference, Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer questioned whether increased food stamp access was intended to make the government “feel good about taking care of people,” asking, “in a time when we have a fairly decent sized percentage of people who are eligible for the food stamp program and are not participating…why would we expand eligibility to the program?” Schafer fails to note that food stamp enrollment has increased in response to the flailing economy, but that the federal government still needs to address the administrative barriers to access that have prevented eligible families and individuals from receiving benefits. A successful veto could result in a two-year extension of the 2002 Farm Bill, which would accelerate the current food crisis and leave millions of Americans with insufficient benefits. It is extremely troubling that, as the food costs soar and the gap between rich and poor Americans increases daily, Schafer is asking “do we really have a problem here?”

Executive Director Berg Calls on City to Increase Jobs and Wages, Not Pilot Programs

Testifying before a joint hearing of the New York City Council Committees on Civil Rights and Consumer Affairs, NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg exhorted city officials to take responsibility for combating rising hunger rates by committing to large-scale anti-poverty initiatives, citing the effectiveness of Great Society programs, which cut poverty rates in half in the 1960s and 1970s. Berg noted that poverty rates have risen during Mayor Bloomberg’s administration despite his avowed commitment to ending poverty, and in response to the implementation of small-scale anti-poverty pilot programs across the city, which have placed the onus for economic change upon poor individuals. “We cannot dramatically reduce poverty without significant new expenditures. Trying to reduce poverty without increasing the money available to low-income families is like trying to reduce drought without increasing the availability of water” said Berg, who also noted that, while poverty has increased, so too have tax breaks for large City Corporations. “The original investment in the City’s poverty initiative was only $150 per year million, which equals only $97 per person living in poverty. In contrast, Goldman Sachs is getting an average of $83,000 in government funding for each person who is going to work in the new headquarters,” he observed. To begin to combat these massive inequities, Berg called on city, state and federal officials to commit to enacting a living wage, increase EITC funding and make it easier for individuals and families to access government programs like food stamps, WIC, and subsidized health insurance.

Seven Months Later, Farm Bill Still Faces Veto

Following three extensions and seemingly interminable debate, the latest compromise farm bill has, like earlier versions, been met with the threat of Presidential veto. Congressional negotiators agreed to the $296 billion legislation, which increase funding for nutrition programs, including food stamps and emergency food programs, by $10 billion, while expanding an initiative to provide more fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals. President Bush has denounced the bill citing overspending and claiming that it offers no “real reform.” Farm subsidies have been a primary point of contention between the President and legislators, though subsidies account for only an estimated 16% of farm bill spending, according to House Agricultural Committee Chair Collin Peterson. NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg urged swift rectification of the most recent bill, noting that the absence of a new farm bill exacerbates the current hunger crisis. “The federal government has the resources and the scope to sole this problem,” said Berg. Congress may overturn a presidential veto with a two-thirds vote in each chamber of Congress. The July 2007 version of the bill passed by 231 votes in the House and 79 in the Senate; a two-thirds majority would require votes of 290 and 67, respectively.

Faced with Supermarket Shortages, City and Community Groups Fight Back

As food prices continue to rise, the steady loss of city supermarkets seems to add insult to injury for both consumers and supermarket employees. According to a study published by the New York City Department of City Planning on April 21, 3 million New Yorkers live in neighborhoods that require more accessible supermarkets, while many more could benefit from competing supermarkets where they live. Currently there are only 550 supermarkets over 10,000 square feet serving city residents, with fewer supermarkets per capita in low-income neighborhoods like Harlem, East New York and Jamaica. By implementing initiatives that have proven effective in Pennsylvania, the city plans to recoup the nearly $1 billion dollars in supermarket revenue that have been lost to the suburbs: a profit that the DOCP says will support 100 new city supermarkets. The study also noted the tendency of new supermarkets to attract complimentary businesses and to increase local property values, while improving the health of nearby residents. It’s a battle that Local 1500 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union is fighting on another front, by working with community boards to ensure that commercial space is reserved for neighborhood supermarkets, even as many owners are forced to fold from rising rent costs. The UFCW and Bronx Community Board 9 are currently struggling to preserve a Key Foods on Bruckner Avenue and, with it, the jobs of 100 Key Foods employees. By applying combined local force on building owners Vornado Realty Trust, Enrique Vega, Chairman of Bronx Community Board 9, hopes to secure the supermarket’s centrality in his community, while combating exorbitant rent increases. Said Vega, “[Vornado] are in deep trouble if they think they are going to put another type of store there. They’ll need a variance or an agreement with the community board, and they are not going to get it. We want a supermarket.”

