Bank on It: A Food Bank Blog

Choosing to Tackle a Very REAL ISSUE

Fri, 18 May 2012 12:21:00 -0400

My name is Marcellus Wiley. In a single lifetime I've answered to ivy league graduate, professional athlete, sports commentator, friend and father. When you're in the public eye there's an assumption that the real you is known by all based on various television and radio interviews. When I saw Mario Batali in the news recently, it brought me back to the first title I ever had and that is "SON."

As a teenager I was often sent to the store by my mom to shop for the family. Whether it was for an extra ingredient needed for a certain dish, a gallon of milk...you name it and I was probably the one sent to get it. The journey I took to the store was not unlike that of countless kids all over the country. My team jersey was the same as most. My Chuck Taylors weren't too different from anyone else's and I gave the same "pound" to friends I saw along the way. The only thing that I was pretty certain set me apart from others was the currency burning a hole in my pocket. I knew that at the end of my shopping trip I would be paying the cashier with what I called "funny money", properly known as food stamps.

As a kid, I hated it. It's not like I was walking around like I thought I was better than others or some kind of Richie Rich but that didn't mean I wanted everybody to know THAT MUCH of our situation. In fact, sometimes I was so embarrassed that I would walk around the store in circles, up to 45 minutes in hopes to significantly delay the checkout process just so NO ONE would see me paying with those food stamps.

When I heard that the Food Bank For New York City was doing a Food Stamp Challenge where people were actually CHOOSING to live on $31 for the week, I was intrigued. In all of the rhetoric today it's great to see people walking a mile in another's shoes in order to better understand their situation. When you're on any form of public assistance like food stamps, you're never thinking about the fact that you are one of almost 50 million Americans who are ALSO requiring assistance.

In my conversations with the Food Bank's president I learned that almost 80 percent of people on food stamps are mothers and their children. That's not different from my story. I also learned that many times teens would rather avoid using programs like free and reduced lunch assistance to keep from being embarrassed in front of their peers. That too is not different from my story. What's different for me now is that as an adult I better understand the necessity of a safety net for any family in need. Being needy doesn't mean anything about your character and certainly it doesn't say anything about your potential.

My mother firmly placed me on a path of success. The fact that part of that journey included walks to the store carrying food stamps makes me admire her even more. My sincere hope is that each person who has taken the Food Stamp Challenge will walk away understanding that what was an experiment for them is just called life for so many others. We live in a world where it's better to be called anything but poor. The Food Stamp Challenge reminds us that it's important that we use our voice and circle of influence on behalf of those who could truly use it. Food Bank For New York City is using this challenge to increase awareness and encourage all of us to act by letting our elected officials know that we care about those in need and expect them to do the same. If you'd like to join us in this effort just click here and let your voice be heard too.

Marcellus Wiley is a former All-Pro defensive end NFL analyst for ESPN, and co-host of "Max & Marcellus" on 710AM ESPN Radio Los Angeles. Wiley regularly appears on NFL Live, SportsCenter, First Take, and ESPNEWS, while also contributing to ESPN’s Super Bowl coverage.

Living on a Food Stamp Budget, as a Diabetic

Thu, 17 May 2012 10:35:00 -0400

By Chef Karl Wilder,

What began for me as a month long project to live as a diabetic in support of the Harlem Hospital’s Stirring the Pot diabetes program also became a commitment to the Food Bank For New York City when I realized just how common diabetes and other diet-related diseases are in low-income communities — communities that also rely heavily on food stamps to get by.

To truly understand what low-income diabetics go through, I joined the Food Bank’s Food Stamp Challenge last week — an experience that for me will culminate in a twelve-hour Chef Challenge Marathon on May 19 in support of Stirring the Pot and the Food Bank.

Last summer I lived on a food stamp budget for two months in preparation for a benefit for the San Francisco Food Bank. I did okay then because I relied on high calorie foods that are filling and provide sustenance. But with the added challenge of a diet restricted by a very serious health condition, this time I sought to create an eating plan that had about 45 grams of carbohydrate per meal and never exceed $4.42 per day.

My morning cup of coffee with a splash of milk cost me forty-three cents, just 6 strawberries sixty cents, two slices of bacon forty two cents. In no time my budget has been consumed.

Now I am just hungry. Every day I am hungry. Thus far I have not been able to get my calories above 1,500 a day, though my goal is 2,200. I just can’t afford that many calories while eating the ”right” foods. I have managed to stay within budget but I feel weak and have less energy. My sleep patterns have been interrupted because I wake up feeling hunger.

When we think about people on food assistance we don’t often realize that many also have serious health issues like diabetes, celiac, heart disease.

We are not powerless. The Food Bank’s Food Stamp Challenge doesn’t just ask you to try experiencing life as a food stamp recipient for one week — it also asks you to take action by telling Congress to protect this essential program.

You can also host a Virtual Food Drive, where you can shop from aisles of healthy food options to support the Food Bank. Or, you can donate food to your local food assistance program — the Food Bank serves close to 1,000 of them throughout the five boroughs. But instead of pulling that extra pound of pasta or that can of beans from your pantry, head to the store. Pick up some high quality protein; sardines, anchovies, tuna, canned salmon, foods with omega 3 that are appropriate for those with health problems…and while you are at it…get some peanut butter for the kids.

1 Facebook Like = 5 Meals for New Yorkers in Need

Wed, 16 May 2012 08:19:00 -0400

By Daniel Buckley,

Right now — for our 1 Like = 5 Meals campaign — FedEx is donating 5 meals for each of the next 10,000 new "Likes" the Food Bank receives on Facebook. That translates into 50,000 meals for our neighbors in need! "Like" us today!

This campaign relies on the power of social media — which is really the power of individual supporters like you and your networks. By "Liking" the Food Bank you are providing 5 meals for New Yorkers who struggle to afford food. By sharing this campaign with your community, who knows how many meals you can help provide?

We need your help to hit our goal. Please post to Facebook, tweet your support, post on Google+, pin our campaign page or use the Share button below to raise awareness through your favorite channel.

And remember, you are not just providing meals when you "Like" the Food Bank and share our campaign. You are raising awareness for hunger relief and sending a strong message to your community that you care. In New York City, 1 in 5 people rely on the Food Bank to get by. We think that 5 out of 5 New Yorkers should know how serious of a problem hunger is in our city.

After you have "Liked" the Food Bank and shared this campaign, make sure to visit our interactive Facebook campaign page to see the impact of your actions and check on our progress. For every "Like" we receive, you will see FedEx's truck moving along, helping to deliver more and more meals for low-income New Yorkers.

With so many New Yorkers relying on soup kitchens, food stamps and other sources of support just to keep themselves and their families well fed, the Food Bank likes to set our sights high. Ten thousand is a big number. But with our supporters out there sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest and more, we know we can do it. Thank you for your support!

Feeding a Family on Food Stamps

Mon, 14 May 2012 11:29:00 -0400

By Jacquie Wayans,

My story is very complex. We don't meet the stereotype. My three kids all went to Gifted & Talented public schools. I worked and attended Columbia University, School of General Studies to finish up my BA while remaining active in church and community.

So why were we on food stamps? Our family started relying on food stamps when my former husband was diagnosed with kidney failure and had to stop working. Our family was very young and I was a stay at home mom — not because we could afford it, but because we would have ended up spending more in day care, food and transportation than I would have made. So, I applied for WIC, Food Stamps and Medicaid. I did eventually start working, but then became separated and needed food stamps again.

Jacquie Wayans

After having lived through that, you might be surprised that I would take the Food Stamp Challenge. My first thought when I heard about the challenge was, "I can do that." It’s sure not easy, but sometimes it helps to remember where you were and how far you’ve come.

Here's an example of my life before I had food stamps: When pregnant with my middle child, I stood in front of a refrigerator with groceries that had to last 2 weeks. I prayed at that moment, knowing that it was not enough. That child's birth weight was 5 lbs 8oz.

When on food stamps, people I saw in the supermarket were often struck by how much fresh fruit and vegetables were in my cart. If it wasn’t for food stamps I would not have been able to purchase the healthy foods a growing family needs.

