Celebrating Community-Based Organizations' Application Assisters with CalFresh Awareness Month

By Anahid Brakke (she/her)

May is CalFresh Awareness Month! CalFresh, also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a federal food assistance program that provides benefits for eligible households to purchase groceries and bolster food security.  

This month is especially important to build awareness in San Diego County, as one of the main barriers to program participation is a lack of awareness around eligibility requirements. This month, we celebrate the incredible work of application assisters and the importance that they play. Thankfully, we have local community-based organizations (CBOs) that play a significant role in our county to support awareness, outreach, and enrollment efforts. As pillars of the community, CBOs are often the first point of contact for individuals seeking assistance with the application process, and they are uniquely poised to provide supportive, effective, and culturally competent application support through their trained CalFresh Application Assistors.  

For CalFresh Awareness Month, we would like to highlight the crucial role that our subcontracted CBO application assisters fulfill in San Diego County to increase CalFresh enrollment. Application assisters can evaluate someone's eligibility and guide them through the application process, while also deciding how to best support them, by offering the languages a community member(s) prefer and helping to dispel misconceptions or fears about CalFresh with trusted information.  

We are proud to partner with such organizations across the county with rooted connections that can reach unique communities in each place. All organizations subcontracted with the San Diego Hunger Coalition go through our in-depth CalFresh 101 training to help assist with a broad range of applications. It is here where application assisters are trained to advocate for community members and know how to overcome barriers to enrollment. For example, application assisters will go through the process of assisting clients with collecting information such as navigating how to access paystub information since many clients have direct deposit. Application assisters will also sit down with applicants to see if additional expenses such as childcare can be considered to boost benefit amounts. Application assisters in community-based organizations ensure that clients will have a higher likelihood of approval. Many of our partners have been doing this work and contributing to increased nutrition security for years.

You can find our network of partners here: https://sdhunger.org/getcalfresh

You can find our FAQ geared towards community members here: https://www.sdhunger.org/calfresh-for-community-faq. 

Anahid Brakke (she/her) is the President & CEO of San Diego Hunger Coalition

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How families can maximize their CalFresh Benefits

By Anahid Brakke (she/her)

CalFresh benefits provide families with purchasing power and access to healthy, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods. Families have been especially empowered through CalFresh emergency allotments, which were extra benefits provided as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the economy. These provided families with at least $95 more in CalFresh benefits every month.

As of February 28th of 2023, these emergency allotments have officially ended, and many families saw their benefits drop for the first time in three years – some households even saw benefits drop from $281 to the minimum of $23.

CDSS (California Department of Social Services) and counties across California have provided families with communication to prepare them for the end of emergency allotments, but one question lingers on the minds of families and service providers alike – what can families do?

It is especially important for families to ensure that they are receiving the maximum amount of benefits they are eligible for. CalFresh benefit amounts are determined by the family’s net income after deductions from eligible monthly expenses. Reporting these expenses may lead to a higher amount of CalFresh benefits being loaded onto a family’s EBT card every month. The county may request documentation to verify some of these expenses.

If you’d like to read more details about eligible expenses that may increase benefits, we recommend checking out the Maximizing Benefits Flyer (available in English and Spanish). Eligible monthly expenses include:

1.      Shelter Expenses

a.      Contrary to popular belief, shelter expenses are not limited to just mortgage costs or rent payments.

b.      They can also include but are not limited to homeowner association (HOA) fees, taxes and insurance on the house, and repairs to the house caused by natural disaster.

2.      Utility Expenses

a.      Households are eligible to deduct utility costs if costs are separate from rent/shelter costs.

b.      Utilities can include water, heating and cooling costs, gas, telephone costs, sewage, and trash collection.

3.      Dependent Care Expenses

a.      This includes any kind of care costs for children and other dependents (including care for adults).

b.      This can include but is not limited to daycare costs, summer camp costs, Youth Programs (such as YMCA and Boys' and Girls’ Club), and babysitting payments to family, friends, or other individuals.

4.      Child Support Payments

a.      Households are eligible to deduct child support payments to someone outside of their CalFresh household. These do not include alimony payments.

i.     A court-ordered letter will be required by the county for verification of this expense.

5.      Medical Expenses

a.      Households with an elderly or disabled member are eligible to deduct monthly medical expenses.

b.      Allowable medical expenses include but are not limited to: Insurance premiums, medical supplies, hospitalization or outpatient treatment, prescription drugs, transportation costs, dental and eye care, attendant/health aid, maintaining service animals, and medical equipment and associated energy costs.

6.      Homeless Shelter Expenses

a.      Individuals experiencing homelessness are eligible to report expenses related to additional shelter costs. This expense can include but is not limited to:

i.     Car payments (if living in their car)

ii.     Motel payments

iii.     Other shelter expenses

7.      College Students

a.      College students applying for CalFresh may be eligible to deduct their education expenses. This can include tuition, mandatory fees, and other school supplies.

