Meet Our Members: Marra Farm's Giving Garden

Marra Farm is a model urban community farm engaging people in sustainable agriculture and education while enhancing local food security. Tucked into the South Park neighborhood of Seattle, it has 4 acres of historic preserved farmland.

Giving GardenMarra Farm generates tons of fresh, organic produce each year. In 2010, more than 1,800 volunteers contributed over 7,200 hours to help us grow more than 22,000 pounds at Marra Farm! In addition to South Park residents growing food for their own families, the food grown at Marra Farm goes to local residents and the senior lunch program through the Providence Regina House Food Bank, Mien senior citizens, and Concord Elementary School students and their families. Also, through a Seattle Parks and Green Spaces Levy, the adjacent property was transformed into the Marra-Desimone Park in 2009.

	Dear Marra, Dear Marra, Can’t wait to pick peas / The Giving Garden is up to our knees / With arugula, cilantro and even some chives / What a totally wonderful part of our lives. ~Signed, the 3rd graders of Concord Elementary, Room 205
	(Excerpt of a song performed at Marra Farm for Lettuce Link by the kids in 2006)

Children’s GardenLettuce Link maintains a Children’s Garden at Marra Farm where since the year 2000, we have facilitated a series of gardening and nutrition programs for children in South Park. The children walk to the farm, garden in their own plots, taste and cook fresh vegetables, and learn about their environment through scientific exploration and outdoor-themed games. At the end of the class series, children take home their harvests to share with their families.  

The Children’s Gardening and Nutrition program connects students to their food, encourages them to try new recipes, and cultivates healthy eating habits. Moreover, students gain self-confidence and pride by working together to grow their own food and reap the harvest.  

From AHNC: Contact Leaders in Olympia to Restore SFA, Raise Revenue

As the first week of the special legislative session comes to a close, leaders of the House and Senate continue to work to finalize a budget to send to the Governor. On Thursday the Senate approved a budget that again cuts State Food Assistance (food stamp benefits for legal immigrants). The special session is slated to last 30 days, however a deal to reconcile the House and Senate budgets could be reached at any time. Anti-hunger and nutrition advocates continue to work in Olympia to protect critical programs our neighbors across the state rely on, including State Food Assistance.

ACTION Alert: Our champions on this issue, as well as memberships of leadership in both caucuses, need to continue to hear from us to support this critical anti-hunger program and to ask the Legislature to find an alternative to an all-cuts budget. The Senate budget closes no tax loopholes, provides no tax on capital gains and no other way to raise revenue to support the many critical health and safety net programs that have been cut in their budget (including Disability Lifeline, TANF benefits and more). Some critical voices in the legislature are:

IN THE HOUSE

Rep. Eric Pettigrew (37^th)

Rep. Pat Sullivan (47^th)

Rep. Ross Hunter (48^th)

House Speaker Rep. Frank Chopp (43^rd)

Rep. Jeannie Darnielle (27^th)

Rep. Timm Ormbsy  (3^rd)

Rep. Andy Billig (3^rd)

Rep. Bob Hasegawa (11^th)

Rep. Phyllis Kenney (46^th)

Rep. Luis Moscoso (1^st)

Rep. Sharon Santos (37^th)

Rep.  Cindy Ryu (32^nd)

Rep. Sherry Appleton (23^rd)

Rep. Kevin Van de Wege (24^th)

Rep. Tami Green (28^th)

IN THE SENATE

Majority Leader Sen. Lisa Brown (3^rd)

Sen. Ed Murray (43^rd)

Sen. Derek Kilmer (26^th)

Sen. Craig Pridemore (49^th)

Sen. Steve Hobbs (44^th)

Sen. Brian Hatfield (19^th)

Sen. Joe Zarelli (18^th)

Sen. Joe Fain  (47^th)

Sen. Steve Litzow (41^st)

Sen. Andy Hill (45^th)

Advocates are also working to keep the need for these programs at the forefront in the media, with feature articles, letters to the editor, and op-eds.  Here are a few from this week:

The News Tribune: Failure to Fund TANF Would Destroy Family Safety Net

Publicola: Who’s Framing the Debate Now?

Spokesman Review: Lawmakers Choosing Between Gimmicks, People

Letter to the Editor: Preserve Food Assistance

There is an effort to increase Letters to the Editor in key legislative districts on behalf of State Food Assistance:

Click here for a guide to submitting LTEs (also attached) to media outlets in the districts of critical members of the state legislature.  The guide includes sample LTEs, and a list of news publications per district to send your letter to. If you have the ability to push out LTEs in these areas, signed by constituents, please do so.

Upcoming Events:

Food Lifeline Agency Conference:  March 22^nd

WithinReach Annual Luncheon:  April 25^th

Northwest Harvest Annual Meeting:  June 1^st

AHNC Membership Meeting:  April 10^th (2:30-4:30pm), location TBA

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                         www.wsahnc.org                   

                              253-394-2787 

                       ahnc@wsahnc.org

Proposed Pilot Projects from the Harvest Against Hunger Area Summits

Potential projects are categorized into four topics:

Resources / Relationships / Infrastructure / Funding

RESOURCES

1.     Host online “Starter Packet” [Wenatchee]:

§  Food Hub or WSDA could host materials for growers to get involved in with how to factsheet and other pertinent hunger relief materials.

§  Likely developed by Harvest VISTA or others organizations to educate and encourage farmer participation.

2.     Nutrition classes [Wenatchee]:

§  Offer classes to food banks clients to educate about specialty crops usage.

§  Partner with WSU Food Sense program (already at active at certain food banks?)

