JUNE 2010 | FEBRUARY 2010 | OCTOBER 2009 | JUNE 2009 | MARCH 2009
Latest News
In The Media
- The Florida Partnership has expanded its Orlando summer nutrition pilot to Palm Beach County!
Anquan Boldin, a native son of Pahokee and NFL wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, appears in a public service announcement to promote area summer nutrition sites. Share Our Strength is underwriting paid air time for the 30-second television ad to run though the summer. Community organizations will distribute a total of 50,000 tri-lingual business cards at food stamp and Medicaid offices, Goodwill stores, WIC and county health centers, Workforce Alliance Career Centers, and Community Policing Locations—to name a few. Signs advertising the summer food website (www.summerfoodflorida.org) and help-line—both designed to assist families in finding the nearest summer nutrition sites—will be placed at twelve targeted locations on the Palm Tran bus routes.
- Back in the Orlando area . . . Joey Colón, announcer for the Orlando Magic, has produced a Spanish-language version of the original PSA with Orlando Magic Forward Rashard Lewis. These PSAs will run on two different television stations for the length of summer and advertise the summer food website and help-line to direct families to the nearest summer food sites. Publix Super Markets is again underwriting paid air spots for the length of summer. The Florida Partnership is repeating this and other successful strategies from last year as well as distributing 50,000 tri-lingual business cards (double that of last year) for distribution by agencies that serve lower-income populations. Responding to last summer's discovery of under-served communities, Florida Partnership leaders in the area have opened up five new summer nutrition sites in Apopka, Ocoee, and Winter Garden to better serve children in need.
- The Agency for Workforce Innovation and Florida 2-1-1 Agencies are working to get information about free nutritious summer meals for children out to unemployed parents. The Florida Partnership is piloting a statewide strategy to let Florida's large number of unemployed residents know about the federal summer nutrition sites for their children and encourage their use of the summer food website to find them. Virtually all of the state's 2-1-1 nonprofit referral agencies have stepped up to field calls for those without internet access. The Florida Department of Education will staff calls for the areas in the state without a 2-1-1 service. The Governor's Office approved using the month of June to advertise the summer nutrition program in its 350,000 Workforce mailers that go out across the state each month.
- The Health Foundation of South Florida and the Children's Services Council of Broward County have funded FLIPANY (Florida Introduces Physical Activity and Nutrition to Youth) to serve as the Afterschool Snack sponsor for the county's unaffiliated afterschool programs in lower-income neighborhoods. Smaller nonprofits will benefit from the technical assistance and paperwork management that an umbrella sponsor can provide to leverage federal funds for the cost of snacks. If the Florida Department of Health approves its application, FLIPANY will join three other Broward sponsors in bringing this previously untapped pot of federal funding into the community. Share Our Strength has offered a challenge grant to add more groups under a sustained FLIPANY sponsorship.
- Florida Partnership leaders have secured 6 of the 32 congressional cosponsors for House Resolution 3321--a bill that would expand the federal Afterschool Supper Program nationwide. Currently that federal resource is only available in 13 states and the District of Columbia. Capturing the bill's highest concentration of delegates from any one state comes as a result of several collective meetings organized in Washington, comprising congressional members, staff, and community leaders participating by telephone conference. Nearly 50 Florida organizations have signed on to a letter to congressional leaders calling for robust federal funding to support a comprehensive child nutrition reauthorization bill to meet the President's challenge of ending childhood hunger by 2015.
- The Florida Partnership's religious leadership collaborated with Florida Impact to host Florida Advocacy Days during the annual Children's Week at the Capitol in April. The United Methodist Church (Florida Conference) and the African Methodist Episcopal Church (Eleventh Episcopal District) Women's Missionary Society recruited nearly 100 participants to come to Tallahassee to learn about and advocate for policies to address hunger. In addition to pursuing more state funding for food stamp case workers, participants sent emails on site and en masse to their congressional representatives asking for their support for H.R. 3321/S. 990. The next day, U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd agreed to support funding in the House Agriculture Appropriations Committee for the expansion of the afterschool meal program to Florida.