Many families are unaware that these expenses may lead to increased benefits and fail to properly report their eligible monthly expenses. A senior in San Diego county recently reached out to the San Diego Hunger Coalition and shared her experience with reporting expenses. She was originally unaware that her costs to maintain her service animal counted as an eligible medical expense, but after reporting the expense to the county, she successfully saw an increase to her benefits and described the benefit change as “life changing for [herself] and [her] two service dogs.”

Like this senior, many families fail to properly report their eligible monthly expenses, and this can lead to families receiving less benefits than they are actually eligible for.

Takeaways

To ensure that families are receiving the maximum amount of CalFresh benefits possible, it is best to contact the county to report all monthly expenses and check that information on income is accurate. San Diego County’s office can be reached by calling Access at 1-(866) 262-9881.

If you have any questions or would like to get connected with further assistance, please contact the San Diego Hunger Coalition’s CalFresh Team at calfresh@sdhunger.org.

Anahid Brakke (she/her) is the President & CEO of San Diego Hunger Coalition

Business Leaders, Legislators, Advocates keep kids fed

What would you do if you suddenly found yourself without a job, your kids were no longer allowed to go to school in person, and you had to start skipping meals because you were running out of food? This is the reality that many Americans are now facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

San Diego Hunger Coalition knows that many families don’t know where to turn, how to find food assistance, or what tomorrow holds for their prospects for a stable and healthy household. That’s why we work with our over 150 partners to ensure that everyone has access to safe, dignified, and reliable food assistance when they need it. Especially our children. Working with government, business leaders, nonprofits, and school districts, we have been advocating on behalf of families to ensure that all children ages 18 and under will receive free school meals until the current public crisis passes.

Schools fight hunger, too!

When schools were closed for safety at the beginning of the pandemic, school nutrition service departments mobilized to ensure that kids would continue to receive school meals even if classes were canceled. As unemployment rates skyrocketed, it quickly became clear just how important these meals are to struggling families. The United States Department of Agriculture (UDSA), under direction from Congress, started making exceptions that allowed schools to serve free meals to every child 18 and under.

In July, the USDA announced that this would stop.

The result was a 90% drop in school meal participation. Schools faced a financial cliff and would be forced to stop serving meals in as little as two months. Food producers experienced a precipitous drop in business and faced the certainty of hundreds of layoffs. Families struggled with the sudden loss of as many as 10 meals per week for their kids. During historic unemployment and a global pandemic, the loss of this vital food assistance resource would be devastating.

Advocating for Our Kids

San Diego Hunger Coalition played a critical role in local advocacy to reverse the USDA’s decision to limit schools’ ability to serve students meals. We mobilized and engaged local education, hunger relief, and business communities while working with legislators to gain support and momentum in Washington. Three letters supporting the continuation of free school meals for every student were sent to the USDA signed by U.S. representatives and California legislators. The Hunger Coalition also partnered with Representative Ilhan Omar (MN) to gather more support in the House.

The Hunger Coalition knows that food insecurity affects entire communities, which is why we invited local businesses to the table. We learned from local food producers that the USDA’s policy preventing free school meals during COVID-19 would result in major cutbacks and layoffs. We added their voice to the call for action by the USDA and sent a letter signed by 20 food producers and distributors, including major corporations such as Tyson Foods, Hollandia Dairy, and Sysco San Diego. It was the only letter of its kind demonstrating the far-reaching impact that losing school meals would have.

What Happened?

All of this advocacy was successful! We worked with state and national partners to put pressure on the USDA from business leaders, school districts, nonprofits, and legislators across the country. On August 31st, they announced that they were re-extending flexibilities for schools to allow all children ages 18 & under to receive free meals at school through December 31, 2020. This is a big win for hunger relief during Coronavirus, but it’s not the end of our work.

The USDA has given no indication that these flexibilities will be extended through the end of the school year, even should the restrictive safety measures necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic continue. This has led school districts, legislators, business leaders, and advocates to ask what happens on January 1st when flexibilities allowing schools to serve free meals to all of their students end?

San Diego Hunger Coalition will work with our partners to keep the pressure on the USDA to ensure that all of our kids are getting enough to eat to keep them healthy, happy, and strong.

Help Us Spread the Word: Accessing School Meals is Easy!

Want to know more about meals being offered in your neighborhood? We’ve got you covered!

• Children 18 and under are eligible for free breakfast and lunch at schools.

• Most districts have set up drive-thru and walk-up pick-ups.

• Students do not need to be present to receive meals. Parents, please check with your district for requirements.

• More information is available at sdhunger.org/meals-for-kids.

Through December 31, 2020, parents may pick up free meals for all students ages 18 & under at any school location. Please check with your school district for requirements and mealtimes: sdcoe.net/studentmeals.

