Hunger to increase in US due to short-sighted cuts

Take a moment to watch this video and to read the accompanying report.

Already we are seeing the impact of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or Food Stamps).  Dig a little deeper:  read up on this very helpful benefit to working, low-income families and individuals.

Consider the impact of the proposed cuts.  Think beyond the affect on those who use the program.  Think also about the impact on the retail grocery industry and on related jobs.  Consider health care costs resulting from people being forced to consume food products that are cheap, high calorie and unhealthy.

Being penny wise and pound foolish never gets us where we want or need to be.

Your thoughts?

Farm Bill: cut the hungry, pad the well fed. . .

Mark Bittman's essay appearing recently in The New York Times demonstrates how about everything is increasingly "wired" to crush the weakest and lift even higher the strongest among us.

Cutting the Supplemental Nutrition Access Program (SNAP or more commonly Food Stamps) will hurt low-income working families, as well as the nation's food banks and organizations like CitySquare who work hard to assist in supplying the food and nutrition needs of our communities.

The other side of the farm bill relates to how it supports the interests of big agriculture at great cost to taxpayers, consumers and the environment.

Consider what Bittman says:

Welfare for the Wealthy

By MARK BITTMAN

Mark Bittman on food and all things related.

TAGS:

AGRICULTURE AND FARMING,FARM BILL (US), FINCHER, STEPHEN L, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SENATE

The critically important Farm Bill [1] is impenetrably arcane, yet as it worms its way through Congress, Americans who care about justice, health or the environment can parse enough of it to become outraged.

The legislation costs around $100 billion annually, determining policies on matters that are strikingly diverse. Because it affects foreign trade and aid, agricultural and nutritional research, and much more, it has global implications.

The Farm Bill finances food stamps (officially SNAP, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and the subsidies that allow industrial ag and monoculture — the “spray and pray” style of farming — to maintain their grip on the food “system.”

The bill is ostensibly revisited, refashioned and renewed every five years, but this round, scheduled to be re-enacted last year, has been in discussion since 2010, and a final bill is not in sight. Based on the current course of Congress it seems there will be an extension this fall, as there was in 2012. Extensions allow funding changes for individual “titles,” as programs are sometimes called; last year’s extensions didn’t do much damage, but this year’s threaten the well-being of tens of millions of Americans.

Read the entire piece here.  

Welcome to the Opportunity Center, neighbor!!!

This week on Tuesday morning, volunteers from Pepsi, Albertsons, and Feed the Children joined CitySquare to distribute several tons of nutritious food products to several hundred families.

The effort's two-fold mission was to assist working families with their food needs and to introduce our neighbors to the location of our new Opportunity Center on Malcolm X Boulevard.

The effort was a huge success!

At the busiest time of the morning, cars stretched from our front gate all the way down Malcolm X to Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard!

It was a great morning among friends!

Hunger spreading in USA

I've been a huge fan of Bill Moyers for years.  I recently read the following interview regarding the challenges associated with hunger in America today.  

Going to Bed Hungry

April 5, 2013

by Theresa Riley

The United States is the world’s wealthiest nation, yet we still have families and children who don’t have enough to eat. We caught up with Joel Berg of NYC’s Coalition Against Hunger to learn what it means to be food insecure and what we can do to ensure that no child goes to bed hungry.

Theresa Riley: What does it mean to be “food insecure”? How many American children now live in “food insecure” households?

Joel Berg

Joel Berg: Food insecure means families don’t have enough money to regularly obtain all the food they need. It means they are rationing food and skipping meals. It means parents are going without food to feed their children. It means kids are missing breakfasts. And, ironically, because healthy food is usually more expensive than junk food, and because healthier options often don’t even exist in low-income neighborhoods, it means that food insecurity and obesity are flip sides of the same malnutrition coin, so food insecurity may actually increase a family’s chance of facing obesity and diabetes. Fifty million Americans, including nearly 17 million children, now live in food insecure homes.

Read the entire interview here. 

Food Desert Atlas

Now you can identify "food deserts" by address!   To check out this useful tool, click here.

Ironically, inadequate access to food drives the growing problem we have with obesity.

Hunger is real for working people. . .

Providing easy access to nutritious food products has been a core missional function of CitySquare from the earliest days of Central Dallas Food Pantry.

 It is easy to lose sight of the importance of simply providing our neighbors the food they need in view of their low wages and earning power. Often we think of how food distribution can lead to other opportunities for those who come seeking our assistance with the most basic of human needs. But watching a video like this one reminds me that our work of making food available is an end in itself without further consideration.