- Partners in Miami are now ready to set up the Healthy Options (farmers market) Pilot with a grant from the Health Foundation of South Florida. In the fall, shoppers will be able to use their SNAP (food stamp) debit cards and WIC coupons to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers market at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The value of SNAP/WIC benefits used to purchase fresh produce at the Jackson Green Market will be assigned an enhanced value, so clients can buy more for less. The Pilot will test the effectiveness of these strategies for moving the food-buying habits of low-income communities towards more nutritious selections and improved health outcomes by increasing their access to fresh fruits and vegetables. With its proximity to the Hospital's on-site WIC office and help from students from University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, the Pilot will assess SNAP and WIC clients' receptivity at the Market with an eye towards expanding the Pilot to other areas of the state.
The City of Miami will collaborate on an outreach campaign along with the Miami-Dade County Extension Office, which will also provide educational activity at the market to support cost-effective shopping, nutrition, and food management for limited-resource clients.
- The Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties has awarded a grant to Florida Impact for staffing Florida Partnership strategies over the next two years. Impact has contracted with Julie Kreafle to assist south Florida community leaders in the implementation of strategies that address childhood hunger from the Florida Partnership's Ten Point Plan.
Florida Public Radio covers FRAC's release of Food Hardship: A Closer Look at Hunger with comments from Florida Impact's Executive Director. Click to Listen To Story ». The Florida Partnership has been actively sharing this information with Florida's congressional delegates as they prepare to reauthorize the federal child nutrition programs.
- One in five households in Florida reported not having enough money to buy food, ranking Florida number 12 among the top worst states.
- Three Florida congressional districts ranked among the top 30 congressional districts with the worst rates.
- Three Metropolitan Statistical Areas in Florida are among the 25 largest MSAs with the highest rates of food hardship:
- Orlando-Kissimmee (#5) with 22.9 percent;
- Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach (#11) with 21.2 percent; and
- Jacksonville (#19) with 20.4 percent.
To view the full report, go to:
http://www.frac.org/pdf/food_hardship_report_2010.pdf.
Where once there was none, now there are three federal afterschool snack sponsors in Broward County. Broward is set up to receive federal snack reimbursements for 25 afterschool programs. On average, just-under 2500 children will be receiving these nutritional snacks each day at sites sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County, Afterschool Programs, Inc., and the Soref Jewish Community Center. This has the potential to bring in over $36,000 in federal funds to feed children in Broward each month that was previously untapped. Previously community nonprofits struggled to underwrite this entire piece themselves through private donations. Local providers and funders--including the City of Ft. Lauderdale's and Broward County's parks and recreation programs--have met together in strategy sessions to address the challenges that keep more sites from coming on to the program. The new sponsors worked collaboratively over the last five months to each complete the application administered by
the Florida Department of Health and to mentor each other through the approval process. The goal ahead is to explore short-term and sustained funding strategies to support an on-going sponsor for smaller, unaffiliated, afterschool programs.
Florida Partners secure 5 of the 27 sponsors for H.R. 3321 from Florida's congressional delegation. More than 21 percent of households in Florida reported not having enough money to buy food, and yet it is not one of the states that benefits from the federal Afterschool Meal Program, which provides reimbursements of $2.68 per meal (cf. 74 cents per snack to afterschool programs in low-income neighborhoods. There are only 13 states (Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia authorized to receive this higher reimbursement. Florida Impact leaders met with Congressman Allen Boyd at his DC office last October to secure his co-sponsorship of H.R. 3321 to expand the program with the understanding we would work to add at least 13 bipartisan, Florida congressional representatives to the bill's list of cosponsors. If we can show overwhelming support for it among Florida's delegation, Florida could be the next state added to the program. More to come!
- Florida Partnership leaders in Orlando celebrate dramatic increases in the Summer Food Service Program for children. Orange County's summer food programs leveraged approximately $865,000 in additional federal funds to feed 76% more children than last summer. A slide show presentation of the strategies that helped generate this growth can be reviewed here. While local summer food sponsors—like the Orange County School District—added more than 100 new sites, Publix Supermarkets, the Orlando Magic, and the Dairy Farmers collaborated on marketing strategies, including a television ad featuring Orlando Magic player Rashard Lewis. The 30-second public service announcement advertised a website, www.summerfoodflorida.org, maintained by Florida Impact that provided a link to an automated search tool for finding the nearest summer food site for over 7,000 families.
