International Human Rights Day

Today is International Human Rights Day which marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Noted in Article 25 of the declaration is “the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and his family, including food…”

This month is a time of celebration for many families across our state. However, too many Vermonters don’t have the means to put meals on the table to gather with friends, family, and neighbors. Food insecurity has been on the rise in our state for the last few years. Having limited or no access to nutritious food is not a standard of living and it is not a life choice. It is a violation of human rights.

Vermont’s state motto is Freedom & Unity. Nothing makes a person freer than being able to feed themselves and their families. The health and well-being of Vermonters are directly linked to the food they eat and have access too on a daily basis. Limited access to food and the low-food security statistics are keeping Vermonters from living our state motto to their fullest potential. We can do better.

Our organization’s belief statements best articulate our vision for a hunger free Vermont:

• We believe everyone has the right to food to sustain an active and healthy life and that the source of that food is consistent and reliable.
• We believe everyone has the right to choose a diet that is nutritious, varied, and culturally appropriate.
• We believe everyone has the right to food access through dignified means and traditional channels.
• We believe everyone has the right to sufficient knowledge regarding good nutrition and cooking skills, to sustain them throughout their lives.
• We believe in social sustainability: access to nutritious, affordable food is built in to the fabric of all communities.
• We believe children need quality food and nutrition education to reach their full potential.

Thank you for standing with us to live these beliefs everyday on behalf of the 1 in 7 Vermont households who struggle with food security in Vermont. Together we can ensure that every Vermonter has the right to be healthy and hunger free.

3SquaresVT Challenge Completed

Thank you to everyone who participated in the 3SquaresVT Challenge last week as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. There were over 70 participants, including DCF Commissioner Steve Dale, who took on the challenge to live on the average 3SquaresVT (formerly food stamps) budget—approximately $1.80 per meal. It seems that we all learned something about the barriers to participation and the tremendous amount of planning and resourcefulness required to eat well on a budget. All of us at the Campaign thank you for taking part in this awareness effort and our hope is that you will continue to raise awareness and advocate for food insecure Vermonters in your community. To learn more about hunger in Vermont and ways you can help, go to www.vtnohunger.org and click on “get involved.”

Day 7 of 3SquaresVT Challenge

Congratulations, it’s the last day of the Challenge – you made it! Hopefully, this week has given you some things to think about and has sparked some good conversations. Any final thoughts to share?

What You Can Do: Stay aware and engaged! To end hunger in Vermont and across the globe, we all must be aware of the problems and work together – individuals, communities, and our government – to find solutions. Sign up for the Campaign’s monthly Hunger and Nutrition E-Update to stay informed on the latest research, materials, events, and legislation related to hunger and nutrition programs in Vermont. Learn more about 3SquaresVT at www.vermontfoodhelp.com.

Day 6 of 3SquaresVT Challenge

Only 2 days to go – how is your food budget stretching? Have you had to turn down any food along the way, invitations to eat out, joining in a potluck, or that coffee on the go? What are the social consequences you’re seeing this week as you make these choices? What would it be like to make these tough choices all the time?

What You Can Do: Many Vermonters still do not see the “hidden hunger” in our state. Tell a friend about the issue; share these hunger facts. Use social networking to inform people – invite your friends to be fans of the Campaign and the Foodbank on Facebook.

Day 5 of 3SquaresVT Challange

Ok, be honest, are you still enjoying the Challenge at this point? Tired of rice and beans? Craving a little Ben and Jerry’s? Your family complaining at the dinner table?

What You Can Do: While 3SquaresVT benefits are intended to supplement a household’s food budget, the reality is that many families rely solely on 3SquaresVT for their food money, and it often runs out before the end of the month, forcing them to visit food shelves, borrow food or money, or find other ways to get food. Donate money or food to your local food shelf – they often run low on nutrient dense foods. Don’t know how to find your local food shelf or when they are open? Call 2-1-1 or search the 2-1-1 database.

Day 4 of 3SquaresVT Challenge

We’re more than half way through the Challenge – how is it going? Many people take the Challenge to see if it’s possible to eat nutritiously on a limited budget. How are you trying to make it work?

What You Can Do: Nutrition is key to good health. Doctors are often a liaison into people’s lives. Encourage local physicians and other medical providers to ask their patients about food insecurity and to provide information and referrals to food resources.

Day 3 of 3SquaresVT Challenge

1 in 7 Vermonters receive 3SquaresVT benefits and live this “Challenge” every day. What choices are you making this week that may be helping you see hunger in Vermont from their perspective?