Meet Our Newest Board Members

San Diego Hunger Coalition welcomes three community leaders to its Board of Directors who will complement and enhance the phenomenal talent that governs our organization. Joining the San Diego Hunger Coalition Board are Blanca Meléndrez, Executive Director of the U.C. San Diego School of Medicine Center for Community Health; Gary Petill, Director of Food and Nutrition Services for San Diego Unified School District; and Julie Rice, Owner and Principal of local nonprofit consultancy, Managed Giving.

The addition of these incredible professionals is perfectly timed as San Diego Hunger Coalition’s initiatives and social innovations gather steam in 2020. Learn more about the new board members below.

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Blanca Meléndrez, MA is a nonprofit leader with 20 years of local, regional, and national experience in the non-profit and government sectors. She currently serves as Executive Director of the U.C. San Diego School of Medicine Center for Community Health (CCH) where she fosters local, state, and nationwide-wide efforts to improve health outcomes for California’s low-income residents and underserved neighborhoods by applying a racial equity lens. Her eye towards equity, diversity, and social justice will support the Hunger Coalition’s dedication to an effective and equitable food assistance system. Ms. Meléndrez is a member of the Hunger Free San Diego Advisory Board.

Gary Petill is the Director of Food and Nutrition Services for San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD). He has been in his current position with SDUSD since 2002 and has 23 years of prior experience in hospitality management. Gary currently oversees 300 schools and maintains a $62 million budget for the school district. Under his leadership, SDUSD has received awards for excellence in youth meal programs from the California School Board Association, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the California Endowment. He brings to the Hunger Coalition a wealth of knowledge about child nutrition and school meal programs. Mr. Petill is a member of the Hunger Free San Diego Advisory Board and an advisor to the Hunger Free Kids program.

Julie Rice, Owner and Principal of Managed Giving, is a talented communications and development professional with experience in both the public and private sectors. She served as an aid to U.S. Senator Al Gore, a press officer for the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown, and on the 1992 Clinton-Gore and 2000 Gore-Lieberman presidential campaigns. She has developed community partnerships between nonprofits and major corporations such as Nike, Kellogg, and Wrigley. Julie specializes in strategic plan creation and implementation, materials evaluation and development, grant writing, and community partnerships and outreach. Ms. Rice comes to the Hunger Coalition with a successful track record of expanding and enhancing relationships in the nonprofit and hunger relief communities.

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Join us at the 1st Annual State of Hunger Luncheon on November 15th for your chance to say hello to these incredible community leaders in addition to the other phenomenal talent on our Board of Directors!

San Diego Hunger Coalition & Partners Make Headlines Together

San Diego’s hunger relief sector has a unique, collaborative spirit that makes it possible for San Diego Hunger Coalition and its many partners to create a new way to think about hunger relief and create innovative, long-term solutions.

Our work, victories, and expertise have been the subject of plentiful media attention in 2019:

2019

MEDIA COVERAGE

• Oside News - San Diego Hunger Coalition Receives National Child Nutrition Foundation for Excellence in Collaboration Award - April 30, 2019 

• KUSI News - San Diego Hunger Advocacy Network hosts Annual Legislative Breakfast - March 22, 2019 

• KUSI Good Morning San Diego - San Diego Hunger Advocacy Network hosts Annual Legislative Breakfast - March 22, 2019 

• ABC/10 News- More shutdown fallout: Some retailers now unable to accept food stamps - January 22, 2019 

• KUSI News - Shutdown impacts Americans who receive help from federal food stamps - January 18, 2019 

• ABC\10 News - Government report says millions of college students going hungry - January 9, 2019 

• NBC\7 News - Food Stamps Threatened Amid Partial Government Shutdown - January 7, 2019 

• ABC\10 News - San Diegans relying on food stamps await word of programs future under shutdown - January 7, 2019 

• NBC/7 News - Rx for Food Security - October 1, 2019

• Fox/5 News - Report finds on-third of 5th-, 7th-, 9th-grade students overweight or obese - September 9, 2019

• Times of San Diego - Initiative Aims to Improve Diet, Increase Activity As County Children Face Obesity Crisis - September 9, 2019

• ABC/10 News - High obesity rates reported among San Diego kids - September 9, 2019 

• KUSI - Families encouraged to use free and reduced lunch programs despite charge - September 3, 2019 

• Pacific Standard - Only one in seven eligible kids get free lunch in the summer. What’s going wrong? - July 3, 2019 

• NBC/7 San Diego - Free Summer Meals Offered to Kids in Need - June 14, 2019 

• KUSI News - On-air interview with Paloma Perez Betrand, Hunger Free Kids Director - June 13, 2019 

• ABC/10 News - CalFresh Program Expands to SSI Recipients - May 13, 2019 

• ABC/10 News - CalFresh Challenge Encourages San Diegans to Eat on a Tight Budget - May 13, 2019 

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We are proud of our accomplishments in 2019. With your support we’ll continue to gain momentum in 2020.

Do you support a Hunger Free San Diego?