Court Mandates HRA Compliance with Food Stamp Processing Deadlines

Applying for food stamps in New York is what one frustrated applicant called “a full-time job;” one made more complicated by city inefficiency. Following reports of widespread processing delays, an April 16 U.S. District Court settlement requires immediate city compliance with legal time frames for benefits processing at non-cash assistance (NCA) food stamp offices, while mandating state and federal court oversight of city compliance for at least four years. State and federal law require food stamp applications to be processed within 30 days of the original application date, or five days for the most urgent applications. A report published at the beginning of the year found that the Human Resources Administration, which processes food stamp applications, was failing to comply with these deadlines in eight percent of cases. NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg compared the HRA’s irresponsibility in these cases to a fire department who refused to put out eight percent of local fires. Said Berg, “One in twelve people cannot get desperately needed help.” The HRA attributes non-compliance to recent changes in administrative procedure and an increase in the number of applicants who do not receive public assistance and thus rely directly on NCA offices for benefits processing. But despite increased reliance on NCA offices, the total caseload of food stamps recipients has not swelled to numbers worthy of the kind of delays experienced by applicants. Enrollment rates continue to hover around 1.1 million, while many qualifying New Yorkers do not currently receive benefits. As part of the settlement, food stamp centers will also be required to post signs informing applicants of their right to receive benefits within these legally established deadlines.

Amid Growing Inequities, Wall Street Journal Tells Readers to Stockpile Food

Amid sobering news of a deflating economy, Wall Street Journal columnist Brett Arends urged readers to start investing in their kitchen pantries. Arends compared current food cost inflation with the spike in gas prices earlier this decade, while warning that the reality of food shortages could catch many consumers unprepared, like $4 gallons of gas. “The emerging bull market in agricultural products is following in the footsteps of oil. A few years ago, many Americans hoped $2 gas was a temporary spike. Now it's the rosy memory of a bygone age,” said Arends. Attributing rising food costs to the demands of the biofuels industry and of the growing middle class in China and India, Arends fails to mention the export restrictions that these countries have imposed in order to meet domestic demands and which are likely the direct cause of recent sharp increases. Arend also fails to acknowledge that concerned consumers buying in bulk have already prompted rationing at major wholesale stores; that those hit hardest by the current crisis are incapable of “stocking up;” and that middle class hoarding will in fact exacerbate the problem. His stark “every man for himself” proposal contrasts sharply with the recent opinion of Kaushik Basu, Professor of economics at Cornell University, who finds the source of the crisis in the increasing vulnerability of low-income populations worldwide. Said Basu, “Relative price fluctuations are an unavoidable part of an efficient economy. This becomes worrying when some people are so poor that a small rise in price becomes a life and death question for them. This crisis therefore should also be a reminder that the level of inequality that prevails in the world today is untenable.”

Rice Rations Indicate Further Trouble for Food Economy

Following a spike in rice futures, several wholesale retailers, including Sam’s Club, Costco and online distributor Patel Brothers, have announced that they will ration customer purchases of imported specialty rice. The cost of rice has risen 68% since the start of 2008, prompting business owners and individual consumers to stock up before further cost increases. Recent food cost inflation has left few food staples unaffected, but the rice spike, Reuters claims, has been exacerbated in part by product loyalty, which, for many consumers, takes precedent over buying domestic products. In an attempt to insulate local markets from further food shortages South Asian rice exporters have been reserving more rice for local sale, thus limiting U.S. imports. Long-grain imported varieties, including basmati and jasmine, are the only rice currently under ration, while domestic supplies remain stable. "California's had a pretty good crop, but basmati and jasmine consumers have a history of not switching," said U.S. Department of Agriculture rice specialist Nathan Childs. "They could always have bought cheaper Calrose. But they don't." U.S. rationing is indicative of an uneasy month for international food markets, following deadly food riots in Haiti and Yemen at the beginning of April.