 My thanks to Michelle Kopel for sharing the video with me.

 

Food needs grow. . .

Last week, Dr. Keven Vicknair, Director of CitySquare's "Food on the Move" initiative that seeks to address the food and nutritional needs of low-income, working families, sent me the following report on activity in our Food Pantry through the end of July 2012.  One conclusion that seems clear is the fact that the economy hurts the poor most of all.

Here's what she reports:

From January to July of 2012, the Food Pantry provided food to 12,901 individuals, of whom 4,478 (34.7%) have never before required our services and 2,283 (17.7%) who have returned after not needing us for at least six months.

This lets me know that the economy is not only pushing new people below the poverty threshold, but is in fact returning many people to the poverty rolls who had started to be self-sufficient but once again find themselves struggling.

 

Hunger

Take a moment to look at  this amazing resource! 

Food insecurity in the U. S. presents a growing challenge to the economy, the workforce, public health and to students/public education. 

Feinstein Challenge grant

From now through April 30th, every donation CitySquare receives in support of our hunger programs will go towards the Feinstein $1,000,000.00 Challenge! The more donations we receive, the larger our match will be.

About the Feinstein Challenge:

Alan Shawn Feinstein and his foundation will divide $1 million among hunger fighting agencies, and CitySquare is one of these agencies! Donors can make a gift on-line (you will find the link here), or you can mail a check or money order (postmarked by April 30th) to:

CitySquare
ATTN: Development/Feinstein Challenge
511 N. Akard St, Ste 302
Dallas, TX 75201

You can also participate in the challenge by donating non-perishable food items to the food pantry. For this challenge, food items will be valued at $1.00 per pound.

If you have any questions please call Amira at 214-303-2117.

Please spread the word!!

Historic day: No foolin'! 20,000 pounds of groceries serve well over 400 shoppers!

Last Wednesday at the CitySquare Resource Center on Haskell Avenue in inner city East Dallas, our team distributed 20,000 pounds of very healthy grocery products to over 400 neighbors who came to shop. 

When I saw the crowds lined up down Haskell almost all the way to Elm Street, I knew we were experiencing the largest food distribution day in our history.  I just didn't know how big the day would be. 

Our staff worked until 8:00 p.m. to make sure all were served. 

Hunger in a city like Dallas, Texas?

Food Pantry

People ask me over and over again, "Larry, what can I do to help?" 

In the face of seemingly unrelenting poverty it is the right question. 

The best answer when it comes to food and nutrition is simple and for some folks not so satisfying.  But here goes:  send CitySquare a check, and the bigger the better. 

We obtain 99% of our food products from the North Texas Food Bank, our best partner in food procurement and nutrition.   The cost of the food is a very low "shared maintenance" fee assessed on a per pound basis that averages between 20 and 25 cents per pound, clearly the best deal in the city! 

Every dollar donated to CitySquare for this purpose allows us to deliver 4 pounds of groceries to low-income neighbors in the inner city. 

Below you'll see scenes shot on Wednesday at our Food Pantry/Resource Center on Haskell Avenue.  The lines shout out that thousands of our neighbors simply aren't earning enough to keep their families going. 

We need your help today!  So, if you want to know how to help us, here is a great way! 

To directly benefit hungry fellow residents, neighbors in Dallas County send your checks to CitySquare, 511 N. Akard Street, Suite 302, Dallas, Texas 75201.  Or, go on line and donate there at http://www.citysquare.org/.

For more information call me at 214-303-2116. 

ACU Honors College students and "food deserts"

CitySquare enjoys a growing relationship with Abilene Christian University. Over the weekend a group of students from the University's Honors College arrived in Dallas.  Their learning assignment:  develop a better understanding of "food deserts" and poverty in the city's southern sector. 

One of the students, Greg Jeffers, posted what follows to his blog last evening after a full day in the field.  His insights reflect an understanding and, even more importantly, a commitment to addressing the forces that keep so many of our neighbors pressed down. 

(Day 2) Justice and Food: Spring Break with the Honors College
Posted by Greg Jeffers in My Life, Travel

Greetings all!

Today was the second day of my journey with the ACU Honors College as we investigate questions of food distribution and justice. Today was packed full of exciting things.