What You Can Do: Help strengthen 3SquaresVT so that Vermonters can get the nutrition they need all day and all month long. Lawmakers in Washington DC are considering cutting future 3SquaresVT benefits to pay for child nutrition programs, like school meals. Call Congress and the White House and ask them to strengthen, not cut, 3SquaresVT (called SNAP at the national level). Tell them it doesn’t make sense to pay for lunch by cutting money for dinner. For more information, go to www.frac.org.

Day 2 of 3SquaresVT Challenge

According to the U.S. Census, 1 in 5 Vermont families struggled with hunger at some point last year. How is your 3SquaresVT Challenge experience changing how you think about this number?

What You Can Do: Help increase access to food resources for food insecure Vermonters. Make sure that public areas (town offices, libraries, churches, community centers, etc.) post information on 2-1-1, 3SquaresVT, school meals, and local food shelves.

Day 1 of 3SquaresVT Challenge

And so we begin the 3SquaresVT Challenge. How does it feel? What was it like to go grocery shopping on a limited budget; what choices did you have to make in the store?

What You Can Do: When you were shopping for the week, did you happen to notice if the grocery store actually accepts 3SquaresVT benefits? Ask you local store if they do, and if so, ask them to display the “We Welcome 3SquaresVT” cling-on decal the Campaign sent them (we have more if they need them). If they don’t accept benefits, give them the retailer flyer and encourage them to become authorized.

3SquaresVT Challenge

3SquaresVT Challenge: November 14th—20th as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

Learn first hand what it is like to try to make ends meet on a limited food budget! Live on a 3SquaresVT budget for a week – spend only $38 on food to eat for the week. Then share your experience with others. Learn more, find materials and, if you haven't already, register for the challenge on our website.

3SquaresVT (formerly food stamps) is the nation’s single most important program in the fight against hunger, designed to improve the nutrition and food purchasing power of people with limited incomes. The program makes a difference in the lives of thousands of Vermonters every day, but in many cases, the benefits are too low to allow households to purchase nutritious food and feed their families healthy meals on a consistent basis. The 3SquaresVT Challenge seeks to highlight what it is like to eat on the average 3SquaresVT benefit — approximately $1.80 per meal.

Register for the challenge and check back here in November to comment on my blog about your experience.

Lamoille Valley Hunger Council Kicks Off

Back in 2006, we developed the Hunger Council model through our partnership with Northfield Savings Bank. The Councils in Washington and Chittenden Counties have made great strides in reducing hunger in their regions and are still going strong. Based on the success of these other groups, we are thrilled to start a Hunger Council to serve the Lamoille Valley.

This past Thursday, September 30th, was the inaugural meeting of the Lamoille Valley Hunger Council. The group includes several dozen community leaders from organizations such as the Lamoille Family Center, CVCAC, Laraway Youth and Family Services, the Department of Health, Meals on Wheels, and Johnson State College. This Council will be co-chaired by Scott Johnson, Director of the Lamoille Family Center, and Susan Bartlett, former State Senator.

The reason for this meeting – and for the new Council in general – is the fact that hunger is on the rise in the Lamoille Valley. As Dorigen Keeney from the Campaign explained, 1 in 6 children in the Valley are hungry. Despite the hard work and dedication of the folks on the Council, there is still work to be done to make sure everyone in the area has access to adequate nutrition. That will be the mission of this Council for the coming years: to understand what barriers local citizens face when trying to provide for themselves and their families, what programs or policies need to be created or improved, and how we can all work together to make these changed happen. Stay tuned!

What Vermonters Will Lose

Last Thursday, the US Senate passed a $14 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps, called 3SquaresVT in Vermont) in order to pay for two major bills, including a state fiscal aid bill aimed at saving the jobs of an estimated 300,00 public employees, and the Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, a bill designed to fund and authorize programs such as school meals for the next five years. However, both bills cut SNAP benefits in order to pay for implementation. The Hunger Free Kids Act does provide some modest gains for child nutrition programs, but all of us at the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger are deeply disappointed to see cuts to another vital nutrition program to pay for these improvements. The benefit cut, scheduled to go into effect as early as 2013, is worth roughly $50 for a family of three.

I decided to investigate what this $50 cut would mean for a Vermont family. On Monday, I went to a local grocery store with my colleague Rebecca O'Reilly. Check out the video below to see what we found:

Anti-hunger advocates are now urging the House of Representatives to find an alternative source of funding for Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010. Vermonters can contact Congressman Welch's office to make your voice heard.

We're here!

There are still some boxes in the halls and we don't have a conference room table yet, but....

WE'RE HERE!

We are officially moved in to our new home at 38 Eastwood Drive, Suite 100 in South Burlington. Please come visit us! We will also be hosting an open house when we're completely settled some time in September. Below are a few photos I snapped this afternoon.

Moving!