Calorie Posting Law Brings a Shot of Nutritional Reality

This week, many Starbucks customers have been confronted with a decision beyond the familiar terrain of tall, grandé and venti: though a vanilla frappucino may be worth $4.05, but is it worth 480 calories? Calorie consciousness has become a bit easier for New Yorkers since last Wednesday’s court decision requiring chain restaurants to prominently post the calorie contents of their menu items. The law represents a victory in the city’s attempt to combat rising obesity rates. Despite a further ruling that delayed calorie-posting mandates until at least April 26, Cosi, Starbucks and Chipotle were among chains that chose to disclose calorie information before the law takes effect. Customer reactions ranged from blaisé to alarmed as they confronted the nutritional reality of their regular orders. “Wow, the blueberry scone is 480 calories. It makes me not buy, for sure,” said Starbuck’s customer Helena Hungar. Chipotle customer Ralph Arend was unmoved: “If you’re really concerned, you can cook for yourself.” But for those who rely on fast food restaurants for cheap accessible food, especially in neighborhoods where there are few other options, calorie posting may serve as a clear reminder of the inequities of access to nutritious food and limited nutritional options available even among competing chain restaurants.

Courting Supermarkets, City Turns to Pennsylvania Precedent

In the fight to woo new groceries to underserved neighborhoods, New York will likely model policies on Pennsylvania’s $120 million Fresh Food Financing Initiative, which has attracted 50 food stores to the state since 2004, and was recently cited among the top 50 public programs in the nation by Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Business. The initiative offers a combination of financial incentives, including tax credits, state funding and private grants, for supermarkets that serve fresh food in low-income areas. The state’s interest in the Pennsylvania program follows a sharp drop in the number of city supermarkets over the past six years: a trend that state officials hope to rectify, while improving on current methods for food retail development. Previous city projects include a joint venture with the East Harlem Abyssinian Triangle and the Abyssinian Development Corporation that brought Pathmark to 125^th street in 1999, and with it, nearly two hundred new jobs for neighborhood residents. Said New York State Agriculture Commisioner Patrick Hooker at a recent listening session of the State Board of Food Policy, “I think we’re on a track that will lead to better food access in lower-income communities. We’re familiar with [the effort in] Pennsylvania. I’m looking forward to moving ahead with that.”

Despite Deadlines Farm Bill Debate Proves Interminable

The farm bill again received new life in a one-week extension passed by President Bush late Friday, April 18, which marked the end of a previous one-month extension. The most recent extension was prompted by legislative request in what many hope will be the final, or at least penultimate, effort to harmonize House and Senate versions of the bill, and to produce a substantially trimmed bill that would meet with the President’s demands. Legislators may propose another extended deadline in order to prepare the bill for a final vote. Though optimists may see an end in site, some are predicting further extensions of the 2002 farm bill lasting a year or more. Joel Berg, Executive Director of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger, notes: "Every extension is bad for hungry people, because every extension means that food stamps benefits still have not been raised and that food bank shelves have not been filled." The farm bill is a massive piece of legislation that includes provisions for the food stamp program, agricultural subsidies, nutrition and conservation initiatives.

CSAs Offer Mutual Benefit for Farmers and Low-Income Members

For low-income CSA members, weekly deliveries of fresh produce contribute to healthy meals and strong communities. Community Supported Agriculture programs (CSAs) allow individuals to purchase shares of a farmer’s crop that they receive in the form of produce deliveries over the course of the growing season. Farmers benefit from the advance payment for the seasons crop, while CSA members gain reliable access to fresh, organic, local produce. CSAs are a win-win proposition for many low-income families in neighborhoods where fresh produce is much less accessible than processed, packaged food. Though the expense associated with traditional CSAs often limits enrollment to affluent members, New York City CSA sponsors NYCCAH, Just Food, and United Way work to increase access to their CSAs by accepting food stamps; allowing members to pay for their shares in installments; and enrolling a percentage of higher-income members to offset the cost of low-income member shares. For Zoraima Rodriguez, president of the United Tremont CSA in Mt. Hope, the CSA contributes not only to her family’s health, but to the strength of her neighborhood. CSA-sponsored family cooking classes unify neighbors in the common goal of eating well. Says Rodriguez, “my girls used to eat a lot of McDonald’s before and different street food. Now they don’t ask for it. They eat more fruits; they eat more vegetables. I see that they’re more active…in the community.” This year NYCCAH will co-sponsor the second season of the West Harlem CSA and the founding season of a CSA in Long Island City. For further information or to join one of these CSAs, please contact Michael Paone in West Harlem at 212-316-7490 ext. 7591, mpaone@nyccah.org or Danielle Seidita in Long Island City at 212.741.8192 ext. 5, dseidita@hungeractionnys.org