Working in education, I know kids do best after eating a balanced meal. If the Food Stamp Program is cut, children will be the ones who lose the most. Nothing hurts a mom more than not being able to provide for her child's basic needs. I am fortunate that I had a very strong church family during those times, but many have no one.

For most families, getting to the point where food stamps aren’t necessary is a big goal. For me, I always knew that it would be temporary. The transition off is hard because once you make a dollar over the cut off point, you're on your own and the loss can feel big. However, you keep on pushing.

Today I have my BA and a new children's book, Ambrose. And that child who weighed 5 lbs 8 oz is now graduating from high school with her eye on becoming a fitness trainer. None of that would have been possible if I wasn’t able to feed myself or my family.

How My Mother and I Got By, on Food Stamps

Sun, 13 May 2012 12:12:00 -0400

By Lisa Hines-Johnson,

Today, Mother’s Day, is the third day of the Food Bank For New York City’s Food Stamp Challenge — a call to supporters to spend just one week experiencing what it is like to have to rely on a food stamp budget of $1.48 per meal.

As I reflect on the challenge and how powerful it will be for people who participate, it has struck me how fitting it is to have this experience on one of the most important days celebrating mothers — as the face of poverty is overwhelmingly that of a woman and her children. I am also reminded of my own mother and our experience, as a single mother and her only child, having to rely on food stamps.

Food Bank Chief Operations Officer Lisa Hines-Johnson, right, with her mother, Gladys Pesante

It was the early 1980s when my mother lost her job after fourteen years of dedicated service to her company. I was young, yet old enough to know that something was different. My mother still got out of the bed we shared in our one-bedroom apartment in the Bronx well before the sun came up, but she no longer put on her work clothes or those high-heeled shoes that I slipped on while playing dress-up. My mom was now home when I arrived from school. We spent more time together. That was good. Nothing seemed wrong….at least for a little while. I found out years later that my mother was able to provide for us for some time with the severance package her company had given her. Once that money was spent, things changed.

I asked my mother how she felt during this time of transition from a life of modest comfort to trying to stretch a dollar until even it begged for mercy. She shared that she did what she had to at a time when her options were limited. It was hard. She talked about the embarrassment that quickly turned to anger when she noticed disapproving stares as she paid with her food stamps. She wanted to yell out “I’ve worked. I didn’t plan for this!” She felt defeated yet thankful for the neighborhood grocer who was kind enough to allow us to get food that we needed and pay him later. And worried about how we’d get through the next week with the stamps — which were actually stamps back then — and other support running low.

I remember when I first noticed that our food supply was dwindling which, of course, always happened towards the end of the month. Those meals always consisted of scrambled or fried eggs, French fries and a canned vegetable, usually beets. I remember sharing in my own little girl version of my mother’s shame, anger and sadness.

I also remember that, despite her situation, my mother always tried to do things that would improve our reality even if only temporarily. From odd jobs in local shops, to babysitting for children in the neighborhood, to taking courses to become a dog groomer and grooming the same three dogs every month, my mother tried with everything she had to ensure that I still had gifts to open at Christmas, parties to celebrate my birthday and a new outfit to wear on picture day at school.

As a mother of three, my heart aches for what I can now fully comprehend was my mother’s struggle during this period in our lives. As someone who lived the Food Stamp Challenge and never thought she’d have to, my mother told me how important she feels it is for people who participate in this experience to talk about it so that others might know how urgently the people who rely on food stamps need this support to get through the next month, the next meal. My mother and I hope that this challenge might inspire more people to join the larger discussion around poverty and what needs to be done to move people back into the lives they had, or the ones they dream of having.

Lisa Hines-Johnson is the Food Bank For New York City's Chief Operating Officer.

Stamped: ANXIOUS

Fri, 11 May 2012 09:53:00 -0400

By Margarette Purvis,

Seven months ago I returned to the Food Bank ready to put forth my best effort in helping as many New Yorkers as possible connect to the plight of our poorest neighbors. Within the first month I met with our Director for all things policy related to discuss this Food Stamp Challenge I saw on CNN. We had a robust conversation where she gave me examples of how it could work and the many avenues we could take. As I walked out of her office, I said over my shoulder, “I definitely want us to do that.”

So here’s my Friday morning confession: when I said I wanted to do it…I had no idea that she was going to make it a reality six months later and that I would have to figure out how I would eat for one WEEK on $31! I remember the day that they raced in my office to say that Susi Cahn and Mario Batali had agreed to lead the campaign. I was just as thrilled as they were. I remember when Mario stood before the crowd at our recent Can-Do gala and spoke passionately about why people should join his family in the challenge to relate to almost 50 million Americans and 1.8 million New Yorkers. I’ve smiled every time a tweeter joins the campaign. I experienced all of that and still on the first day of the challenge…I FEEL INCREDIBLY ANXIOUS.

I’m no different than any other working professional. I love a great coffee and probably lean on it a little more than I should. When I actually get a chance to go out for lunch…I expect it to be pretty yummy. My days are long and I typically have no desire to spend those final hours over a stove. GrubHub.com and Peapod.com feel like personal gifts from the universe TO ME. They make this working girl…WORK. So now I stare at 7 days on a food budget that I usually have spent in a single day. The overachiever in me wants to do everything really well. But the negotiator in me immediately started figuring out how/where I could adjust the challenge to fit my lifestyle. Hey, don’t judge me. I warned you that this was a confession.

Eighty percent of the Americans who rely on food stamps are women and children

Yesterday morning as I stared in my fridge berating myself for not shopping BEFORE the challenge and still having nothing FOR the challenge, I had a bit of an epiphany. I think the first lesson for me was to remember that what’s causing me anxiety equals RELIEF for people who actually NEED these resources. Imagine if my anxiety was based in having NO FOOD. I’m blessed that this is not my daily reality so I’ve decided to be grateful to have the opportunity to highlight the daily struggle of others. This doesn’t mean that I won’t complain a lil bit on one of these days…it just means that the disposition of my inner foodie has been adjusted.

The Food Stamp Challenge is about people living on the BUDGET and not the actual benefit. My plan is to crack open my handy crock pot and make meals that will stretch. Thankfully the Food Bank has a great team of nutritionists who put together a $31 grocery list. (That’s not cheating because this resource is provided via monthly trainings to our member network and clients at our Harlem site.) While perusing my list, the first thing I noticed was that the array of fruit that I typically eat is MIA. I can get a couple of apples though. Not the kind I like but at least an apple. Also, according to the list I would have to eat ground meat rather than ground turkey…because it’s too expensive. So, I decided to go online to find coupons so that I could hopefully trade up. You can follow my journey on Twitter OR you can join me by participating in the challenge, sharing your experiences on Facebook and Twitter and CONTACTING YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS to encourage them to PROTECT this most valuable resource in our safety net….FOOD FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT.

Teens Teaching Teens Part 4: A Successful Project Indeed!

Fri, 04 May 2012 11:55:00 -0400

By Russell Gee,

As you know if you have been reading this blog over the spring, the Food Bank’s EATWISE nutrition education interns completed a project to raise awareness for healthy breakfasts at our high schools this year — with in-class presentations, marketing materials, social media efforts and more. We wanted this project to make a real difference on our peers’ health and diets, but how would we define success and know that we were actually influencing our peers?

To me, if my peers could demonstrate that they learned something and thought the information was useful, this would be a successful spring project. I realized the spring project made a difference when I talked to my friend Ryan. He was excited to try and make one of the healthful breakfast recipes we presented. My other friend, Kaitlin, even told me that she was eating breakfast more often and was careful to make healthier breakfast choices. To see my friends actually learn something and make changes to how they eat because of what we presented was very rewarding.

The presentation itself was also an interesting experience for me. It was different than just presenting a paper. Our EATWISE breakfast project included full-fledged presentations — with scripts, a slideshow, games and information used to educate others about breakfast. The experience itself was like viewing a kaleidoscope, as I was able to experience what it is like to be a teacher, having to expect that anything could occur.