This is our last day at 180 Flynn Avenue! Our new office will be at 38 Eastwood Drive in South Burlington. Our office has been upside down these last few weeks, but the staff haven't missed a beat. Our administrative team has kept the office running smoothy while prepping us for the big move. Please visit us at our new home starting Wednesday, August 4th.

More Farmers' Markets Accept 3SquaresVT This Summer

When you're out and about this holiday weekend you should check out your local farmers' market where you can buy fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, meats, dairy, and maple products with your debit or electronic 3SquaresVT (formerly known as Food Stamps) benefits card (EBT). This year 27 farmers' markets throughout Vermont-11 more than last year and almost half of the total markets in the state-accept 3SquaresVT. People who want to grow their own food can even use their 3SquaresVT benefits to buy fruit and vegetable seeds or plants. 3SquaresVT brings over $10 million into the state each month so providing the EBT/Debit technology at farmers' markets allows more farmers and local businesses to capture this significant resource. Happy eating!

Strategic Plan 2010-2015

I'm proud to share our recently completed, five-year strategic plan. The board and staff worked closely together to examine our organization's efficacy. We asked questions of ourselves and our community on how we can best address the rising hunger problem in our state. We are all very proud of our results! Click on the plan above to see a reader friendly version in a new window.

About "Nothing"

Last Wednesday I was in Boston meeting with our colleagues in the Northeast Regional Anti-Hunger Network. CEO of the Rhode Island Foodbank, Andrew Schiff shared with us their new Nothing campaign. This campaign is designed to help everyone understand what it feels like to go hungry. They created empty cans of Nothing that you can buy with other canned foods in the grocery store. These empty cans are more than just a symbol. Purchasing a can of Nothing supports the Rhode Island Foodbank. They also hosted taste tests of Nothing around Rhode Island. This dynamic and thoughtful campaign made a big impact on us all, and I'm so proud of Nothing!

The new and improved VermontFoodHelp.com

We are delighted to announce that www.vermontfoodhelp.com, a 3SquaresVT information site for Vermonters, just received a new look! The revised website incorporates the new program name (the most creative name in the country in our opinion) and the new branding of 3SquaresVT. Much of the information is the same, but the navigation has changed to make it easier for Vermonters to find what they need. Thank you to the Department of Children and Families and all of the community partners that provided input on the design of the new site. Please take a look and let us know what you think!

"About Hunger & Resilience" Exhibition

I'm excited to share that Vermont will have the honor of hosting photographer Michael Nye's acclaimed exhibition About Hunger & Resilience in April 2011. Nye spent almost five years traveling the US collecting experiences of hunger. This exhibition is a powerful collection of photos and stories. Each one will take your breath away.

The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger will be co-hosting the exhibition with our friends at the Vermont Foodbank. We are currently working to secure a gallery in Burlington and more details will be coming soon. In the mean time you can experience some of the exhibit on Michael Nye's website or in this NPR story.

More Friends from the USDA

On March 26th, we had the pleasure of hosting our friend Lisa Pino, Deputy Administrator of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP-formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) from the USDA. Lisa has traveled the country to see first hand the successes and challenges of implementing the federal nutrition programs. We are so lucky to have Lisa working to improve access to SNAP for everyone in the country. While in Vermont, Lisa had the chance to enjoy a nutritious (and delicious) lunch at Ferrisburgh School. She then visited with senior advocates working on 3SquaresVT outreach and ended the day talking to staff and children at the King Street Youth Center. The Campaign staff organized these visit with our local partners and it was great to talk policy with Lisa as we drove around Vermont for the day!

We ate lunch with our friends at Ferrisburgh School. Kathy Alexander and her team make the best meals! Today's lunch was corn, bean or (local) beef burritos in whole wheat tortillas, homemade salsa, salad, apples, and milk. Yum!

Lisa Pino, Vicki Smith from King Street Youth Center, and Martha Maksym from the United Way discussed the challenges implementing the At-risk Supper Program. Even though King Street serves many eligible children, the current "area eligibility" threshold prevents them from participating. We are hoping to change this in the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act.

Lisa chats with Teresa Felix, Dietary Manager at the Vermont Achievement Center and President of Vermont's School Nutrition Association

Hike For Hunger!

Check out our new Hike for Hunger video. It is not too early to start organizing a hike. Last year kids and families around Vermont raised $32,000 to support our Cooking for Life program. Let's make 2010 a record year!

Quick Hunger Council Meeting Pics and Quotes

These pictures are from my iPhone so sorry about the quality. We had a great meeting with the Chittenden County Hunger Council yesterday. The hunger council model brings together community leaders three times a year to learn about hunger and share their ideas for solutions to the problem. Then VTCECH puts those solutions in to action! Here are my two favorite quotes from yesterday:

"Will you be my taste tester?" -Peter Carmoli sharing a strategy to encourage senior participation in Meals on Wheels

"You can feed someone for one year for the cost of one day in the hospital."