Judge Upholds Decision To Require Calorie Postings

On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled to uphold the city's policy requiring that calories be posted on some menus, saying that the law is a reasonable approach to the city's goal of reducing obesity. The law is scheduled to take effect on Monday and applies to restaurants that have more than 15 outlets across the country. Fast-food chains like McDonald's, as well as sit-down restaurants like Olive Garden and TGI Fridays would be affected by the new policy. Some restaurants like Starbucks and Chipotle have already started to post calories on menus. Although the rule will take effect on April 21, restaurants will be given a grace period to make the necessary adjustments, but as of June 3rd, those not in compliance will be subject to fines.

50 city green carts to roll out fruit, veggies for healthier diet in Queens

According to a Health Department survey, 90% of New Yorkers said they ate fewer than the recommended minimum five servings of fruits or vegetables a day, and 14% said they ate none at all. The city is hoping that a plan to place 50 new "green carts" in Queens will give borough residents more access to fresh fruits and veggies. On Monday, city health officials told members of the Queens Borough Board that the carts, which could appear as soon as this summer, will appear first in sections of southeast Queens and the Rockaways. Hopefully, with 50 “green carts” to roll out this summer and permits for an additional 50 carts to be issued the following year, areas essentially known as "food deserts, where options are very limited and the quality of options that do exist is fairly poor," will begin to disappear, and eating the recommended minimum servings of fruits and veggies will become part of a daily routine for all New Yorkers. The first set of new cart permits are targeted for the neighborhoods in the 100th, 101st, 103rd and 113th police precincts in Queens.

Rampant inflation on grocery aisles prompting citywide belt-tightening

With food prices soaring, dieting may be the only way to save money at the grocery store. The cost of basics like milk, bread, potatoes and bananas has jumped in the past year, forcing families to nix luxuries, steer away from organic goods and buy more house brands. "I think it's affecting everybody," said Elize Joseph, 48, a nursing attendant from Flatbush, Brooklyn. "To spend $40 on groceries is nothing. It doesn't go a long way". The weak dollar, rising cost of wheat, corn, soybeans and milk and higher energy and transportation costs have all contributed to driving prices up. According to the US Department of agriculture, eggs cost 25% more in February than they did a year ago, and milk and other dairy products jumped 13%, while chicken and other poultry rose nearly 7%. "You can cut back on buying clothes and shoes but you can't do that with food. You have to eat," Joseph said.

Complexity be damned: the Farm Bill explained

In just two days, the Farm Bill, one of the more complex and wide ranging pieces of legislation, will expire. The farm bill is made up of ten “titles” ranging from forestry and energy; credit and commodities; to nutrition and conservation. The nutrition title accounts for over half of total farm bill spending, most of which goes to food stamp and emergency food programs. Both House and Senate versions of the proposed farm bill would increase funding for nutrition and for the first time food stamps will be automatically adjusted to account for inflation. If an agreement on a new bill can't be reached before then, the U.S. will either revert to the only other permanent farm legislation it has in place, a bare-bones act from 1949, or wait until a new bill can be drafted next year. However, given the exponentially rising cost of food, increases in the food stamp program may not be enough for the millions of Americans living in food insecure households and the emergency food programs they turn to for help.