Russell Gee, one of the Food Bank's EATWISE interns, was part of the breakfast campaign marketing group.

For me, one of the most memorable parts of the presentation was when we informed a class that skipping breakfast could actually cause you to gain weight rather than lose weight. (That’s because your body enters a ‘survival mode’ and you don’t process food as efficiently.) Seeing the surprise and intrigue on their faces was priceless. Overall, being able to reach more than 900 of our peers, through in-class presentations, school announcements, marketing materials and social media content — all of which we created ourselves — gives me and my fellow interns a great sense of accomplishment. Our project showed how one can change their perspective so slightly and get something worthwhile in exchange.

Farm Bill Draft Brings Deep Food Stamp Cuts

Tue, 01 May 2012 11:41:00 -0400

By Triada Stampas,

Last week saw major developments in the Farm Bill, the federal legislation that sets funding and policy for safety net nutrition programs as well as agriculture and conservation programs for a five-year period. The Senate Agriculture Committee voted to approve a draft Farm Bill that would cut $4.5 billion from food stamp (SNAP) benefits.

In New York City, this cut would reduce the monthly SNAP allotments of 190,000 low-income households living in public housing or receiving federal Section 8 housing vouchers. (The average income of a household living in public housing in New York City is less than $23,000.)

New York’s only member on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Kirsten Gillibrand, voted against this bill on the grounds that it would harm some of the most vulnerable New Yorkers, and will be bringing an amendment to the Senate floor to protect children in SNAP households from cuts that may remain in the final bill.

The Senate Agriculture Committee’s Farm Bill draft does make improvements to the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which provides the main source of food to our city’s soup kitchens and food pantries. The improvements appear significant on first glance — adding $150 million in mandatory funding and giving the federal government explicit authority to purchase additional TEFAP food in response to increases in need. However, TEFAP has already lost $175 million this year. It is clear that, on balance, emergency food providers will be coping with even fewer resources to confront the increased need created by cuts to SNAP.

What happens next? The bill will be brought to the floor of the Senate, where our legislators will have the opportunity to offer additional amendments before they vote on it. The House of Representatives must also develop and approve its version of the Farm Bill; the difference between each chamber’s version must then be reconciled and a consensus proposal adopted.

What can you do?

Call your Senators and Representatives and let them know cuts to SNAP are not acceptable
Join Mario Batali and take the Food Stamp Challenge to raise awareness about this critical lifeline.
Spread the word to your family, friends and coworkers using the Share button below.

House Continues to Attack Food Stamps

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:55:00 -0400

By Triada Stampas,

The House of Representatives is giving us new cause for alarm about the future of the safety net against hunger. Not only would the House Budget Resolution — commonly referred to as the “Ryan Budget” — that was passed earlier this month slash and restructure the food stamp program (SNAP), it would make billions of dollars in additional cuts to agriculture and nutrition programs. And just this week, the House Agriculture Committee adopted a plan to take these additional cuts from just one program: SNAP.

At a time when local unemployment and poverty remain persistently high, these cuts would reduce the food resources of more than 46 million individuals across the country — including more than 1.8 million New York City residents. In addition, these cuts would force some SNAP recipients off the program entirely.

SNAP is our nation’s first line of defense against hunger. Our nation’s emergency food programs — which provide the majority of the food served by our network of soup kitchens and food pantries — are supposed to be the last line. However, our network has already lost nearly seven million meals this year as a result of cuts in the federal Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Cuts to SNAP will place added strain on a network whose defenses are already significantly weakened — if our first line of defense is weakened, our last line of defense won’t hold.

Further, Congress’s production of the federal budget coincides this year with the reauthorization of the Farm Bill — which will set policy and legislation for agriculture and nutrition programs, including SNAP and TEFAP, for the next five years. However, spending levels set in the Ryan Budget would not allow for funding of improvements the Farm Bill may seek to make for TEFAP or SNAP.

At a time when our country is still struggling rise out of a deep recession, drastic cuts to our hunger safety net should not be an option.

Act now: email your representatives in Washington today!

Teens Teaching Teens Part 3: Taking on Twitter & Tumblr

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:54:00 -0400

By Patrycja Dziedzic, Mariama Camara, Ivette Paulino and Deyla Sabio,

Not only are the EATWISE nutrition education interns doing in-class presentationsabout healthy breakfasts — we are bringing our message beyond the classroom and onto the big screen: THE INTERNET!

As the social media group for our breakfast project, we decided to set up Twitter and Tumblr accounts because they were all the hype this year at our schools. On our accounts, you can find delicious recipes, pictures we took of our breakfasts and quick nutrition facts that relate to issues teens care about, such as having clear skin and a fit body.

We accomplished a great deal on Twitter and Tumblr because we collected a lot of information that we know teens will find useful. It’s important for teens to be able to view this information in places they spend a lot of their time, like the internet. The topics we chose to display on our channels were picked by us because we know what teens like and what will catch their eye. For instance, we want quick and easy recipes to fill our breakfast plates!

Teens are constantly checking their Twitter feed and blogging on their Tumblrs no matter where they are. This gives them easy access to our healthy messages. We enjoyed putting the content together – especially the recipes, since we tried them all ourselves — and brainstorming how social media can impact our peers.

Being a part of the social media group was a lot of fun because we had the chance to create the content for accounts we would use ourselves! Not many teens get the opportunity to do something like this, and we hope our viewers enjoy our social media accounts just as much as we do!

THE HUDDLE

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:30:00 -0400

By Margarette Purvis,

Spring is one of my favorite times of year. You may be assuming I picked it for warmer weather and new flowers. Nevertheless the REAL REASON is all about March Madness. I’m never pulling for any one particular team — it’s more about the energy of it all. There’s something about all of that hope and ambition running up and down the floor, being shouted at televisions in bars and living rooms and jotted down on flimsy sheets of scratched-over brackets in offices near and far. For me, it feels like seasonal theater and I LOVE IT. Professional basketball is great but I often feel like those players are operating in occupation while the collegiate athlete gives you a view of a full on passionate pursuit of a dream. You may even get a few tears from one or both teams depending on the game’s conclusion.

I’m sure some people count the tricks and major demonstrations of athleticism associated with these games as their fave. I will readily admit that my favorite feature is a bit odd. I actually love to see THE HUDDLE. Sometimes they meet for inspiration and connection and sometimes they meet for instruction. Whether professional or collegiate, there will be a HUDDLE and I think it says the most about any team. I’m always looking for that opportunity to watch a team complete a drill every day in practice and place it squarely in the middle of their road to national championship. I wonder, “what is the coach saying right now? Is she yelling it? Stating directions calmly? Is the captain leading in this moment or has a lesser known player stepped up with exactly what the team needs at this time?”

When I was actively assisting organizations in my consulting business, the presence of HUDDLEs took on an inspired meaning. Whether in times of ‘great’ or ‘ick’, you could always find a HUDDLE. My time spent working with groups all over the country taught me that different people will always have different reactions to change. I learned to see the very specific variations in the make, type and nature of their HUDDLEs. In some situations you would get lucky and see some team member connect with the OPPORTUNITY change brings. They would take nuggets of conversations with leadership and make themselves over. They would attack their work with a renewed conviction in hopes of being noticed as a star, or to acknowledge that change was exactly what they hoped for and they wouldn’t waste a minute of it.

Unfortunately, they weren’t always the majority. Over years, I would notice that more people than not, would find themselves HUDDLEd in small uninformed groups, predicting plays that could be accurate if anyone cared to read the playbook. They would find themselves gaining “emotional” weight from their one sided diet composed of rumors, perceived victimization, innuendo and fact manipulation. In a five year stint I would often wonder if these folks realized that anyone HUDDLEd around topics that would not put points on the board via their focus on mission, purpose and future… was most certainly headed for failure. My heart would break watching people so busy gripping the tainted air mask handed to them by a Chief Naysayer that they would completely miss the free air, made readily available to them through the simple CHOICE to take a breath.