Snapshot of Hunger in San Diego County

Every year, San Diego Hunger Coalition prepares an in-depth analysis of data from UCLA’s California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), which goes beyond the stats that are publicly available. Our annual San Diego County Food Insecurity Data Release includes a white paper and now, for the first time, a two-page summary that provides a glimpse into what hunger looks like in San Diego County. The report reveals that food assistance continues to be a critical need for working families, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities in our region.

Here is just a little of what our research found:

Based on 2015, 2016, and 2017 data from the California Health Interview Survey administered by the University of California, Los Angeles Center for Health Policy Research.

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So, why isn’t food insecurity improving?

From 2016 to 2017, San Diego County’s food insecurity rate improved very slightly, dropping from 15% to 14%. While any improvement is good, the needle hasn’t really moved when 1 in 7 San Diegans still experience food insecurity.

The reality for many San Diegans since the 2008 recession is that their wages have not kept pace with rising costs of living. Today, more than half (55%) of adults experiencing food insecurity are employed, but 32% of working San Diegans make less than $14.35/hour. This is not enough to make ends meet in San Diego, where a family of four needs approximately $83,000/year to meet their basic needs.

Unless wages catch up to the cost of living in San Diego County, people will continue to need food assistance. That’s why programs such as CalFresh, Free and Reduced-Price School Meals, WIC, and food distributions are so important.

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There are three ways that you can support hunger relief in San Diego County:

1)  Support San Diego Hunger Coalition’s hunger relief programs.

2)  Learn: Download the latest food insecurity data and share this information.

3)  Share: Become a Hunger Free Activist and get others involved in the fight to end hunger.

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#MythbusterMonday - April 2018

We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and youth meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In April, we busted the following hunger myths:

April 2

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in March. Click here. 

April 9

#MythbusterMonday "People who receive public benefits are 'takers' rather than 'makers,' " False! This is untrue for the vast majority of working-age SNAP recipients. SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, currently serve about 42 million Americans. At least one adult in more than half of SNAP-recipient households is working. The average SNAP subsidy is $125 per month, or $1.40 per meal – hardly enough to justify quitting a job. Click here to read more from the Chicago Tribune. 

April 16

#MythbusterMonday "CalFresh/SNAP is a drain on tax-payers." False! CalFresh/SNAP is good for the economy. Every $1 in SNAP benefits generates $1.73 in economic activity. Click on the here to learn more and read other myths about CalFresh/SNAP. 

April 23

#MythbusterMonday "People who get CalFresh/SNAP benefits aren’t employed and have no incentive to look for work." False! CalFresh/SNAP helps people stay afloat in between jobs. Nationally, more than 80 percent of SNAP participants reported working in the year before or after receiving SNAP. In San Diego County, the current average CalFresh benefit per person is $4.10/day, hardly an incentive not to work. Take the #CalFreshChallengefrom May 7 - 11 to experience what its like to live on an extremely limited food budget. Click here to learn more and register.

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Follow the San Diego Hunger Coalition on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. 

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San Diego Hunger Coalition and the Hunger Advocacy Network Oppose the Cuts and Changes to SNAP Included in the House of Representative’s Draft of the Farm Bill

SAN DIEGO, April 12, 2018 –  The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (known as CalFresh locally, and formerly known as food stamps) that serves more than 260,000 residents of San Diego County is being targeted for devastating structural changes that will increase hunger and poverty in our region. The federal Farm Bill, which houses the SNAP program, is scheduled to be reauthorized this year. The House of Representative’s Agriculture Committee released their first draft of the Farm Bill yesterday which disregards evidenced-based policymaking in favor of unfounded and aggressive work requirements as well as other restrictions that will harm low-income people and families teetering on the edge of stability.

Proposed changes to SNAP in the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee’s version of the bill include creating harsher rules for Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents (ABAWDs), who like many others turn to CalFresh/SNAP when jobs are lost, hours are cut, or wages don't cover basic living expenses. The proposal would place an additional burden on states to develop new bureaucracies to develop and implement employment and training programs on an extremely limited budget of $300 per participant. The proposal also expands work requirements to CalFresh/SNAP beneficiaries between ages 18 and 59 who aren’t disabled or raising a child under age six.

Additionally, the House's version of the Farm Bill also proposes to eliminate what is known as "categorical eligibility" for the majority of CalFresh/SNAP households with gross incomes modestly above 130 percent of the federal poverty line, regardless of how high the household’s child care or housing costs may be and whether such costs leave them with disposable income below the poverty line. Categorical eligibility is currently used by 40 states, including California, to adjust income cutoffs and asset limits so that low-wage working families don't abruptly lose their CalFresh/SNAP benefits when they earn slightly more.   Click here for an issue brief on CalFresh/SNAP's impact in San Diego County. 

“The San Diego Hunger Coalition and Hunger Advocacy Network are deeply disappointed with the proposed changes to the SNAP program included in the House of Representatives Agriculture Committee’s draft of the Farm Bill. The current average CalFresh benefit per person is $4.10 per day. This amount already isn’t enough. These changes will be devastating to our region’s most vulnerable populations, many of whom are working hard but falling short due to low wages and San Diego County’s high cost of living. CalFresh/SNAP helps people cover the basic need of putting food on the table so they can get back on their feet more quickly,” said San Diego Hunger Coalition Executive Director Anahid Brakke.