Heard in High Places

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack and me!

VTCECH Board Vice-Chair/Hunger Council Chair, Fran Stoddard with Marcelle Leahy

CVCAC Executive Director, Hal Cohen, Secretary Vilsack, and Senator Sanders

Secretary Vilsack and Burlington Schools Food Service Director, Doug Davis

Congressman Welch, Senator Leahy, Secretary Vilsack, and Senator Sanders

On Saturday, Vermont’s anti-hunger leaders had the opportunity to meet with United States Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack and Vermont’s Congressional delegation at Senator Leahy’s office in Burlington. In our discussions, two key themes emerged:

1. Vermont has unique and special partnerships between the advocate community and the state administrators of the federal nutrition programs. We look for innovative solutions together with a shared vision for a hunger free world.
2. The federal nutrition programs need to be simpler and easier to use so more low-income families can access them.

I believe that the concerns of our communities were heard and taken seriously by the Secretary, Senator Leahy, Senator Sanders, and Congressman Welch. Senator Leahy said he will be working with Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN) on proposed legislation that would lower the “area eligibility” test from 50% to 40%. This legislation would make it possible for an additional 67 towns in VT to operate “open” summer programs where all children in the town could access free meals in the summer. I was also delighted to hear about new initiatives such as Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food and other pilot programs for rural states.

This was an extraordinary opportunity to represent the needs of Vermonters to Secretary Vilsack who is dedicated to making sure everyone in our country has access to healthy and nutritious food. I’m also very thankful to our Senators and Congressman for actively supporting meaningful change to the federal nutrition programs in the upcoming Child Nutrition Reauthorization. I look forward to our future work together to meet President Obama’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015.

Edibles and Friends

I just wanted to thank our friends Bob Reese & Alison Hooper at Vermont Butter & Cheese for donating the proceeds of Saturday's cookbook sales to the Campaign. A cheerful crowd gathered at Mirabelle's in downtown Burlington for an evening of fabulous food and conversation. Andrew Silva & Alison Lane from Mirabelle's cooked up a beautiful spread using recipes from In a Cheesemaker's Kitchen. If you haven't bought a copy yet I highly recommend it! Alison Lane's recipe for chevre and smoked salmon scones is wonderful!

I'm also so grateful to our friend Deborah Shapiro at Edible Green Mountains. This is another publication you must get your hands on. If you love good food and want to transform the way our community shops for, cooks, eats and relates to food-this is for you! Plus, there is the most beautiful Cooking for Life ad on the back of the winter edition.

Thank you to all of our friends who are committed to good food and assuring access to food and nutrition for all!

Hunger Awareness Day

February 11th is Hunger Awareness Day at the Vermont State House. Each year the Campaign calls on Vermont's legislators to support the important policies and nutrition programs that feed our citizens. We will be in the State House cafeteria from 7-11 a.m. with our partners from the Vermont Foodbank, the School Nutrition Association, and Vermont FEED. Please join us if you're in Montpelier that day. For more information check out our website. Below are some photos from last year's event!

Governor Douglas with his school breakfast

Legislators sign on to our bills and get information on hunger

Carol Brill, Long-time food service director from St. Johnsbury,
hands out school breakfasts with her grandaughters

The Cows Come Home to Burlington

Moo! The Cows Come Home to Burlington is a community art project being exhibited in downtown Burlington May through September 2010. It's a 24/7, all-weather exhibit where local artists paint 35 life-like (and life-sized!) fiberglass cows. The cows will be displayed throughout the Burlington downtown and at local hot spots around the region. At the end of the season, the cows are put up for auction and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger.

You can sponsor this moo-velous (sorry, couldn't help myself) event! Being a cow sponsor has many benefits for your organization. Check out the Lake Champlain Regional Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

Below is the cow location map. We hope to see you there!

View Burlington Street Art Festival in a larger map

My new OWL friends

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of joining the Green Mountain chapter of the Older Women's League (OWL) for their monthly lunch meeting. OWL is the only national grassroots membership organization to focus solely on issues unique to women as they age. OWL strives to improve the status and quality of life for midlife and older women. The Green Mountain chapter of OWL is passionate about senior participation in 3SquaresVT (formerly known as Food Stamps). Currently, only 34% of eligible seniors, age 60 and over, participate in 3SquaresVT. Seniors often have misinformation about the program or face added barriers to accessing it. It is so important that communities make an extra effort to reach out to seniors who might need help buying food and encourage them to apply for food assistance. I am very appreciative to my new OWL friends who are passionate about this issue and have committed to sharing information about 3SquaresVT in their community. Thank you to all the wonderful women of OWL for your work in the state as well the excellent conversation and company.