HUDDLES provide the participants with a sense of belonging. That’s why it’s great that in our hectic lives we’re gifted each day with a choice to either HUDDLE around a) what builds US towards a life and world we desire or b) what builds UPON a LIE we’ve been handed. Do we HUDDLE about being an active member of change or waste time HUDDLING over how we THINK change will dismember our world? In 6 months at the Food Bank I’ve had a chance to see some amazing HUDDLING throughout our membership network. POTS, a member in the Bronx, found a way to get a major donor to HUDDLE around a 10 year vision for a new space…and now it’s a reality. In Washington Heights Love Kitchen HUDDLED with their volunteers until a new social enterprise was baking inside of their once struggling soup kitchen. In Bed Stuy we’ve all watched how a food desert has now emerged as the home of some of the city’s best urban farms all because a few activists HUDDLED around limited resources to make it happen.

Every day I imagine a new future for the Food Bank, our members and our community services. I am not afraid to imagine because I know that this vision will be shared (and made a reality) by the dedicated team members who have and will continue to show up for our good.

Does the number 1040 scare you?

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 11:18:00 -0400

By David McCoy,

W-2, 1099, 1098-T, 1040, 1040-EZ. If you are like me the numbers on these forms may stir up anxiety or confusion. So what do we do? We stop by H&R Block or Jackson-Hewitt and, in the process, spend sometimes hundreds of dollars hoping that this help will lead to a bigger tax return. Whether or not you can afford that assistance, the reality of tax season descends on us all every January and hangs like a dark cloud over our heads, often until the last minute of April 15.

Last year, the Food Bank's Free Income Tax Assistance program helped bring more than $65 million to low-income New Yorkers

For some of New York's most vulnerable, there is another option, where people can get high quality tax services without any added cost. That's right: FREE. The Food Bank's free tax services provide assistance from thousands of IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers who help qualifying New Yorkers get the most out of their tax returns. And, with fourteen sites spread throughout the five boroughs, experts are just around the corner.

Last year, the Food Bank's Free Income Tax Assistance Program completed more than 37,000 tax returns New York City's working poor — helping to bring more than $65 million in tax refunds and credits back into the city. Our program is not only putting money back into the pockets of low-income New Yorkers — we also help move New Yorkers toward greater economic self-sufficiency by providing eligible households with access to bank accounts, food stamps, health insurance information and SaveUSA accounts — a savings incentive program offered in limited locations in New York City.

So spread the word with the Share button below, check the eligibility requirements and stop by and visit your friendly, neighborhood Food Bank tax preparer.

Teens Teaching Teens Part 2: Getting the Message Right

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:53:00 -0400

By Russell Gee, Kamilah Newton, Elif Ajredini and Aditi Rai,

As our friends in the deliverables group wrote a couple weeks ago, the Food Bank’s EATWISE nutrition education interns are running a project to educate our peers on the importance of eating a balanced breakfast. Changing just one thing in your diet can make a big difference and is super simple. We’ve done it and they can do it too — and when our project reminds our peers that eating breakfast can have a real impact on their energy, productivity and overall focus, we’ll be working hard to make sure they listen up!

As the marketing group, we want to capture our peers’ attention and connect breakfast to situations that teens actually experience, like studying for a test. We’ve produced our own flyers, with fun fonts and great images, and even a marketing script for our peers to use when conducting classroom announcements to promote our Twitter and Tumblr pages. At the very end of our presentations our peers will make a pledge to Change One Thing in their diet, and we will create a pledge wall with all of their responses. This will definitely be exciting and we can’t wait until we can share it with all of you!

Kamilah Newton of the EATWISE marketing group, left, talks with Mariama Camara of the social media group about marketing plans for the breakfast campaign

We want our peers to have fun learning! If they ask a lot of questions, then we’ll know they’re engaged, fully captivated and want to learn more! We want to convince them to Change One Thing and let them know that it’s not hard to make minor changes to their eating habits. No change is too small!

Personally, I’ve learned a lot about teamwork, and the power of consideration. Our group has open discussions and we all share our opinions. We’re not always on the same page, but we make compromises and our work looks great because we’re working together. It feels good knowing that everyone has contributed to the project and we are producing something that makes us proud!

Food Bank Unpacked, Then Repacked

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 10:43:00 -0400

By Lydia Smith,

Food Bank For New York City had a number of exciting achievements in 2011. One of the biggest is that we are now able to procure food in bulk, before it is packaged into individual containers suitable for supermarket shelves, helping the Food Bank to significantly stretch our purchasing power.

Purchasing in bulk is now one of the major ways we are able to keep costs down on nutritious food. However, processing large food containers safely in our warehouse so they are ready for distribution was a big hurdle that took months of planning to pass. The project that allowed us to process bulk containers was the construction of a new high-tech repack room in our Bronx warehouse, where teams of volunteers repackage food into container sizes suitable for delivery to soup kitchens and food pantries.

Corporate and community volunteer groups assist in packing boxes for distribution to approximately 1,000 community-based programs; Top: Deutsche Bank; Bottom: BNP Paribas

Like most major projects, no matter the field, this one began with an extensive round of research. The Food Bank first turned to Feeding America’s national network of food banks, traveling to food banks around the country to assess different approaches to dealing with the safety requirements for working with open (bulk) product. We then turned to a veteran in the industry, Bob Matlosz, former Greater Chicago Food Depository Operations Director, for further assistance and hired Rogers Marvel Architects, an architecture firm familiar with the food bank network, to design the space within our active 90,000 square foot warehouse.

The piece of this project that I am most proud of is the fact that we kept our food distribution process safe and up-to-code throughout the entire construction process. We knew that, in order to best serve our network, we could not interrupt food deliveries to network in any way for any amount of time, even while working toward developments that would increase our supply of food.

Now that construction is complete, not only is our purchasing power greater — our volunteers also have a more rewarding experience. We couldn’t have done any of this without knowing our volunteers, who make up a key part of the distribution process, would be there to make this possible.

Thanks to this dream combination of passionate volunteers and facilities that meet the strictest of food safety codes, our network will be able to fill more shelves and plates for New Yorkers who struggle to afford food.

The Food Bank is already scheduling thousands of purchases that will require repacking before being distributed to our food assistance network. If you have a group of 10 to 30 people who are interested in volunteering at our new Repack Room, please fill out our online volunteer application today.

Lydia Smith is Director of Operations at the Food Bank.

Time Out For Hunger 2012: Staff Picks

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:26:00 -0400

What are you doing March 18? Hopefully dining at one of more than of 100 Time Out New York's favorite restaurants throughout Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island, that are donating 10% of the day's proceeds to the Food Bank as a part of Time Out For Hunger 2012. Whet your appetite by taking a look at some of the Food Bank's Staff Picks of their Time Out For Hunger favorites. Then head on over to the complete list of restaurants to find more delicious eats throughout the city.

