Community Based Partnerships in Food Insecurity http :// www.cbpp.org/research/video-community-eligibility-making-s chools-hunger-free?fa=view&id=4160&mc_cid=a06bc716af&mc_ei d=5fd2f8f250
Dec 23, 2015
Community Based Partnerships in Food Insecurity
http://www.cbpp.org/research/video-community-eligibility-making-schools-hunger-free?fa=view&id=4160&mc_cid=a06bc716af&mc_eid=5fd2f8f250
Combating Childhood Hunger Programs Include:
• Kids Weekend Backpack Feeding Program • Summer Food Service Program • School Pantry Program • Fresh Fruits and Vegetables for Children
What is Community Eligibility Provision (CEP)?
• Established in the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 as a new option to allow low-income schools to feed more students and focus on meal quality rather than on paperwork.
• Low-income schools provide free breakfasts and lunches to all students without collecting applications
• Participating schools are guaranteed to receive the same reimbursement rate (or a higher one if more children become directly certified) for 4 years
Benefits of Community Eligibility Provision: Helps Children: be more attentive in class, have better attendance and
fewer disciplinary problems
Helps Parents: count on their children eating two healthy meals each day at school and help to stretch their families’ limited food budgets.
Helps Schools: feed more children, reduce the administrative tasks, and improve financial viability of school nutrition programs, have access to
additional funding
Helps Community: Support education, healthy and productive members of society
What Qualifies a Child as Directly Eligible?
All children who are living in a household receiving the following benefits: • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Cash Assistance
(TANF)• Medicaid (only those identified on NYS Education
Department’s direct certification list)This also includes children who are :• in foster care• in Head Start• are homeless or • are migrant
Partnering with School Districts• Identify school districts that have high participation in free and reduced
lunch. 127 school districts on Long Island
• Work with Hunger Solutions, FRAC, and the New York State Department of Education to learn the statistics in the school districts.
• Identify community organizations that have relationships with the school districts.
• Identify school administrators who are advocates in the area of food insecurity.
• Build relationships with food directors who manage the data for eligibility.
• Identify private schools who can apply separately.
Grass Roots vs. Grass Tops
Who are the Grass Top Supporters?
Examples: School Administration, School Board, Legislators, Assemblymen, Senators, Business Leaders
Who are the Grass Roots Supporters?
Examples: Food Pantries, Faith Based Organizations, Youth Programs, Health Clinics, Community Organizations
Successes • Woodward Children’s Center exceeded the required number of children
directly certified to 70% and is completing the application for enrollment in September.
• Freeport School District has increased the percentage of children directly certified from 48%-51% (appx. 210 children). One school is currently at 63% and is considering an application for CEP at this school.
• Although Wyandanch School District is below the 62.5% and will still apply to enroll in September. They will continue to work with Island Harvest to increase the enrollment in SNAP.
• Built an overall awareness in the community about SNAP. • Expanded a partnership with the Health Centers in Suffolk County. • Assisted over 25 families in Wyandanch in applying for SNAP as a result
of a robo call from the school district.
Lessons Learned• Get buy-in from the Superintendent. • Work with communities who already have committees to revitalize the
community. • Be creative with SNAP outreach. • Language is important
Next Steps • Partner with the Freeport School District for the Summer Food Service
Program.• Mailings from the Town about SNAP. • SNAP flyers for student’s folders to bring home. • Be available for new parents at Kindergarten registration. • Continued outreach with community partners (7 touches)• Ongoing collaboration with community partners.
Contact Information Allison Puglia
Island Harvest Food BankVice President of Programs and Agency Relations
631-873-4775 or [email protected]