To help raise awareness and show our representatives in Congress how much CalFresh/SNAP means to San Diego County, the San Diego Hunger Coalition and Hunger Advocacy Network are encouraging people to walk in the shoes of someone on CalFresh/SNAP by taking their 2018 #CalFreshChallenge from May 7 - 11. Register for the #CalFreshChallenge at SDhunger.org/CFC.

Each year, the San Diego Hunger Coalition encourages people who don’t have to worry about having enough food to try living on the average CalFresh benefit per person of $4.10 for one day on May 7th or $20.50 for all five days from May 7-11.  The #CalFreshChallenge is a way to raise awareness about the benefit of the program, advocate for hunger relief policies with elected officials, and raise money for the San Diego Hunger Coalition’s CalFresh Task Force to help connect more eligible people in need to the program.

#MythbusterMonday - March 2018 Myths Busted!

We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and youth meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In March, we busted the following hunger myths:

March 5

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in February. Click here. 

March 12

#MythbusterMonday "You must have a place to cook and store food to get SNAP/CalFresh benefits." False! You can’t be turned down for SNAP/CalFresh benefits because you don’t have a kitchen or a place to cook. Click here to read more myths and facts about SNAP/CalFresh for homeless persons from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

March 19

#MythbusterMonday "SNAP recipients are lazy and don't work." False! According to The Hamilton Project "The vast majority of food-insecure households with children are working households: over 85 percent of households with children reporting food insecurity in 2014 also reported at least one adult who earned an income in 2014. Among every type of household reporting food insecurity—i.e., households headed by married couples, single mothers, or single fathers—at least 75 percent of households had an earner during the year they experienced food insecurity. Nonetheless, the income generated by work over the year was not sufficient to protect those working families from food insecurity. Click on the link to read more fact about food insecurity and SNAP. 

March 26

#MythbusterMonday "Our youth organization can't provide meals because we don’t have a kitchen or space to prepare food." False! Many nonprofits partner with a sponsor like a school or food bank to prepare the food or work with a vendor to serve room temperature, healthy options that don’t require a kitchen for preparation or significant refrigeration space. Interested in starting or expanding youth meals in your area? Visit our Hunger Free Kids webpage to learn more. 

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Follow the San Diego Hunger Coalition on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. 

Afterschool Meals Through CACFP Help Ensure Low-Income Children Don't go to bed Hungry

Many children’s days don’t end when the last school bell rings. In fact, a report conducted by the Afterschool Alliance found that participation in afterschool programs has consistently increased over the past 10 years, rising by nearly 2 million children in the last five year years alone. The At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program through the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) is one of the most effective defenses in the fight against child hunger, as it provides the funding to serve suppers at eligible afterschool programs. Any program that provides child care and enrichment activities (e.g. tutoring, music lessons, arts and crafts, etc.) after school, on weekends, holidays, or breaks during the school year and operates in an area where 50% of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals is eligible for CACFP.

Our goal is to raise awareness about this program and support our partners on the ground at schools and nonprofits across San Diego County with information, application assistance, grant writing, and administrative review to expand CACFP meal sites in our region.

Through our Hunger Free Kids Task Force, we have been able to connect Feeding San Diego with Vista Community Clinic to expand afterschool meals at the Clinic’s youth-serving Project REACH program at two different locations in Oceanside. At the Libby Lake Community Center, the Clinic’s physicians actively inform parents about the afterschool meals available just upstairs at the Project REACH offices, helping to promote both free meals and enrichment activities available to their children.

Additionally, Feeding San Diego serves as a sponsor to provide CACFP youth meals at North County Lifeline’s Las Casitas and La Escuelita’s Youth Development Clubs. These two sites serve afterschool suppers every weekday, totaling at least 150 meals each week, with the help of meal vendor Top Notch Catering. And because the funding grows as a program grows, their goal to consistently increase the number of meals served is made easily attainable because each meal is reimbursed through the United States Department of Agriculture at its fixed rate, with no devaluation or loss on behalf of the program.

Libby Lake Park, Oceanside, CA

While we are making promising strides with CACFP locally, No Kid Hungry and the School Nutrition Foundation have found a large gap in afterschool meals nationally. There are less than four afterschool suppers served for every hundred school lunches going to kids in need across the country.

Their “Three Meals a Day: A Win-Win-Win” report outlines the great need for afterschool meals:

CACFP has the means to address these needs through the At-Risk Afterschool Meals Program, and yet eligible programs are still not taking advantage of this viable solution. Many afterschool meal sites serve no meals or only a small snack. If they do provide food, it is often paid for out of the program’s general fund or the staff’s own dime, causing the program to miss out on valuable federal meal reimbursements.