Take a Time Out for Hunger on March 18, 2012

Rose Water (Park Slope)

"Within the packed culinary landscape of Park Slope it’s easy to feel like you’ve discovered an out of the way gem when you walk into Rose Water. Tucked into a residential block, I felt immediately at ease in the restaurant’s relatively small and homey interior. While there are choices to excite adventurous eaters — grilled pork belly with pickled cabbage anyone? — in my opinion it’s with the more straightforward entrees like the grilled pork chop with braised cabbage, sausage, marinated onions and baked apple that Rose Water really shines. With a great chef and excellent ingredients, less really can be more." —Daniel Buckley, Senior Online Communications Manager

Agozar! (East Village)

"Agozar! Cuban Bistro and Bar truly lives up to its name. The atmosphere is lively and will have you practicing your mambo moves all the way to your seat! The tapas are enough to share but you will want to keep these flavorful Cuban classics to yourself. Since that isn't in the spirit of this playful space, for those with big appetites, consider one of the Platos Fuertes. No matter what you choose, you won't be disappointed. Bring your appetite, your friends and get ready for a great time and a meal that will have your taste buds dancing!" —Lisa Hines-Johnson, Chief Operations Officer

La Vigna (Forest Hills)

"La Vigna has some of the most delicious gnocchi I've ever tasted. The atmosphere is quaint and homey, and it doesn't hurt that despite its neighborhood popularity I was still able to get a great table without having a reservation." —Jamee Brody, Business Partnerships Coordinator

Paulie Gee's (Greenpoint)

“While Greenpoint’s dining scene continues to draw new attention from sophisticated palates, the two-year-old Paulie Gee’s remains worshiping grounds for pizza aficionados. Reasons to go: charred, chewy crust from the Stefano Ferrara wood-fired oven, locally sourced ingredients and one of the most charming restaurant owners you’ll meet — Paul table hops throughout service. Cruise over on the East River Ferry or hop on the G and make a day of it. Stroll the thoughtful shops on Franklin Ave. after you’ve had your fill of pies — just make sure one of them is the “Anise and Anephew” or you’ll never forgive yourself.“ —Danielle Pagano, Director of Communications & Marketing

'wichcraft (Upper West Side)

"The Lincoln Center location of ‘wichcraft is housed in the beautiful David Rubenstein Atrium. Maybe you are there to buy discounted Lincoln Center tickets, maybe you are there for the free concert on Target Free Thursdays, or maybe you just need a place to hide out. While you are in the Atrium, grab a bite at the ‘wichcraft. You can choose from an extensive list of sandwiches and salads, or you can just get a coffee or a wine. As you eat, take a moment to admire the vertical gardens — yes, the grass grows on the wall!" —Julie Ho, Digital Media Intern

Chinatown Brasserie (NoHo)

"The Chinatown Brasserie has the best dim sum ever. Prices vary, but are affordable. The ambiance is to die for, and is the perfect setting for an intimate night for two, or a fun filled work event. They offer dishes for all pallets, even the most picky like mine. Favorite dishes include “Crunchy Vegetable & Peanut Dumplings” and “Three-Chili Chicken with Peanuts & Red Pepper.”" —Freddy Sanchez, Cookshop Classroom Associate

Weekly Roundup: Food Stamps Up, the New Face of Poverty

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:28:00 -0400

This week we saw that use of food stamps (SNAP) has risen again, and is now at its highest level since President Obama took office in 2009. WNYC profiled a Bronx woman who, with a Master’s in psychology and a previous salary of $79,000, never imagined needing food stamps to get by. Also in the news, NYC will be piloting a new program that automatically enrolls children for free school meals based on their Medicaid participation and the New York Times called for clearer food labeling.

Food Stamp Use Rises To Record High...Again, Obama Foodorama, 3/2
The US Department of Agriculture just reported that the number of Americans using the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also called Food Stamps, hit a now-historic high of 46,514,238 beneficiaries in December 2011, an increase of more than a quarter million citizens from November.

On the Brink | The New Face of Poverty: Meet Yolanda, WNYC, 3/6
Only two years ago, Yolanda, a fiery mother of three with a Master’s Degree in psychology and a model resume, could never imagine being in this situation: unemployed, on public assistance and defaulting on maintenance fees for the two bedroom co-op on Seward Avenue she bought in 1982. After Yolanda Cotto was laid off due to budget cuts, she immediately started received unemployment benefits, $405 a week and $376 in food stamps. That largely helped cover her monthly maintenance fee, groceries, and other expenses such as transportation. But soon she had to dip into other resources. “I took everything out of my pension, I absorbed all resources,” Cotto said. “I have nothing.”

USDA Launches Program To Test Impact Of "Direct Certification" For Free School Meals, Obama Foodorama, 3/7
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vislack announced today that six states will participate in a pilot program, in partnership with USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, designed to study whether or not "direct certification" makes it easier for children to receive federally funded school meals. To begin on July 1 for the 2012-2013 school year, eligible children in schools in Alaska, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, New York and Pennsylvania will automatically receive free school meals based on information recorded with Medicaid.

Healthy Labels, Not Stealthy Labels, “Opinionator”, New York Times, 3/5
Research suggests that consumers spend only about one second looking at nutrition information when making myriad choices. A parent dashing through the grocery store aisles with kids in tow has to decide, in that one second, which brand is best among a multitude of choices for each product. The Times suggests that a simple, standardized and truthful label on the front of all packaged foods will help consumers make better choices and encourage food manufacturers to produce healthier packaged foods.

U.N. Special Rapporteur: Five Ways to Fix Unhealthy Diets, Food Politics, 3/7
Olivier de Schutter, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, has issued five recommendations for fixing diets and food systems: Tax unhealthy products; Regulate foods high in saturated fats, salt and sugar; Crack down on junk food advertising; Overhaul misguided agricultural subsidies that make certain ingredients cheaper than others; Support local food production so that consumers have access to healthy, fresh and nutritious foods.

Teens Teaching Teens: Bringing Breakfast Back

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 10:19:00 -0400

By Rachael Cusick, Serena Rivera, Celin Concepcion and Nafisatou Cisse,

Do you ever wonder what people really know or think about nutrition? So do we! As part of the Food Bank's EATWISE nutrition education internship, we kicked off this school year by designing a survey to find out exactly what our peers know, or want to know, about nutrition. After reviewing student feedback from the nine participating high schools our EATWISE team members attend, we noticed that a high number of teens don't know enough about what types of food to eat in the morning. Based on that information, it was clear to everyone in EATWISE that our Spring 2012 school outreach project should be to raise awareness about the benefits of eating a healthful breakfast, with a focus on the importance of portion sizes.

Two of our EATWISE authors, Rachael Cusick and Celin Concepcion

To conquer our goal, we divided into four groups: Social Media, Presentation, Marketing and — our group — Deliverables. Our group's role is to put together nutrition materials that students at our high schools can take home with them. So far, we have developed a Breakfast in Your Pocket recipe book and a guide to fruit food route to provide our peers with an easy way to access healthful, quick, and super tasty recipes. Just a few of the exciting things the other groups are working on are writing and delivering morning announcements in our schools, building social networking pages and designing fun, interactive classroom activities like MyPlate relay races...By the end of March, we will have put the final touches on our project and will get the chance to present it in our schools throughout New York City.

We're really excited to show off all of our hard work and promote our healthful breakfast campaign to other teens — and even teachers. To keep up with our progress, watch out for the blog entries we will be posting every other week!

Weekly Roundup: Hungry College Kids, Regulating Sugar

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 10:24:00 -0400

Mirroring the the Food Bank's finding of a significant increase in the number of college graduates experiencing difficulty affording food, USA Today reports on the hunger problem within our nation's colleges. Providing further evidence of the rise of hunger in the United States, the University of Michigan and Harvard University report that the number of American families living on $2 a day per person has more than doubled over the past 15 years. Also in the news, a focus on added sugars and some encouraging news for fans of local agriculture in New York City.

More than 1.4 million families live on $2 a day per person, USA Today, 2/24
Government benefits blunt the impact of such extreme poverty, but not completely, says one of the researchers, Luke Shaefer, a professor of social work at Michigan. Because the study shows households in extreme poverty for a month, it is more reflective of people losing jobs, getting divorced or having short-term crises, Shaefer says. "We are trying to document the growth in deep poverty....Even one month living at this level is concerning."

Campus food banks help students through tough times, USA Today, 2/27
Julia Lyon, a student volunteer and chairwoman of the University of Arkansas's pantry, says that while the number of students struggling with hunger is "something that's kind of under the radar," it's clearly a problem on campus. Since it opened in February 2011, the pantry has met more than 800 requests for food and supplies from students and staff members, Lyon says.

Study: Kids get more added sugar from foods than drinks, USA Today, 2/29
Kids are downing an average of 322 calories a day from added sugars, or about 16 percent of their daily calories. "Soda consumption is high, but we shouldn't lose sight of the added sugars in foods such as muffins, cookies, sugar-sweetened cereals and pasta sauces," says Cynthia Ogden, senior author on the report and an epidemiologist with the National Center for Health Statistics. "Many processed foods have added sugars. Those foods contribute more than the beverages.” Sixty-five percent of calories from added sugars are consumed at home, the report says. There was no difference in percent of calories from added sugars based on income level.