We went to church this morning at a predominately African American church in south Dallas called St. Paul Baptist Church. This is one of the churches that actively partners with CitySquare. We were enthusiastically welcomed and were announced from the pulpit. Dr. Harbour was even asked to share a few words. It was definitely an experience. The primary focus of the service was on joy and trusting the Lord, even in difficult circumstances as well as on sacrificing what one has for the good of others. That message, in this neighborhood, took on an entirely different character from a similar message in, say, chapel at ACU.

-----------------------------------------------

After lunch we went to the headquarters of CitySquare. That’s where we met with Larry James, the CEO of CitySquare. CitySquare owns the building in which its offices are housed. It is a sixteen story building smack in the middle of downtown Dallas. The basement through the second floor is primarily for storage and rented space. The third floor houses CitySquare’s offices. The fourth through the fifteenth floor houses two-hundred apartments which CitySquare uses primarily to provide permanent housing to the homeless. The sixteenth floor has six condos which CitySquare is working on selling.

Mr. James and some of his staff instructed us about food deserts in general and in South Dallas particularly. There was far more information than I can repeat here, but let’s suffice it to say that the problem goes well beyond lack of nutritious food—it goes into health concerns, financial concerns, business concerns, and political concerns. Ultimately, of course, as Dr. Johnson pointed out later in the day, it delves into the way we understand who people are. If people do not have adequate food, then they are sicker. If they are sick, then they cannot work. If they cannot work, they cannot earn money to buy food. If a neighborhood starts to go under, then those who can do so, move. Those who can’t are forced to stay, and the neighborhood gets poorer. As businesses leave, people are left with little means of employment. The problems snow-ball. Our main focus is, of course, access to food, but all of these other things are questions as well.

We then went on a tour of Dallas with Mr. James. He drove us around for two hours as he displayed a masterful knowledge of Dallas and the problems facing its citizens. He would point to various locations or groups of houses and discuss what work was ongoing to restore things. What became readily apparent is that CitySquare is engaged in a Resurrection work. They are heavily invested in the restoration of the broken places. There are a thousand ways they are involved. They do development, health clinics, homeless housing, food distribution, financial training, health education, and so much more. It was actually sort of dizzying to keep up with Mr. James’ easy explanation of what all CitySquare is up to in the city. Something Mr. James stressed, however, is that there is so much more to be done.

To read entire post click here.

Childhood hunger, a national disgrace

CitySquare works throughout the year on issues related to hunger. 

A large part of what we do relates directly to childhood hunger.  During the last two summers, we've distributed over 1MM meals to children who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program during the school year.  Getting to know these children and their families has been a great experience.  Observing the challenges facing these same families motivates us to continue the battle against hunger and food insecurity in Dallas and beyond.  (FYI:  Exciting news will be coming soon relative to our plans to do even more, and in other cities.) 

A national, partner organization, Share Our Strength produced the video you can access below that deals with childhood hunger and allows the voices of children to convey the sobering message. 



I invite you to join CitySquare TODAY in the fight against hunger in our community!

Food Deserts

Dr. Mark DeHaven is a member of CitySquare Board of Directors!

Mayor proclaims Dallas "No Kid Hungry City"

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings Proclaims Dallas as
“No Kid Hungry City”
Nov. 9, 2011 / GDJR NEWS WIRE

Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings spoke Wednesday to the North Texas Hunger Summit declaring that Dallas would become a “No Kid Hungry City” and a Food Planning Association would accomplish this goal.

The summit was hosted by 30th District Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson who moved to action after viewing a local non-profit video on hunger.

The video created by FEED 3, a local educational nonprofit focused on addressing hunger and poverty in North Texas, revealed that over 380,000 North Texas children are challenged with hunger. The summit held at the Dallas Farmers Market, included governmental agencies, non-profits, local community food pantries, and business leaders.

Congresswoman Johnson shared passionately her desire to end hunger in the 30th District where some of the most impoverished counties of Texas exist. Determined to follow through on her commitment, Johnson's staff worked over the past nine months with local non profits to assist in launching a Food Planning Association. Local organizations such as CitySquare, a leading nonprofit that addresses hunger with families and children, FEED 3, North Texas Food Bank, DISD, USDA, Greater Dallas Justice Revival, Texas Baptist, and local food pantries are key partners in forming the local food planning association.

Read the entire report here

"No Kid Hungry Dallas Summit"

Join CitySquare for Food Stamped!

Food, Inc. to show at CityWalk!

New USDA Food Chart

At USDA, a plate usurps the food pyramid

Washington Post
By Brian Vastag
Published: June 2

After devoting decades to designing a food pyramid, then refining that design with colored stripes and steps, the nation’s nutrition experts have finally settled on what they believe is the perfect geometry to represent what we should eat: a plate.