Become a champion for youth meals in your area! Visit the Hunger Free Kids Task Force webpage or attend an upcoming meeting for more information. If you know of an afterschool program that may be eligible for CACFP, please contact our Hunger Free Kids Program Director Robin McNulty at Robin@sdhunger.org.

Expanding Breakfast After the Bell in San Diego County

You’ve probably heard the saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Whether you agree with this or disregard it as a mere cliché, studies show that this is a phrase we shouldn’t be ignoring. However, the harsh reality is that in San Diego County, 1 in 5 children don’t always have enough to eat. While the traditional School Breakfast Program is offered on many campuses and aims to address hunger and support student achievement, it has limited reach. Serving breakfast before the start of the school day leads to missed opportunities for students who cannot arrive early. Breakfast After the Bell is an innovative program designed to more effectively reach children by incorporating the benefits of a nutritious breakfast into their daily school routine.

San Diego Hunger Coalition has played a vital role in helping to implement and expand the following proven-effective Breakfast After the Bell models. We do so by working with school districts and nonprofits to provide technical assistance, share best practices, review eligible schools, conduct financial analyses, and support grant writing for equipment and other meal resources.

Within the last year, there has been a notable expansion of Breakfast After the Bell, particularly in the San Diego Unified School District. K-12 eligible schools (those participating in the National School Lunch Program) now serve Breakfast in the Classroom, Grab n’ Go and Nutrition Break, an allotted time after first period where breakfast is served from carts in the hallway or other high foot traffic areas of the campus. Following San Diego Unified’s lead, BIC is now also served at eligible elementary schools in Cajon Valley, as well as Felicita Elementary in the Escondido Union School District. 

Statistics gathered from Millenial, Montgomery, Roosevelt, Wilson, Bell & CPMA Middle Schools.

Evidence shows that eating breakfast is healthy, especially for growing bodies. Research has proven that access to nutrition, particular breakfast, can enhance a student’s psychosocial well-being, reduce aggression and school suspensions, and decrease discipline problems (Brown et al., 2008). Marcie Beth Schneider, a member of the AAP’s Committee on Nutrition and an adolescent medicine physician, explained how eating breakfast directly affects school performance: “Study after study shows that kids who eat breakfast function better. They do better in school and have better concentration and more energy.”

This increase in School Breakfast Program participation is an encouraging start, but there is still much to be done in the fight against child hunger. You can find out how San Diego County school districts are doing to implement Breakfast After the Bell in our Hunger Free Kids Report School District Profiles.

Join our efforts to ensure that all children have year-round access to healthy food. To get involved and find out how to become a champion for youth meals, visit the Hunger Free Kids Task Force webpage or contact our Hunger Free Kids Program Director Robin McNulty at Robin@sdhunger.org for more information.

#MythbusterMonday - February 2018 Myths Busted!

We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and youth meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In February, we busted the following hunger myths:

February 5

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in January. Click here.

February 12

#MythbusterMonday "Too many people are taking advantage of CalFresh/SNAP." False! After unemployment insurance, CalFresh/SNAP, is the most responsive federal program available to provide additional assistance during economic downturns. Enrollment expands when the economy weakens and contracts when the economy recovers.The program also provides important nutritional support for low-wage working families, low-income seniors and people with disabilities with fixed incomes. Read more from Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC.

February 19

#MythbusterMonday "The pre-determined food boxes for SNAP recipients in President Trump's latest budget proposal will support American farmers and be similar to fresh meal delivery services like Blue Apron." False! The pre-determined food boxes Trump is proposing will contain canned and non-perishable food items, there would be no fresh fruit, vegetables or meat. This proposal is about enabling the government to save money by buying in bulk in order to make up for the $1 trillion deficit that will be left by the new tax plan passed at the end of 2017.

February 26

#MythbusterMonday "Government programs enable people to be lazy and live on society's dime." False! Receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly known as food stamps) hardly enables anyone to live well. The average benefit equates to roughly $1.40 per person per meal. And in most cases, the money runs out before the month ends. Learn more from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. 

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Follow the San Diego Hunger Coalition on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. 

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A Year in Review 2017

As we look back on the past year, we’re motivated by everything we and our more than 100 partners accomplished together to help our fellow San Diego residents access the food assistance resources.

Now, we’re sharing our favorite 2017 wins with you. Thanks to your support, we:

1. Saved Breakfast in the Classroom for at least one more year for more than 1,000 students in the Lemon Grove School District by providing advocacy training and support to our partners as well as parents and students.

2. Supported the City of Oceanside and Oceanside Unified School District to expand afterschool suppers and Summer Meals in the city thanks to a grant from the National League of Cities, Combating Hunger through Afterschool and Summer Meal Programs (CHAMPS) initiative.

3. Helped more than 215 households access food assistance by resolving over 230 technical issues with their CalFresh/SNAP applications.

4. Trained 369 staff, volunteers, and interns from hunger relief and human service agencies to provide CalFresh/SNAP application assistance.