Regulating Our Sugar Habit, “Opinionator,” New York Times, 2/26
How do we regulate the consumption of dangerous foods? As a nation, we’ve accepted the need to limit the marketing and availability of tobacco and alcohol. And added sweeteners, experts increasingly argue, have more in common with these substances than with fruit. We need the government on our side. It must acknowledge the dangers caused by the most unhealthy aspects of our diet and figure out how to help us cope with them, because this is the biggest public health challenge facing the developed world.

Rooftop farms looking to expand in Queens and Brooklyn , New York Daily News, 2/26
A growing number of commercial farms housed several stories high throughout the city are producing crops year-round — in many cases without even using dirt. Swaths of Queens and Brooklyn with large expanses of industrial rooftops are prime candidates for the urban agriculture expansion. “It’s local produce, it’s better for the environment and it helps us create a sustainable economy,” Seth Bornstein, executive director of the Queens Economic Development Corp said.

Food Review: Num Pang?s Batali Pang

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:20:00 -0400

By Mandy Kessler,

Last week, a group of Food Bank staff gathered for a big group lunch to test out a delicious new partnership between longtime Food Bank supporter Mario Batali and the taste-masters behind Cambodian sandwich shop Num Pang. Aptly named the Batali Pang, this unique new sandwich benefits the Food Bank, so we may be a little biased. But if you question the objectivity of the following review, we have a solution for you — try the sandwich out for yourself and let us know what you think! You know you want to anyway.

Top: The Batali Pang, photo by Alexander Jorgensen; Bottom: Food Bank staff enjoying their Batali Pangs

Available through March 15, the Batali Pang consists of authentic Italian cotechino sausage from Brooklyn Bangers with balsamic pickled onions and Cacio de Roma cheese, folded into the traditional Num Pang ingredients — homemade chili mayo, pickled carrots, cucumber and cilantro.

As a bahn mi-lover, this sandwich offered just what I hoped for, traditional Asian flavors with a unique and pleasing Italian twist. The sausage had just the right amount of spice and fat to pair with chili mayo, and the pickled onions and Cacio de Roma cheese added a delicious bite. And after enjoying it all between the chewy-on-the-outside, soft-inside semolina flour baguette, I now know why the shop is named "Num Pang," a Cambodian term for "bread." With ingredients originating from countries not usually found in the same sentence, let alone sandwich, the different flavors came together seamlessly. I can safely say that all of my coworkers who joined me in testing out this unique partnership agreed — the Batali Pang is not to be missed.

But don’t take our word for it — check it out and let us know what you think. And remember, for every Batali Pang you order through March 15, $3 will be donated to the Food Bank — that means one sandwich helps provide 15 free meals for New Yorkers in need.

Mandy Kessler is the Business Partnerships Manager at the Food Bank For New York City.

Weekly Roundup: CookShop in the News, Farm Bill Debates

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:53:00 -0400

This week, the New York Daily News profiled the Food Bank’s CookShop program, citing it alongside the Let’s Move! campaign as the type of nutrition education initiative that helped contribute to the city’s 5.5 percent decline in childhood obesity over the last five years — the biggest decline of any major city. CookShop “does much to shatter the myth that becoming a healthy eater means renouncing the food you enjoy and grew up with,” columnist Albor Ruiz wrote. This year, 35,000 New Yorkers will take part in CookShop workshops. The Associated Press reported that schools across the country are increasingly taking advantage of federal funds to provide dinner options for their neediest students. Recognizing how much children rely on school for their nutrition, the Obama administration is considering stricter rules on school vending machines. The New York Times invited experts to debate the redraft of the farm bill, which sets funding and policy for food stamps, emergency food and nutrition education programs like CookShop. And The Atlantic argued that access to good, healthy food is a basic human right.

The Food Bank For New York City’s CookShop program on the ‘Move!’ in battle against obesity, Daily News, 2/19
Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! Campaign against the country’s obesity epidemic is a great, urgently-needed initiative. But in New York, the First Lady’s program is not the only game in town. Actually, CookShop, a program established by the Food Bank For New York City that incorporates nutrition education into a child’s core curriculum in the city’s public schools, has been around for 18 years with great success.

More public schools dish up 3 meals a day, Associated Press, 2/18
With breakfast and lunch already provided for poor students, many children now are getting all their meals at school. The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, signed into law by President Barack Obama in December 2010, provides federal funds for the after-school dinner program in areas where at least half the students qualify for free or reduced price lunches. The Congressional Budget Office estimates there will be almost 21 million additional suppers served by 2015 and that number will rise to 29 million by 2020.

New Guidelines Planned on School Vending Machines, New York Times, 2/20
The Obama administration is working on setting nutritional standards for foods that children can buy outside the cafeteria. With students eating 19 percent to 50 percent of their daily food at school, the administration says it wants to ensure that what they eat contributes to good health and smaller waistlines. No details of the proposed guidelines have been released, but health advocates and snack food and soft drink industry representatives predict that the rules will be similar to those for the government’s school lunch program, which reduced amounts of sugar, salt and fat.

The Farm Bill, Beyond the Farm, “Room For Debate”, New York Times, 2/21
The Farm Bill, being debated in the Senate this month, is felt far beyond the cornfields of Iowa. It’s about what we grow, but it’s also about what we eat and how we live. On the potato chip aisle, Americans are seeing the farm bill’s market pressures. On the scale at the doctor’s office, we are seeing its health effects. It fuels the growth of agribusiness, and also sustains small farms. It dictates foreign food aid, school lunches and nutrition programs like food stamps. It can encourage stewardship of the land, or not.

Access to Good, Healthy Food Should Be a Basic Human Right, The Atlantic, 2/22
A new food system is now emerging, as more Americans see what's happening, understand the consequences -- and start to take action. Perhaps the most important change is a new attitude toward food, a change in mindset. Instead of being passive consumers, eating the junk food marketed on TV, millions of people are educating themselves, changing what they eat and where they buy it. They are becoming empowered.

Thank You: The Child Tax Credit Is Safe

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:37:00 -0400

By Triada Stampas,

Three weeks ago, the Food Bank reached out to supporters like you to help save a critical source of support provided by the Child Tax Credit (CTC) to our most vulnerable working families.

In a cynical move to offset the cost of the payroll tax and unemployment insurance extension, the House proposed cutting CTC refunds that benefit low-income, working families who file their taxes with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers (ITINs) rather than Social Security numbers.

Cash refunds received by tax-paying immigrants through the Child Tax Credit help some of our most vulnerable families keep food no the table.

Thanks to the actions of advocates like you, Congress protected this critical benefit which, simply put, helps keep food on the table for working families.

Though, in the end, Congress agreed not to require spending cuts to offset the extensions, Congress responded to the need for funding by initiating the auction of public airwaves for wireless Internet systems.

By removing a proposed cut that would have hurt our country’s most vulnerable, working families and identifying a revenue generating initiative that will speed digital communications, Congress has provided a perfect example of a fact that often goes unstated in Washington — we can reduce spending without hurting low-income Americans.

The Food Bank would like to thank our advocates for helping to save the Child Tax Credit! Please take a moment to visit our advocacy page for other actions you can take in support of New Yorkers in need.

President Obama Aims to Protect Hunger Safety Net

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:27:00 -0400

By Triada Stampas,

In order to pay for improvements to school meals programs in 2010, Congress and President Obama cut $2.2 billion from future food stamp (SNAP) benefits under the "Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act."

Signing the bill into law, President Obama promised to restore the funds. Last week in his budget request, he did just that, aiming to ensure no family loses the resources they need to provide food for themselves and their children.

In addition to the restoration of food stamp funding, the President's fiscal year budget protects the nutrition safety net at a time when millions of Americans still grapple with unemployment and wage stagnation. Some highlights of the budget request include:

Increasing support for food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) by $9.25 million to keep up with rising food prices;
Fully funding school meal programs;
Designating funds to address food deserts, which means the lack of access to healthy, affordable food in low-income communities;
Adequately funding the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) to support the 9.1 million participants expected this year.

