Breaking News USDA/Census Bureau food security survey results for 2010 Summer Meal counts for 2011 New resource: At Risk Afterschool Meal Program School Breakfast Challenge up and running State and federal budget cuts threatening the anti-hunger safety net

The number of households in WA experiencing hunger nearly doubled between 2007 and 2010.

Nearly 15% of Washington households struggled to put food on the table; over 6% experienced hunger. Here in Skagit County, its estimated that 15.2% of households experience food insecurity.

Most likely to be hungry: Families with children: one in four experience food insecurity. In Skagit County, 27% of households with children struggle to put food on the table. Latino, African American and Native American households: one in four. Single-parent households: one in three.

We know this is a crisis that can be solved. In the worlds wealthiest nation, no child should grow up hungry.

Problems facing kids can be complex; solving their hunger is not: Feed children three nutrition meals each and every day where they live, learn and play. LEARN Nutritious, high-quality meals during school and after (school breakfast and lunch, afterschool snacks and meals) Nutrition education Cooking classes Advocacy PLAY Nutritious, high-quality meals when school is not in session (afterschool snacks and meals, summer meals) Fresh-food markets and stores Advocacy LIVE Food Stamps Food pantries and shelters Food for pregnant women, infants and preschool kids (WIC) Fresh-food markets and stores Nutrition education Cooking classes Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Advocacy

ECHWA Strategies: Feed kids where they live – – Strengthen Basic Food/SNAP and increase access – Insure all pregnant women, infants and children access WIC in their communities – Provide a safety net of nutritious emergency food in local communities – Expand ways for low-income families to access/afford more fresh fruits and vegetables – Help kids and families understand and make healthy food choices – Remember that family income insecurity causes hunger and work on root causes

ECHWA Strategies: Feed kids where they learn– – Provide the opportunity for a nutritious breakfast and lunch at school for all kids every day – Insure that infants and young children have healthy food available in early learning and child care settings – Keep kids safe and healthy afterschool by serving nutritious snacks and afterschool meals – Help kids make healthy food choices

ECHWA Strategies: Feed kids where they play – – Keep kids safe and healthy afterschool by serving nutritious snacks and afterschool meals – Make nutritious summer meals available across the state to reduce summertime hunger – Help kids make healthy food choices

Live: Basic Food – 22,663 individuals received Basic Food in June 2011, an increase of 90% since June 2008 – An estimated $2.7 million per month in benefits are spent in local grocery stores – Skagit County participation is slightly higher than statewide participation – Options to connect families to Basic Food: Outreach through SCCA Mobile CSO Washington Connections and Parenthelp123.org

Live: WIC 57% of babies born in Skagit County are served by the WIC program, compared to 50% statewide Just under 7,000 Skagit County women, infants and children participate in WIC Recent data from the state Department of Health found that WIC is not serving a third of Medicaid clients in Skagit County who would be eligible for WIC. A zip code analysis shows a particular service gap in Anacortes.

Live: Emergency Food Opening the Sedro Wooley warehouse in August gave emergency food providers in Skagit County a boost! The Commodity Supplemental Food Program which provides seniors with nutritious food packages, is not available in Skagit County.

Learn: School Meals Skagit County has seven school districts with just over 19,000 children registered in October of % qualified for free or reduced-price meals. On an average day, 61% of eligible students received a school lunch and 30% a school breakfast. No school district in Skagit County has reached 50% in free and reduced-price breakfast participation in comparison to lunch participation.

Play: Afterschool Meals and Snacks New resource: At Risk Afterschool Meal Program Reimburses up to one meal and one snack afterschool (or on weekends) during the school year at: – Programs in areas where 50% of kids are eligible for free/reduced price school meals – Programs that provide enrichment, education and other activities for kids after school

Play: Afterschool Meals and Snacks Helps afterschool programs feed kids AND increases financial viability $3 per meal per day: estimated to be $675 per child per year if you serve a meal and snack! School districts could provide the meals, increasing reimbursement while not increasing labor costs

Play: Summer Meals Despite losing three sponsoring organizations, in summer 2011 Skagit County summer meal programs more than doubled the meals and snacks served over 2010 numbers!! More than 52,000 meals were served!

How did it happen? Sedro Wooley School District : – Opened school cafeterias in areas with the highest numbers of Free and Reduced Priced meal participation during the regular school year – Offered a hot meal program versus a cold sack lunch – Menus included student favorites; added ice cream cups or popsicles once per week – to make lunch fun for the kids – Served the children indoors in the cafeterias vs. outdoors on the playfields – Partnered with the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club to attract children. – We advertised in a neighboring school districts – as they were not able to offer the program this summer.

Summary Outreach continues to be needed to insure that all eligible families are accessing Basic Food. School districts need community support and encouragement to work harder to make breakfast and lunch programs appealing and accessible to all children. Despite great work this summer, more kids in Skagit County need summer meal programs. The At Risk Afterschool Meal Program offers a new resource to support safe afterschool programs AND provide kids with good nutrition. WIC services may not be accessible to all who could benefit from WICs effective services.

No Kid Hungry and End Childhood Hunger Washington are here to help. Sound like an impossible task?

School Breakfast Challenge School districts are automatically enrolled. Individual schools can enter to be a Super- School Mini-grants are available Cash prizes

Afterschool Meals Make a plan -- – Whos already providing afterschool snacks? Urge them to add suppers. Suppers can be right after school. – School districts: add CACFP At Risk Meals for school and community afterschool programs. – Build on summer meal partnerships. – Strengthen afterschool programs!

Summer Meals Build on this years success: – Re-engage sponsors who have dropped out – Target areas with no programs – There are start-up and expansion grants available from No Kid Hungry, Schools Out WA and OSPI. – Make community plans to boost outreach, increase participation and financial viability – Check out tons of resources on

Lets Get to Work. The kids are waiting.