Senior Round Table

Last Thursday we organized over 30 partners from across the state to discuss seniors' access to 3SquaresVT (formerly known as food stamps). Currently, only 33% of eligible seniors are utilizing the program. Hunger among seniors is a critical issue and it is important for the state, our Congressional delegation, and all of our non-profit partners to be working on solutions. At the round table we shared some of the qualitative data we collected from senior focus groups we hosted around the state. We also heard presentations from Renee Richardson, State Nutrition Program Director; Dottie Rosenbaum, Senior Policy Analyst from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities; Maria Cimini, SNAP Outrach Coordinator from University of Rhode Island Feinstein Center for a Hunger Free America; and our own Angela Smith-Dieng, 3SquaresVT Outreach & Policy Specialist at the Campaign. Our next steps will be to implement the group's recommendations which include an improved outreach plan and innovations to the 3SquaresVT program. Many thanks to our board member, Fran Stoddard who skillfully facilitated the meeting!

Understanding "Area Eligibility"

Currently, 29,000 kids in Vermont access free or reduced price meals during the school year and only 5,000 of those kids have access to meal programs in their communities during the summer. The 24,000 kids who don't have access to meals in the summer are at much higher risk of obesity and falling behind their peers when school is back in session.

There are two ways the Campaign is making a difference on this issue. First, we are working with communities to assure there are good quality summer programs for all kids that include nutrition programs. Second, Congress is preparing to take up child nutrition reauthorization this year. We are working with our Congressional delegation on improving the area eligibility threshold for open summer meal sites and free school meal programs from 50% to 40% of the federal poverty level, which would increase access to nutritious food for children. In Vermont, this change would affect over 60 school districts and 13,000 more kids would become eligible to access meals year round.

The map below gives a visual of what this change would mean for Vermont kids. The red areas on the map are currently eligible. If area eligibility was lowered to 40%, the blue areas could also become eligible.

Summer Food Kick Off

Friday, June 26th was the 2009 Summer Food Kick Off hosted by Burlington Parks & Recreation, Burlington School Systems, and the Campaign. Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator of the nation's Food and Nutrition Program at the USDA attended along with Vermont Secretary of Human Services, Rob Hofman, Burlington Mayor Bob Kiss, and the Burlington Firefighters Association. After we ate our delicious lunches (all beef hot dogs, wheat rolls, and fresh Intervale fruits & veggies), the grown-ups headed to H.O. Wheeler School for a community round table with our USDA partners. It was a tremendously successful event! The Campaign and our partners had the opportunity to share our successes and challenges implementing the federal nutrition programs in our small, rural state. Check out the video from the event!