The President's budget request is a promising starting point for federal budget negotiations. Over the next several months, Congress will hold hearings, propose alternative funding plans and ultimately vote on a final budget that may look much different from the version President Obama presented.

While the past year has seen a number of threats to SNAP and TEFAP, we remain hopeful that Congress maintains the strong support for nutrition programs laid out in the President's budget. To make your voice heard, please consider contacting your senators and representatives and tell them to support these essential nutrition assistance programs.

Weekly Roundup: Let?s Move! Turns Two, Payroll Tax Cut Passes

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 14:03:00 -0400

This week, Michelle Obama celebrated the second anniversary of the Let’s Move! Initiative, designed to end the nation’s obesity epidemic. In a special on CNN, Mrs. Obama recapped some of the program’s achievements, while The New York Times lauded how much the campaign has increased public awareness of obesity. Huge portion sizes are partly to blame for the country’s weight gain, and the Associated Press outlined some creative ways scientists are coaxing people to trim portions without feeling cheated. Congress announced an agreement to extend the payroll tax cuts through 2012 — without causing working families to lose their Child Tax Credit benefits — and New York City received an award from Harvard University for its pioneering approach to anti-poverty programs.

Working together for the health of America's children, CNN, 2/13
Michelle Obama writes: “Over the past two years, we have seen a new conversation in this country about how we live and eat and how that affects the health and well-being of our kids. Since we launched Let's Move!, people from every corner of this country who care about our children's futures have stepped up and proved the conventional wisdom [that kids don’t like healthy food] wrong.”

Let’s Move, She Said — and We Have, "Opinionator," The New York Times, 2/13
Most powerful of all, Mrs. Obama’s campaign has already begun to change the way the food sector — producers, restaurants and grocery stores — approaches its youngest customers. Companies are changing their business models, incorporating nutrition when they design and develop cereals, snacks, menus or school meals.

Trimming super-size with half-orders, plate colors, Associated Press, 2/14
Researchers infiltrated a fast-food Chinese restaurant and found up to a third of diners jumped at the offer of a half-size of the usual heaping pile of rice or noodles — even when the smaller amount cost the same. "We'll be seeing some very creative ways of down-sizing in the next couple of years," predicts Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think. But let's call it "right-sizing," says Duke University behavioral economist Dan Ariely. Right-size suggests it's a good portion, not a cut, he says.

Congressional leaders back deal on $150B economic package, The Washington Post, 2/16
House Republican and Democratic leaders publicly pronounced themselves satisfied Thursday with a deal reached by negotiators after midnight on an economic plan worth more than $150 billion that would extend a payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits.

Harvard gives New York City award for poverty-fighting initiatives, The Daily News, 2/12
Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government gave the Innovations in American Government Award to New York City's Center for Economic Opportunity, Mayor Bloomberg announced during his Sunday radio address. The center housed within the mayor's office has come up with 50 different initiatives, Bloomberg said.

Lift Your Voice, Change a City

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:14:00 -0400

By David McCoy,

In the fight to end hunger in New York City, the Food Bank has amazing resources — more than 100 staff with expertise ranging from public policy to elementary-school education, high-profile ambassadors like Mario Batali who help raise funds and awareness and supporters like you who donate, volunteer and advocate. Right now, nearly three million New Yorkers struggle to afford food, and our citywide network is one of our greatest resources, fighting hunger on the front lines everyday in soup kitchens, food pantries, senior centers, after-school programs and more.

Our network’s boots on the ground and frontline insight may be one of the best ways to truly affect change and eradicate hunger from our great city. The Food Bank network is a collaboration, to lift every voice, to hear every story, to use our knowledge to help families survive.

Food Bank President and CEO Margarette Purvis with Anita Fein of Food Bank network member St. Edward Food Pantry at our 2012 Annual Agency Conference

This idea, this direction to lift every voice, is championed by our new President and CEO, Margarette Purvis, and was first articulated at Food Bank’s 20th Annual Agency Conference. More than 500 network members and anti-hunger advocates rallied behind the importance of collaboration in service, how we must view our roles as providers differently, that we must be more strategic about our actions and that the Food Bank will be there to help ensure everyone is heard.

This vision will not only help sustain the work we do, but will advance it in new, innovate and responsive ways. When we all lift our voices to combat hunger, the potential for achieving change is incredible. Stay tuned to our blog to learn about achievements of our collaborative approach but, in the meantime, won't you raise your voice too? Share this post on Facebook and tweet your support!

Weekly Roundup: Food Stamps Down, Holes in the Safety Net

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:31:00 -0400

This week, the USDA released figures showing that the number of Americans using food stamps (SNAP) was down in October and November 2011, after near-steady increases since December 2008. But, as the Daily News illustrated this week with the story of a mother who resorted to desperate measures to feed her children, the federal safety net may not be strong enough to adequately support the very poor. In nutrition news, about half of public and private elementary students could buy unhealthy snacks at school during the 2009–2010 school year, according to survey results released Monday. This represents no change in the ability to get the snacks like cookies, candy and chips since the study began in the 2006–2007 school year. Also: the battle against trans fat appears to be successful, and a surprising finding on where the salt in our diets comes from.

USDA: Food Stamp Numbers Down, Obama Foodorama, 2/2
About 46.134 million Americans received aid in November of 2011, down 0.2 percent from USDA's revised 46.228 million for October. In August of 2011, after three years of increases in Food Stamp numbers, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack characterized the nutrition safety net as a "direct stimulus" for the economy that was creating and saving jobs.

The ‘poor’ that Mitt Romney ignores, Daily News, 2/7
Margaret Deming crossed the line on Saturday when she entered the Pathmark in Coney Island, asked the deli man for a pound of ham, turkey and cheese, and then grabbed a box of yeast “to bake my own bread” and dropped the items in a shoulder bag. She was nabbed by a female store detective as she left. “I did something I will have to live with for the rest of my life,” she says. “I shoplifted food for my family because I was pushed up against a mental wall of despair of seeing my kids hungry.”

Access to unhealthy snacks at school unchanged, CNN, 2/6
"Given increasing attention in recent years to the problem of childhood obesity, we would have hoped to see decreases in the availability of junk food in schools over time," said study author Lindsey Turner, health psychologist at the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago. "Our hope based on these data is that the guidelines that are developed will be comprehensive and will consider all venues," Turner said. "Also that those regulations will be strong and that they will be specific- that they will address things like fat content, energy content and portion size."

Blood Levels of Trans Fats Are Declining in Americans, "Well," New York Times, 2/8
The intense battle that public health advocates have waged against trans fats appears to be working: A new report shows that since 2000, levels of trans fats in Americans’ bloodstreams have plummeted nearly 60 percent. The study was financed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and carried out by scientists there and at the National Institutes of Health. The decline in trans fatty acids “shows substantial progress that should lower cardiovascular risk in adults,” said Hubert W. Vesper, a CDC scientist and lead author of the study.

CDC: Bread beats out chips as biggest salt source, Associated Press, 2/7
Bread and rolls are the No. 1 source of salt in the American diet, accounting for more than twice as much sodium as salty junk food like potato chips. That surprising finding comes in a government report released Tuesday that includes a list of the top 10 sources of sodium. Salty snacks actually came in at the bottom of the list compiled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Breads and rolls aren't really saltier than many of the other foods, but people tend to eat a lot of them, said Mary Cogswell, a CDC senior scientist who co-authored the report.

The Power of Media ? How One Story Helped Rescue a Bronx Community

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:41:00 -0400

By Ashley Goforth,

The Bronx is home to many great things — a world class botanical garden and zoo, Arthur Avenue and the New York Yankees. But the Bronx is also one of the poorest regions in the country — according to Food Bank research, 50 percent of Bronx residents struggle to afford food.

So when the Muslim Women’s Institute for Research and Development (MWIRD) reached out to the Food Bank after experiencing a loss of nearly 70 percent of their funding, the Food BAnk knew something had to be done.