5. Directed more than $326,000 to local nonprofits helping low-income individuals and families apply for CalFresh/SNAP, as a contractor for the state CalFresh Outreach Program.

6. Supported the passage of 4 State hunger relief policies that will help more eligible children and adults enroll in CalFresh and free and reduced-price school meals and broadens the tax credit for donated fresh fruits and vegetables.

The fight to end hunger continues in 2018. Our partners on the ground know how great the need for food assistance is, but the current administration has set its sights on dismantling and weakening CalFresh/SNAP by targeting the program for deep cuts disguised as “entitlement reform.” It will take all of us, raising our voices and telling our stories, to protect and strengthen these programs so that they remain available for the nearly 500,000 food insecure people in San Diego County.

You can get involved in the fight against hunger by signing up to be a Hunger Free Activist, sharing your experience with CalFresh, or making a donation to support our work.

#MythbusterMonday - January 2018 Myths Busted!

We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and youth meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In January, we busted the following hunger myths:

January 1

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in December 2017.  Click here. 

January 8

#MythbusterMonday “Senior hunger is only a problem for poor people.” False! Senior hunger is not just an income issue. It is also a problem of access and care. Many seniors who can afford it, lack the mobility to get and prepare their own meals and don’t have other support systems to help them. Those same seniors and others live in areas that are more difficult to access. Click here to read more myths about senior hunger from HuffPost. 

January 16

#MythbusterMonday "Hunger in the U.S. is only found in poor urban neighborhoods." False! Hunger is also found in rural America. According to Feeding America, "People who live in rural areas often face hunger at higher rates, in part because of the unique challenges living remotely presents. These challenges include an increased likelihood of food deserts with the nearest food pantry or food bank potentially hours away, job opportunities that are more concentrated in low-wage industries and higher rates of unemployment and underemployment." Click here to learn more. 

January 22

#MythbusterMonday - "With programs like Breakfast in the Classroom, kids will eat twice or too much." False! A 2015 study by health professionals published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics concluded that breakfast in the classroom was not associated with an increase in calorie intake at breakfast time or throughout the day. If anything it led to more kids getting breakfast. Click here to read more from No Kid Hungry.

January 29

#MythbusterMonday "The U.S. is the richest country, so we have less hunger." False! According to a 2014 guest column by Tracie McMillan in The Chautauquan Daily there are about 49 million Americans who say they run out of food at least once a year (1 in 6) — putting the U.S. at the bottom of the pack when it comes to our country's economic peers. In many European countries, the ratio of hungry to fed is one in 20.

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Follow the San Diego Hunger Coalition on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. 

#MythbusterMonday - December 2017 Myths Busted!

We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and school meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In December, we busted the following hunger myths:

December 4

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in November 2017. Click here. 

December 11

#MythBusterMonday "Too many people take advantage of CalFresh/SNAP benefits." False! After unemployment insurance, CalFresh/SNAP is the most responsive federal program available to provide additional assistance during economic downturns. Enrollment expands when the economy weakens and contracts when the economy recovers.

December 18

#MythbusterMonday "Breakfast in the Classroom makes a mess." False! Many teachers and principals say that any mess or trash issues can be overcome with a smart system. Creating roles and opportunities for students to clean up after themselves can make breakfast a simple experience. Click here to read more from No Kid Hungry.
 

December 25

#MythbusterMonday “Government assistance is a waste of money and doesn't accomplish its goals.” False! Poverty rates would likely double without safety net programs like CalFresh/SNAP and add to human suffering. Last year, the safety net lifted 38 million people, including 8 million children, out of poverty. Click here to read more myths about poverty.

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Follow the San Diego Hunger Coalition on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. 

REPLACEMENT CALFRESH AVAILABLE FOR RESIDENTS AFFECTED BY SAN DIEGO COUNTY WILDFIRES & POWER OUTAGES

Last updated: December 14, 2017

Replacement CalFresh

Due to the number of residents affected by power outages and wildfires in San Diego County, the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency received a waiver that extends the deadline to request Replacement CalFresh. Residents who lost benefits and live in the impacted zip codes below have until January 4, 2018 to request Replacement CalFresh.

The impacted zip codes include: 91901, 91905, 91906, 91916, 91917, 91931, 91934, 91935, 91948, 91962, 91963, 91980, 92003, 92026, 92027, 92028, 92036, 92054, 92056, 92057, 92058, 92059, 92060, 92061, 92065, 92066, 92069, 92070, 92082, 92083, 92084, and 92086.

Residents requesting replacement CalFresh must complete a CF 303 Form (English  | Spanish) and an Affidavit of Loss form (English | Spanish). These forms must be submitted in person at a County of San Diego HHSA Family Resource Center (find a location here) or the Local Assistance Center at the Vista Branch Library (700 Eucalyptus Avenue). 

Benefits will be restored to the CalFresh EBT card for that individual or household. The maximum replacement benefit individuals can recoup is one full month’s worth of benefits. Replacement Requests will be processed and benefits will be reissued within 10 days of submitting.