- The Florida Partnership leaders collaborate to introduce federal afterschool snack funds into Broward County. There is over $10 million in potential federal resources to serve nutritious, afterschool snacks to approximately 120,000 children in need in Broward County. Until recently, no community program sponsors had stepped up to utilize these funds. After two meetings with area afterschool program providers and funders—including the Children's Services Council of Broward County, the Broward County Parks and Recreation Programs, and the Health Foundation of South Florida--the Broward Boys and Girls Club's KISS Program (serving approximately 3,000 children) was the first to be approved to provide federal afterschool snacks. A second organization, the Afterschool Programs, Inc., is also now awaiting approval for its application.
- Florida Impact has pursued expansion of the Afterschool Meals Program to Florida. There are only 13 states and DC in which sponsors may operate the afterschool supper program with a higher $2.68 per-meal reimbursement (cf. 74 cents per snack). The House version of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided $726 million to the Program nationwide. Florida Senator Bill Nelson penned a letter supporting that priority, but it failed. Precedents for adding six of the states through the appropriations process made us turn to Florida Congressman Allen Boyd (dean of the Blue-Dog Democrats and on the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee). He agreed to submit a request to Chairwoman DeLauro to add Florida in the FY2009-10 appropriations bill, if we could secure bi-partisan support among Florida's congressional delegation. We signed on 13 delegates. The Congressional Budget Office showed that adding Florida would cost over $7 million dollars. So, we didn't get included in the bill. Currently we are pursuing a strategy to expand the Afterschool Meals Program by securing commitments from 13 of Florida's 27 delegates to co-sponsor S.990/H.R.3321 and subsequently ensure this language is in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization.
- The Wholesome Wave Foundation has committed $10,000 in matching funds to our farmers market pilot on the grounds of Jackson Memorial Hospital--Miami. The pilot will introduce electronic benefit transfer (EBT) terminals for SNAP/food stamp clients and distribute 4,000 incentive tokens/coupons worth $5 each to those who use their SNAP cards and WIC vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at the Jackson Green Market. Jackson Memorial is Dade's major public hospital and home to a WIC office that serves over 4,500 clients per month. It is also a teaching hospital for the University of Miami, where the Miller School of Medicine serves as the Florida center for the National Institutes of Health's National Children's Study and its look at environmental and genetic factors in child health. The setting provides opportunity for research addressing child obesity with increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables. The pilot will serve as an opportunity for the Florida Department of Health to evaluate the impact of authorizing farmers markets to provide WIC clients with an alternate venue for purchasing fruits and vegetables using the WIC cash value voucher. The Jackson Market will be the first farmers market in Florida authorized to use the new WIC cash value vouchers. The City of Miami and County Extension Office will provide in-kind marketing, outreach, and nutrition education. The Blue Foundation and Health Foundation of South Florida are part of the collaboration to raise local money to meet and exceed the Wholesome Wave Foundation's match.
- Publix Super Markets is underwriting paid television air time for a public service announcement (PSA) featuring Rashard Lewis of the Orlando Magic and information about free summer meals for children.
The PSA will provide parents with a website (www.summerfoodflorida.org) and toll-free number where they can find the nearest summer nutrition site to their homes. Airing throughout the summer on WKMG-TV (Channel 6-Orlando), the PSA will be broadcast to Flagler, Volusia, Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Marion, Sumter, and parts of Polk, Indian River, and Okeechobee counties. Children from the J. D. Callahan Center in Parramore also appear in the PSA! Florida Impact will staff the bi-lingual help-line from its Tallahassee office. If you would like to view a copy of the PSA, email snash@flimpact.org. The Orlando Magic—in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers--underwrote the entire cost of production.
Additionally 25,000 business cards in Spanish and English have been provided to Orange and Osceola counties' Workforce and food stamp/Medicaid offices, county health/WIC departments, and the local food bank for distribution to clients. And we are placing signs in the 275 buses that run Orlando Metro Lynx routes.
- Partners in the Miami area have collaborated on two funding proposals to underwrite the costs for an Enhanced Value Initiative at a new farmers market at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
The plan is to establish an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) terminal at the farmers market (FM), so that food stamp clients can use their EBT cards to purchase locally grown, fresh fruits and vegetables. This option is currently only available in Florida at one rural farmers market in High Springs. This project would establish an urban pilot. Through the provision of incentive coupons for both food stamps and WIC vouchers (like the double-value coupons initiated by the Wholesome Wave Foundation), the project will use the FM as a base for increasing knowledge and awareness of the value of locally grown food through education and outreach. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) operates a WIC clinic at Jackson Memorial Hospital that serves more than 4,000 clients per year. This pilot proposes to launch the first WIC Cash Value Voucher redemption program at a farmers market in Florida. In addition to Florida DOH, the Partners collaborating on these two proposals include: The Market Company, Florida Department of Children and Families, University of Florida's Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences (Miami-Dade County Extension Office), University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, City of Miami, the Health Foundation of South Florida, Share Our Strength, The Blue Foundation, and the Wholesome Wave Foundation.