Food Costs Rising Fastest in 17 Years

The U.S. is wrestling with the worst food inflation in 17 years, and analysts expect it to only get worse. U.S. food prices rose 4 percent in 2007, compared with an average 2.5 percent annual rise for the last 15 years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. And the agency says 2008 could be worse, with a rise of as much as 4.5 percent. For the poor, any increase in food costs sets up an either-or equation: Give something up to pay for food. For the poorest U.S. families, the higher costs may mean going hungry. A family of four is eligible for a maximum $542 a month in food stamps, which has never lasted the whole month, and now will last for even fewer days. And some economists believe that higher food prices may be here to stay.

State Cuts Hunger Funding by 16% Despite Current Food Crisis

Governor Dave Patterson and the State Legislature slashed funding for emergency food programs by 16% in the state budget passed on April 9. The decision, which hunger advocates call “unconscionable,” was also avoidable. The State Assembly had previously introduced a plan that would secure funding for emergency food by calling for either evenhanded taxing of state residents earning over one million dollars a year, or by decreasing funds for state-supported corporate welfare. Emergency food programs that receive state funding have already been hit by food shortages and unprecedented demand. These cuts are the latest blow in the ongoing struggle to secure food the millions of New Yorkers who experience food insecurity, while government policies continue to fuel the wealth of rich New Yorkers. Said NYCCAH Executive Director Joel Berg, “Had the State simply accepted the Assembly proposal to restore adequate taxation to the very wealthiest state residents or had the State reduced corporate welfare, it could have had plenty of money left over for true priorities such as fighting hunger, improving education, and making health care affordable. Once again, the State has very distorted priorities.”

Consumers Edit Grocery Lists as Prices Soar

Brooklyn grocery shoppers are relying on comparison shopping and product substitution to minimize increased grocery costs as food prices surge. One grocery store customer likened her continuing search for cheaper groceries to the practice of driving all the way to New Jersey for cheaper gas; while other customers have had to cut expensive items out of their diets, to be replaced with cheaper options like pasta and canned tuna. Staples like milk and eggs have been subject to the highest increases, with the cost of a gallon of milk rising 33 cents in the past month. Food stamp benefits have not been adjusted to reflect inflating prices, forcing many recipients to rely on overburdened soup kitchens and food pantries. Like individual consumers, emergency food programs are now rationing resources in order to make ends meet. The increase in food prices is expected to continue as the cost of grain surges, due in part to the demands of the rapidly expanding biofuels industry.

PBS Hunger Series Will Feature Brooklyn Pantry

Hanson Place Campaign Against Hunger, a food pantry in Fort Greene, will be featured on Bill Moyers Journal as part of an ongoing series on world hunger. The episode, which will air on PBS this Friday, April 11, at 9pm in the New York metro area, will address the food and resource shortages faced by emergency food programs in the U.S. The series analyzes the varied manifestations of hunger worldwide in an attempt to explain the political and social conditions that impede equitable food distribution. The first episode of the series, which can be viewed in it's entirety here, focused on relief efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where aid workers often resort to using bicycle teams to haul tons of food into villages because trucks can't handle the rough roads outside of Kinshasa. The series ultimately posits the plausibility of worldwide hunger relief only if international food policy and grassroots efforts are both orientated towards long-term, creative and sustainable solutions.

Bringing Food to the Presidential Race

Amid tense farm bill deliberation, an increased demand on emergency food programs and a failing economy, food policy has become an issue of universal significance. Yet discussion of food policy has been relegated to the edges of the current Presidential race. Acknowledging this lack of discussion, Alexandra Lewin, a Cornell Doctoral student has compiled Corporations, Health and the 2008 Presidential Race, which highlights each candidate’s relationship to the food industry; from voting records and public statements to disclosures of the amount each candidate has received from industry donors. The report focuses on health and nutrition programs, as well as local agriculture, with little emphasis on the federally-funded Food Stamps program. Lewin observes that none of the candidates have been openly critical of the food industry and that the advocates, journalists and voters should seize the Presidential race as an opportunity to force the candidate’s clarity on their food policy stances, thus pushing food and nutrition policy to the forefront of debate.