Circular, with four colorful divisions to represent the four main food groups, the new plate looks just like a pie chart — a description experts shun because, well, pie isn’t good for you.

Indeed, arriving in the midst of an obesity epidemic, this new at-a-glance guide to healthful eating is meant to remind consumers to limit heavy foods like pie and beef up instead on the greens.

“MyPlate” promotes fruits and vegetables, which cover half the circle. Grains occupy an additional quarter, as do proteins such as meat, fish and poultry. A separate circle (looking remarkably like an aerial view of a cup) represents “dairy” and rests to the side. Desserts appear to have been banished — like the pyramid — to the desert.

The message is clear: “Make half your plate fruits and vegetables,” said Robert Post, an official at USDA’s center for nutrition policy and promotion.

The Obama administration has high hopes for establishing the brightly colored image as a ubiquitous consumer icon. Post said the USDA is targeting food producers, health insurers, restaurants and schools as partners in promoting the image.

At a media-heavy rollout Thursday morning at USDA headquarters, the famously foodie first lady presided, focusing on the obesity problem in children.

“Kids can learn to use this tool now and use it for the rest of their lives,” Obama said. “It’s an image that can be reinforced at breakfast, lunch and dinner.”

USDA will bring the image to “essentially all” schools in the country via the agency’s breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack and other nutrition programs, Post said.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said the new “food icon” was designed to help slim Americans’ expanding girths: Two-thirds of American adults and one-third of children are overweight or obese.

“The costs associated with obesity are enormous,” Vilsack said, adding that the image popped into his head at just the right moment during dinner recently. A steak arrived covering “three-quarters” of his plate. “I didn’t eat it all,” he said.

Read entire report here.

Basic solutions

Encouraging report on challenging hunger and caring for public health via a time-tested strategy.  We need more projects like this one!  Thanks to my friend, Richard Corum for sharing the story from the Memphis Commercial Appeal!

Farmers markets cover up, freshen up farm produce offerings

By Linda A. Moore
Sunday, May 8, 2011

While there's certainly been enough rain to satisfy the Mid-South, there were few complaints on Saturday as rain fell during the grand opening of the Urban Farms Market at Broad and Tillman.

Vendors, dry under the cover of a former gas station, offered fresh produce, some grown as close by as the Urban Farm in Binghamton, locally raised meats, cut flowers, soaps and handmade jewelry.

The market was created through the larger Binghamton Development Corp. in order to bring fresh food to the inner city, said Rosalie Bouck, market manager.

"A lot of grocery stores won't come into areas like this," Bouck said. "We're trying to make way for a model for a nonprofit food store."

The store is also graced with a mural done by local artist Danny Broadway and students from St. George's Independent School in Collierville.

As the growing season progresses, produce will be brought in from the community farm, Bouck said.

The market and corner store will be open Tuesdays and Saturdays. In addition to produce, there are limited canned goods, meats and dairy products. A drive-through coffee window will be open on weekday mornings.

Many older residents in the neighborhood need to be able to walk to a grocery store, said Binghamton resident Roger Bowen, president of Binghamton Senior Watch.

"This is a good place to find healthy food," Bowen said.

Downtown behind Central Station, the Memphis Farmers Market rolled out the green carpet for the grand opening for its West Pavilion, a new nearly $300,000 covered market area.

"We love it," said hydroponic farmer Ami Hughes. "It protected us from the rain."

She and her husband, David Hughes, run Micmak Farms in Batesville, Ark., and expect to enjoy the new pavilion this summer as well.

Funding for the West Pavilion included a $100,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, $65,000 from the Hyde Foundation with the remainder from supporters, said Beth Brock, board chairwoman.

The new space is west of the original market and has room for about 20 vendors.

Before, vendors used the space that was part of the parking lot and didn't really feel like a part of the market, Brock said.

"We wanted to do more for the vendors," she said. "We knew it wasn't ideal but it was all we could do."

"I think it's awesome," said regular shopper Jackie Oselen of Whitehaven. "It was a smart thing to do."

The Memphis Farmers Market opened in 2006 with 20 vendors. It now has more than 70 vendors. Also during those years, about 14 farmers markets, including markets in South Memphis, Cooper-Young, Arlington and Whitehaven, have sprung up.

With the shared goal of bringing more fresh produce to consumers, the more farmers markets the better, Brock said.

"We're so excited about the number of of farmers markets," she said. "It's wonderful."