- The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary George Sheldon invited five leaders involved with the Florida Partnership to serve on the ACCESS Advisory Committee on Economic Security.
In light of Florida's rapidly growing food stamp rolls, the Secretary established the Advisory Committee to assist with improvements for DCF's Automated Community Connection to Economic Self-Sufficiency Services (ACCESS) Program. Members of the committee are charged with providing direction and suggestions for ensuring timely and accurate delivery of benefits to eligible citizens and identifying statutory, policy, or procedural barriers to effective response and service provision. Perry Borman, DCF's Circuit 15 Administrator, and Dave Krepcho, with Second Harvest of Central Florida, serve as co-chairs. Cindy Huddleston, Florida Legal Services; Ebony Yarbrough, Florida Impact; and Ted Granger, United Way of Florida, also serve on the committee.
- Florida Partnership leaders secure 13 Florida congressional delegates for signed request to add Florida to the ten other states (Delaware, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Vermont) that are currently operating the Afterschool Supper Program in the federal budget.
Although Florida receives funding for afterschool snacks for children over age 13, it is not among the handful of states that receive a higher reimbursement to provide suppers. A nutritious, evening meal is not always a given for many Florida families, and one in six Florida children are projected to struggle with hunger. The Afterschool Meal Program will help reduce hunger among Florida's children, while providing much-needed support for parents working non-traditional hours. Members of the Florida delegation submitted a formal request (view letter) to the House Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee, upon which Congressman Allen Boyd (D-2) sits. The letter requests that expansion of this program to Florida be included in the FY 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill, so agencies in our state can respond to the growing need. The bi-partisan signers with Congressman Boyd are Representatives Corrine Brown, Kathy Castor, Mario Diaz-Balart, Alan Grayson, Alcee Hastings, Ron Klein, Susan Kosmas, Kendrick Meek, Adam Putnam, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Robert Wexler.
- The Orlando Magic will begin taping the children's summer nutrition Public Service Announcement on March 20th. Negotiations with the Governor's Office are still underway relative to the level of his involvement in that project.
Rashard Lewis (http://www.nba.com/playerfile/rashard_lewis/) is the Magic player who will be featured in the television spot along with children from the J. D. Callahan Center in Parramore!
- Department of Children and Families Secretary George Sheldon joined Florida Partnership members in a February 19th news conference at the Capitol.
Representatives from Feeding America, United Way of Florida, and Florida Impact stood with the Secretary to emphasize the need for increased state funding to address the dramatic growth in food stamp applications.
By the end of last year, Florida led the nation for that surge —the largest in the state's history, even surpassing the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.
All of Florida's major television and radio feeds covered the event, which was featured in a half dozen Florida newspapers around the state
(http://www.publicnewsservice.org/index.php?/content/article/8048-1).
- The Florida Partnership's religious leadership are collaborating with Florida Impact to host Florida Advocacy Days during the annual Children's Week at the Capitol on March 29th through 31st.
The United Methodist Church (Florida Conference) and the African Methodist Episcopal Church (Eleventh Episcopal District) are registering participants for Impact's annual legislative briefing to help people-of-faith advocate for public programs and budget priorities that serve our state's most vulnerable citizens as well as learn ways their congregations can become involved with the work of the Partnership.
For more information, see http://flimpact.org/events/2009-FAD.pdf.
- Eighteen Florida Partnership members met with U.S. Senator Bill Nelson and U.S. Congressman Allen Boyd in late January and early February to urge their leadership for including Afterschool Suppers in the Economic Stimulus Package.
This broadly representative group included food banks, churches, sheriff's offices, children's afterschool programs and our national partners, Share Our Strength and the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC).
Senator Nelson sent a letter of support to the Senate and Appropriations Committee leaders (view letter). Though the House version had provided $726 million to expand the Afterschool Feeding Program nationwide, the Senate had started with zero, which resulted in no funding for afterschool suppers in the stimulus package.
However, both Florida congressional delegates have made commitments to helping the Partnership pursue this funding in the FY2009-10 budget process.
|