With their Benedict Avenue and Highbridge food pantries in the South Bronx, the Institute is a beacon of hope within the the country’s poorest Congressional district. Run by Executive Director Nurah Amat’ullah and four additional paid staff — MWIRD relies heavily on the support of volunteers and donors to keep their doors open and services running smooth. The organization was originally established 14 years ago to serve the Muslim population, but has since grown to serve a diverse population that was in great need of support.

Even though the MWIRD team worked without salaries for six months, they still found themselves facing more than $48,000 in debt. With few options left, they reached out to the media for help in hopes of raising awareness and funds to preserve their organization. An article written in the Daily News brought success that far exceeded our wildest expectation. After reading the article and hearing about the plight of an organization that serves and is depended on by so many, the Collegiate Church Corporation offered MWIRD a grant large enough to cover their debt, pay their staff and even save for the future.

The Food Bank is heartened by many parts of this story — the power of media to inspire, the dedication of our network members, that MWIRD is safe and continues to serve the South Bronx. And there is one more part that I am personally heartened by: in addition to its great teams, attractions and food, more people now know about the great people who sacrifice in order to help the Bronx.

Saving USA, One Person At a Time

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:46:00 -0400

By Dominique R. Jones,

It’s tax season. And undoubtedly, millions across the country have one thing on their mind…REFUND. And why shouldn’t they? A refund can hold the promise of financial relief — life a little bit easier — and maybe even a month or two when struggling families don’t have to choose between paying rent or buying food.

Just last week, Mayor Bloomberg hosted a press conference at one of the Food Bank’s FREE income tax assistance sites in Corona Queens to commend programs like ours, especially in partnership with SaveUSA.

Food Bank President and CEO Margarette Purvis with Ray, a Food Bank tax client who built a savings through SaveUSA

Media and attendees had an opportunity to meet a four-year client of the Food Bank’s income tax assistance program, Ray. Ray has benefitted from the Earned Income Tax Credit which provides additional return monies to filers at a vulnerable income level. Last year however, Ray had the opportunity to participate in SaveUSA, a new program to encourage saving. Ray deposited money from his refund into a SaveUSA account and in one year, the program matched every $2 saved with $1 return. Now Ray joked that a 50 percent return on investment was better than any rate on Wall Street, but the real value is in the dignity and empowerment that comes with those savings. Ray can finally buy his son the new pair of sneakers he’d been waiting on.

At the Food Bank, our goal is not just to fight hunger, but to fight the conditions that LEAD TO hunger. We don’t JUST want to help our neighbors keep food on the table, though that’s pretty important. We want them to have the opportunity to rise out of poverty and become self-sufficient. I am very proud of the Food Bank’s Free Income Tax Services program. Our tax service sites do more than just help New Yorkers file their tax returns — helping bring $65 million in refunds and credits to NYC — we do EVERYTHING we can to help, from making referrals to our food stamp specialists, providing health insurance information AND, you guessed it, connecting our clients to SaveUSA.

Dominique R. Jones is Chief Program Officer at the Food Bank For New York City.

NYC?s Most Vulnerable Children are at Risk. YOU Can Help

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 14:13:00 -0400

By Triada Stampas,

Right now, Congress is considering legislation that would cut off a critical source of support provided by the Child Tax Credit to our most vulnerable working families.

At a time when one in five children relies on soup kitchens and food pantries in NYC, this legislation would deny cash refunds that the Child Tax Credit provides to working immigrants who file taxes with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) instead of Social Security Numbers. Cutting the credit means increasing taxes on millions of struggling, working families across the country.

Cash refunds received by tax-paying immigrants through the Child Tax Credit help some of our most vulnerable families keep food no the table. Act now >

More than half of low-income households with children in New York City struggle to afford food. Last year, ITIN filers who accessed the Food Bank’s Free Income Tax Services had an average household income of $10,800 and received, on average, $1,160 in Child Tax Credits — a significant boost for low-income working people struggling to raise children in New York City.

Simply put, the Child Tax Credit helps keep food on the table for working families. The decision is now in the hands of a Congressional “conference committee” of House and Senate members — and their decision is expected soon!

Tell Congress: Protect the Child Tax Credit. Protect our most vulnerable children.

Speaking Truth to Albany: End Finger-imaging Now!

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:36:00 -0400

By Triada Stampas,

In his State of the State address, Governor Andrew Cuomo called for New York City to end the practice of finger-imaging for food stamps — a practice that stigmatizes the program and acts as a barrier to participation.

Throughout the U.S., only New York City and the state of Arizona continue to require finger-imaging, as other cost-effective, reliable fraud detection and prevention methods are in use in New York State and across the country.

With such great need in New York — nearly three million people struggle to afford food in NYC alone — and with alternate measures readily available, our neighbors cannot wait any longer for this stigmatizing and burdensome requirement to end.

With the Governor's recent statements, an end to this practice is finally in sight. We hope you will join us in our call to Albany: Let's end finger-imaging for all food stamp applicants NOW! Please act today!

Weekly Roundup: State of the Union, Mayors Tackle Food Policy

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:50:00 -0400

In his third State of the Union address, President Obama warned the nation that the decades-old promise of a secure and rising middle class is under threat because of growing disparities between the rich and everyone else in America. In local news, Governor Andrew Cuomo reiterated his call to stop finger-imaging food stamp applicants. Meanwhile, in Washington, the U.S. Conference of Mayors met to launch a food policy task force that will share information on urban food policy initiatives and make sure that federal policy supports these local efforts. Other encouraging news this week: Federal unemployment claims continued to drop, and the USDA announced extra aid to farmers affected by this year’s extreme weather.

In State of the Union, Obama warns economic disparity threatens middle class, Washington Post, 1/24
In an election-year State of the Union message that will likely serve as the template for the months of campaigning ahead, Obama outlined a series of steps that he believes will reinforce the tentative economic recovery, including proposals to eliminate tax incentives for companies to move jobs overseas, to make college more affordable and to expand help for credit-worthy homeowners looking to refinance mortgages at historically low interest rates.

Mayor Bloomberg Hasn’t Persuaded Governor Cuomo To Keep Food Stamp Fingerprinting, "Politicker NY," The Observer, 1/19
Governor Cuomo said, “My position is this: there are many ways to detect fraud, especially nowadays, you don’t need fingerprinting. If fingerprinting is stopping people from applying for food stamps so children are going to bed hungry, let’s do away with fingerprinting and let’s do away with fingerprinting now. Let’s make sure no child goes to bed hungry in New York.” He went on to describe the fingerprinting process as “intrusive, and frightening, and just unknown and threatening” for many people.

Big-City Mayors Dig In To Food Policy, The Salt, NPR, 1/19
Big-city mayors are starting to see local food policy as a key step in getting healthy, affordable food to their constituents. "One of the conversations we'll be having is wanting to work with USDA and grocery retailers to overcome the policy barriers and technology barriers to online SNAP benefits," says Holly Freishtat, director of Baltimore's Food Policy Initiative. Urban dwellers might think that the USDA doesn't have much to offer them, but cities nationwide reap billions in benefits associated with the federal farm bill. Lobbying to make sure that the 2012 farm bill reauthorization works for the benefit of urban food initiatives is the next step, Freishtat said.

Unemployment claims at 352,000, fewest since 2008, Associated Press, 1/19
December marked the sixth straight month in which the economy added at least 100,000 jobs, and the number of people seeking unemployment benefits plummeted last week to 352,000, the fewest since April 2008. When weekly applications fall consistently below 375,000, it usually signals that hiring is strong enough to push down the unemployment rate.

USDA announces $308 million in aid to help agriculture in disaster-stricken states, Associated Press, 1/18
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is adding more than $300 million to the massive amount of financial assistance federal agencies have doled out in response to an unusually intense year of natural disasters, officials announced Wednesday. In New York, which is set to receive $41.8 million — including about $37.8 million in watershed funds — money is earmarked for repairing erosion and other damage left behind by back-to-back late summer tropical storms Irene and Lee.