President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to end childhood hunger in America by the year 2015. WHY(World Hunger Year) is part of NAHO, The National Association of Hunger Organizations that has joined the cause. Each organization will do its part to partner with the federal government and all sectors of society to make this pledge become a reality. WHY believes that there are several concrete steps that can assure that no child in America goes hungry.
- UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL LUNCH AND BREAKFAST- Government should provide a universal free school lunch and breakfast for all school children from pre-k to 12th grade. For years we have been told that this is too expensive and that it is the responsibility of parents to feed their children, yet government in most places provides free books for all and free transportation for all who live beyond a reasonable distance . We as a society do that because we believe that books and transportation are an essential investment in our children so they can learn and in the future of our country. All studies and common sense tell us that children do not learn well on an empty stomach.
- ASSURE EVERY SCHOOLCHILD HAS A HUNGER FREE SUMMER- Summer is the time when children are hungriest because most of them are not eating a school lunch and breakfast. Only about 19 percent of all children who are eligible for free school meals receive a meal from the federal Summer Feeding Program. Most school districts do not have a program and many that do, have locations that are not accessible to all children. There are problems of distance, an available school or other appropriate institution, insurance, staffing, funding and onerous paperwork and bureaucracy. Additional funding and simplification of applications to run a program and to register for it will increase participation. In rural areas and places where there is no program adding sufficient money for the months of July and August on to the family's SNAP(Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) electronic benefit card can feed children in those areas.
- IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE OF SCHOOL MEALS- We have an epidemic of childhood obesity and diabetes in our country that has led some medical experts to predict that the present generation of children under ten will be the first generation to live shorter lives than their parents. This is especially true of poor children. There are hundreds of school districts that have improved the quality of school meals and helped local farmers by purchasing their fruits, vegetables, dairy products and meat. The federal government has pioneered a national program to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to poor school districts. All levels of government, school districts, teachers unions and PTAs must make good food a priority in all schools and eliminate fast food vending machines and soda machines from schools. Farm to school programs in many communities provide local farmers access to sell their produce to local school districts. All levels of government should work with the farmers and schools to remove unnecessary barriers for this process which helps the farmers and the health of children.
- MAKE GOOD FOOD BLOOM IN FOOD DESERTS- There are thousands of what are called food deserts in our country. These are geographic areas where there are no or very few places to purchase nutritious food. Many food deserts are in cities where all or most of the supermarkets have left to be replaced by convenience stores, gas stations and fast food restaurants. Strangely, many others are in rural areas where the nearest food store is many miles away. During the recent gas crisis this placed an intolerable burden on rural families but even in normal times the burden is heavy. All levels of government, businesses, unions, schools and other community organizations should work together to promote, food coops, farmers markets, community gardens, backyard and rooftop gardens, and schoolyard gardens in areas that are considered food deserts.
- INCREASE SNAP – THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (FORMALLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS) BENEFITS AND ACCESSIBILITY- There are now some thirty one million people on this program, yet about one third of eligible people, especially the working poor and seniors are not on the program . In some states with high poverty rates the numbers are much worse. The benefits are based on a formula called the Thrifty Food Program that goes back to the 1960s and is out of date. Its benefits usually run out well before the month is over. It should be replaced by the slightly more generous Low Cost Food Program that would provide families with a more realistic assistance. The SNAP program is a good investment in our economy because the money is spent immediately and $1 Generates $1.78 of business activity in the community. This time of economic crisis is the right time to help hungry families with their food bills by increasing the benefits and by reaching out to the millions of eligible people who are not on the program. As the economy improves the number of people on the program will diminish. The people who will be helped the most will be children.
- EXPAND THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT( EITC ) PROGRAM TO INCLUDE MORE THAN TWO CHILDREN IN AN ELIGIBLE FAMILY AND NON CUSTODIAL PARENTS- This program is responsible for keeping more children out of poverty than any other. It is universally supported. However the benefits only extend to two children in a family and not to non custodial parents. The number of children should be increased and non custodial parents should be included with the provision that the money goes to the custodial parent to support the children. About half the states also have a supplemental EITC that delivers more than $4 BILLION each year to poor families. The other states, including many of the poorest states should be strongly encouraged to institute a state EITC that provides at least an additional ten percent over and above the federal EITC benefit.
- RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE AND INDEX IT TO INFLATION- The value of the minimum wage has deteriorated dramatically over the past forty years. It must be raised to at least $9.50 an hour and indexed to inflation. State minimum wages must rise accordingly and several states, including the poorest states should have a state minimum wage.
- MAKE THE WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN'S SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM (WIC) AN ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM- This would stabilize funding and increase the number of those eligible.
- PROVIDE INCREASED FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY BASED PROGRAMS THAT HELP POOR CHILDREN.- There are thousands of these programs all across the country. Many of them are after school programs that provide a snack or supper as well as a variety of services that strengthen a child in mind, body and safety after school. Others are shelters for victims of family abuse. Still others are foster care programs and orphanages. The children in all these situations are often not fed well.
- CREATE MILLIONS OF HIGH WAGE JOBS IN FIELDS WHERE POOR PEOPLE CAN COMPETE- President-elect Obama has pledged to invest in clean energy jobs. This is an excellent idea but what about the millions of low-wage workers who take care of the most precious people in our lives; our children, parents and grandparents and many of us when we are in hospitals? We as a society must value the workers who take care of the people we value so dearly. That means fairly compensating childcare workers, nannies, teacher's aids, Head Start personnel, nurses' aids, home healthcare and nursing home workers. An important first step will be to make it easier for these low-wage workers to join a union where they will on average make twenty percent more income, have better benefits and be better trained so they can move up the economic ladder. An important step for the federal government is to pass regulations that mandate higher salaries for workers in institutions being funded by the federal government and on the job training that will move them up the career ladder and provide better services for the people we say we value so highly. A high portion of workers in these low paying jobs are employed in federally funded businesses.
Of course, there are many other factors that effect childhood nutrition but these ten would go a long way to ending childhood hunger in America, reduce poverty and erase one of the truly cruel and unnecessary blots on our nation's moral character.
Bill Ayres
Co-founder and Executive Director
WHY(World Hunger Year)
bill@whyhunger.org 212-629-8850 x29