Executive Director Berg Urges Council’s Commitment to Anti-Hunger Initiatives

In his testimony before the New York State Council on Food Policy on April 3, Coalition Executive Director Joel Berg enumerated the Council’s responsibilities to the goal of alleviating hunger in New York City: a goal which has been impeded by current policies, dysfunctional food systems and barriers to the Food Stamp program. Berg urged the Council to end finger imaging for Food Stamp applicants, while concurrently expediting Food Stamp determinations and allowing applicants to apply online and by phone. “In just the city alone, failures in government policies are keeping food stamp benefits away from hundreds of thousands of low-income New Yorkers, depriving them of literally hundreds of millions of dollars in federal entitlement spending that could be going to feed their families. Much of that money could have also gone to the state’s small farmers and food processors,” he said. Berg further exhorted the Council to provide for universal, in-classroom school breakfasts, which would effectively combat childhood hunger while increasing academic performance among city children. These initiatives are dependent upon healthy food systems and federal policies, which go hand-in-hand to sustain nutrition education, farmer’s markets and food-related small businesses. Berg identified the Food Policy Council as a fundamental link between community projects and federal funding, whose action will be of great importance to the futures of the 1.3 million New Yorkers currently forced to rely on emergency food programs.

With Lack of Food Comes Loss of Choice

For emergency food programs and the growing numbers of customers forced to rely on them, the reality of under-funding and overwhelming need are accompanied by a steady erosion of their freedom of choice. For Linda Hill, pantry manager at the Morris Senior Center in the Bronx, this loss of choice means turning customers away with little more than a few apples or potatoes. The Food Bank for New York City, who provides food for Morris Senior Center and other city emergency food programs, is calling this the most severe shortage of resources in their 25-year history, as the amount of food they receive from both the government and private donors has dropped sharply. “It’s frustrating. We used to get 10-pound bags of chicken and ground beef. Not anymore. We have sauce but no spaghetti. You want to at least give them a meal,” says Hill. Emergency food providers are waiting to see whether Congress chooses to extend current farm bill provisions for the coming year, or to pass the new farm bill which could prevent shortages from getting worse. The farm bill, which would also slightly increase funding for the Food Stamp program, still falls short of offering the resources needed to end hunger. Until our representatives make that commitment, many more will face the choice between paying for necessary living expenses or for food.

Consistent Healthy Eating Linked to Academic Achievement

Kids who eat fruits and vegetables are likely to perform better on academic assessments, according to a new study published in the Journal of School Health. The study tracked the dietary habits of 5,000 fifth-graders whose diet quality was measured by their intake of essential nutrients like calcium, fiber and vitamin C, as well as their consumption of salt, saturated fat, and other problematic foods. The data was adjusted to account for sociodemographic data while also taking into account further quantifiable differences such as height and weight. Researchers found that students with higher quality diets were as much as 41% less likely to fail standard reading assessments than their peers with lower-quality diets. This study expands upon previously established links between breakfast consumption and school performance, and emphasizes the importance of consistent healthy eating, which is often unattainable for children living in food-insecure households. Researchers encouraged schools to emphasize nutrition and free meals programs, stating that “these findings support the broader implementation and investment in effective school nutrition programs that have the potential to improve student's diet quality, academic performance, and, over the long term, their health."

As Food Stamp Enrollment Rises, a Call for Accurate Benefits Levels

Amid economic instability, food stamp enrollment in the U.S. is expected to hit 28 million in the coming fiscal year, up from 27.8 million this year. 14 states have already reached record enrollment, while 40 reported an increase in recipients in the past year. Though food stamp enrollment in New York City has been on the rise for the past decade due to the positive influence of advocacy and the negative effect of a troubled economy, city food stamp participation is still 24% below peak enrollment in 1995. Nationwide the percentage of Americans receiving food stamps is currently less than during the 1990s recession, states are seeing enrollment numbers continue to rise as unemployment has increased and wages have stagnated. Rising food costs are concurrently threatening the spending power of food stamps and the resources of food banks. Some first-time food stamp recipients are finding that benefits will not be enough to cover their food costs, as the standard deduction used to calculate benefit levels, which was fixed in 1996, has not been adjusted for current inflation rates, despite the fact that the cost of feeding a family of four on a budget has risen 6% in the past year alone. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, by adjusting benefits levels to the current economy, a family of three would receive an average of $37 more in benefits a month: no small difference when the average benefit equals about $1 per person, per meal. Indexing of benefits, like much nutrition legislation, is bound in the fate of the farm bill, to be determined April 18.