Local Assistance Center (LAC) open from December 11 - 16, 2017

The County of San Diego has opened a Local Assistance Center in Vista to help individuals and families affected by the Lilac Fire. County and community-based organizations will be available this week to provide case management, crisis counseling and referral services, tax relief information and records replacement, short-term housing referrals, CalFresh/SNAP resources and information, information on residential rebuilding and permitting and consumer fraud and a mobile medical clinic. For more information, residents can call or visit:

• Local Assistance Center is located at the Vista branch library at 700 Eucalyptus Avenue and will be open from 9am- 6pm. the site will remain open until Saturday, December 16th. 
• Residents who live in the unincorporated part of San Diego County may call the Recovery Assistance Hotline at 858.495.5200 or email CountyFireRecovery@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Congratulations to our 2017 CalFresh Award Winners

The collaborative power of the CalFresh Task Force is fueled by the passion and innovation of its members.  The annual CalFresh Task Force Awards honor individuals and organizations making major strides toward ending hunger in San Diego County. Awardees are nominated and voted for by Task Force members.

CalFresh Outreach Partner of the Year – Legal Aid Society of San Diego

San Diego Hunger Coalition Senior Director of CalFresh and Advocacy, Amanda Schultz Brochu presents Laura Zuniga-Huizar of Legal Aid Society of San Diego with the CalFresh Outreach Partner of the Year award. Laura accepted the award on behalf of her colleague Tila Nunn-Miller.

Tila Nunn-Miller of Legal Aid Society of San Diego is a phenomenal advocate for individuals who encounter difficulties navigating the CalFresh process. Through her work, Tila ensures all parties understand the process, rules, and regulations that govern CalFresh benefits. Tila is a social justice champion who prides herself on assisting others and gives her all to assist anyone with CalFresh, CalWORKS, General Relief, and CAPI questions. While Tila was unable to attend the end of the year CalFresh Task Force meeting where the awards were presented, her colleague Laura Zuniga-Huizar (pictured above) accepted the award on her behalf.

CalFresh County Liaison of the Year – Michael and Patrick Schmidt, Program Specialists

San Diego Hunger Coalition Senior Director of CalFresh and Advocacy, Amanda Schultz Brochu presents Patrick Schmidt with the CalFresh County Liaison of the Year award. Patrick also accepted the award on behalf of Michael Schmidt who was unable to attend the CalFresh end of year meeting.

Michael and Patrick Schmidt support community-based organizations’ work to ensure eligible residents are awarded CalFresh benefits through their work managing the County of San Diego HHSA’s new case issue escalation email. Created in conjunction with the San Diego Hunger Coalition, the HHSA escalation email allows community organizations to elevate challenging cases to a team of experts for additional investigation and support. Michael and Patrick’s team provides quick and thorough customer service which allows for a prompt resolution to any case issues partners may experience. Community partners reported, “clients have provided great feedback from their interactions working with both Michael and Patrick and expressed feeling like their concerns are properly addressed.” Michael was unable to attend the end of year CalFresh Task Force meeting, Patrick (pictured above) accepted the award on both of their behalves.

CalFresh Outreach Partner & County Collaboration – La Maestra Community Health Centers, Health Coverage Access, and EOPS Department at Southwestern College

San Diego Hunger Coalition Senior Director of CalFresh and Advocacy, Amanda Schultz Brochu presents Daniela Cervantes of La Maestra Community Health Centers and Monica Moreno of Health Coverage Access with the CalFresh Outreach Partner and County Collaboration award. 

Starting in the fall of 2016, La Maestra Community Health Centers began working with the Southwestern College’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) Department and Health Coverage Access (HCA) to provide same-day-service CalFresh application assistance on campus. La Maestra reported, “this new partnership has made it easier to connect likely eligible students participating in EOPS with CalFresh benefits by providing onsite support and simplifying the application process.” The Hunger Coalition is happy to have facilitated this partnership, resulting in ongoing efforts to connect eligible students to benefits, including seven same-day-service events on campus last academic year.

CalFresh Outreach Partner & Community Collaboration – Feeding San Diego and the EOPS Department at San Diego City College

San Diego Hunger Coalition Senior Director of CalFresh and Advocacy, Amanda Schultz Brochu presents Rachel Oporto of Feeding San Diego and Salem Berhanu and Mercedes Tiggs of San Diego City College with the CalFresh award for Outreach Partner and Community Collaboration.

After meeting at a CalFresh Task Force meeting, San Diego City College’s Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) Department and Feeding San Diego partnered to provide CalFresh application assistance on campus, and are going strong! The EOPS team has worked diligently to make it easier for students to successfully access benefits, collaborating with their financial aid department to help students successfully obtain necessary forms, and always keeping an open door for students to come ask questions about their case. Currently, Feeding San Diego is onsite on a monthly basis and is working with the EOPS team to partner with the Disability Support Programs and Services department and Mental Health department to further expand CalFresh outreach.