3.     WSDA sponsored “Growers Guide to Donating” [Olympia]:

§  Section on website and handouts for growers.

4.     Food-hub.org as an information disseminator [Olympia]:

§  Online location to store and share electronic information and best practices.

§  Explore possibility of other third party sites.

5.     Develop strategic approaches [Olympia]:

§  This is on the food bank side (WFC).

§  Messaging from hunger relief organizations to produce donors.

6.     Educate students [Seattle Area]:

§  Develop curriculums about how to grow own food.

§  Explore partnerships with Farm to School programs w/ Harvest VISTA.

§  Mandate farm education, like ethno-botany classes.

§  Place volunteers at schools to educate – like 4H clubs.

7.     WSDA could host information on their website about models from HAH/RFH Produce Recovery Resource Guide [Seattle Area]:

§  Best information and practices for gleaning, gardening, plant a row, etc.

§  Use searchable database of info and position paper for Good Samaritan Act.

RELATIONSIHPS

1.     Encourage hunger relief agencies to “adopt a local farm,” explore model [Yakima]:

§  One-to-one connection, NWH Yakima is exploring model.

2.     Farmer focus groups [Olympia]:            

§  Work with growers to better understand motivations of farmers to partner with hunger relief system.

3.     Work with packing houses to increase and improve contact with field managers.

4.     Donor of the year awards.

5.     Encourage new ways for food banks to create relationships with growers [Seattle Area]:

§  Form a coalition so growers don’t get too many touches.

§  Requires one point person.

6.     Explore ways to engage younger potential farmers [Seattle Area]:

§  Educate about relationships between hunger relief and growers.

§  Apprenticeships and partnerships with WSU Extension, Tilth, etc.

7.     Encourage methods for farmers to talk with other farmers for produce donations:

§  Partner with Specialty Crop Commissions?

INFRASTRUCTURE

1.     Cooperate to increases storage efficiencies [Wenatchee]:

§  Create network with local/regional small food banks for distribution and shared storage.

§  Partner with the WSDA warehouses or identify commercial storage spaces (via Food Hub) to increase cold storage opportunities.

2.     Transportation [Wenatchee]:

§  Share and pool resources to increase access to trucks and existing routes.

§  Transportation hubs, like www.getloaded.com

3.     Encourage food banks see themselves as a resource for small growers [Yakima]:

§  Often times face similar problems – i.e., leveraging hunger relief transportation system to help small growers.

RESOURCES & RELATIONSHIPS

1.     Improve “ask” and education to growers for help and partnerships [Yakima]:

§  Advertising and messaging.

§  Public Service Announcement to increase awareness.

RELATIONSHIPS & INFRASTRUCUTURE

1.     Establish a “cull-bin gleaning system,” see below for more information [Yakima]:

§  Harvest VISTA Jackie Beard’s description of project:

2.     Develop pick-up sites for “cull-gleans,” transfer to central distribution point [Seattle Area].

FUNDING/OTHER

1.     Financial incentives to get produce commercially picked for food banks [Yakima]:

§  California Association of Food Banks and their incentive program.

From AHNC: What the Heck is Happening in Olympia?!

By now you have received numerous emails from the AHNC and other stakeholders, asking you to take action and contact lawmakers in Olympia to urge them to support critical anti-hunger programs, specifically State Food Assistance, which the Senate proposes to completely eliminate.

How did we get here? 

Tuesday February 2nd, the Senate Ways and Means Committee released their budget proposal and heard public testimony later that night. While it contained few options to increase revenue and used apportionment to reduce the amount of cuts that needed to be made to balance the budget by moving the due date for some K-12 education costs to the next fiscal year, the budget proposal was generally applauded by advocates for low-income families. That Senate budget preserved current funding appropriations for our state’s nutrition assistance programs, TANF benefits amounts, and Disability Lifeline’s Medical and Housing/Essential Needs programs. K-12 education was also saved from any additional cuts.

On the following Friday evening, March 2nd, the Republican caucus, along with three fiscal conservative Democrats, joined forces to pull a Republican version of the budget proposal to the floor for a vote. This budget had no public notice and no public review or hearings. Their proposal replaced all the language of the budget bill that had had hearings and passed out of committee already. It makes cuts to basic and higher education and deep cuts to human services, including eliminating the State Food Assistance Program (SFA). That budget passed the Senate very early Saturday morning, with all but the three Democratic Senators voting against it.

On Thursday afternoon, the final day of the regular session, the House rejected the Senate’s budget.

What is the impact on AHNC’s legislative priorities?

This Senate budget included the following:

• Elimination of the State Food Assistance Program which provides state-funded food stamps to feed legal immigrants. Around 31,000 individuals, including 12,500 children currently benefit from SFA.
• WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program, school meals and EFAP had no cuts

Additionally, the budget levels more harmful cuts to programs children and families rely on to meet their basic needs:

• $202 million was cut from TANF(2% less in monthly payments that help low-income families get by), as well as a lower lifetime limit on TANF (48 months, not 60 months allowed by federal standards).
• Cuts to Maternity Support Services (support for high-risk pregnant women and young babies) and family planning services
• The Disability Lifeline Medical Program (provides health care for people with disabilities who cannot work) was eliminated, as well as cuts to the DL Housing and Essential Needs funds.

Will there be a special legislative session?

YES.  The end to the regular session was yesterday, March 8th.  Last night Governor Gregoire called for a special session beginning Monday March 13th at noon, and lasting for 30 days.  Lawmakers must come together during that time to formulate an agreed upon budget to send to the Governor for her signature.        

If the legislature cannot formulate an agreed upon supplemental budget during the special session, the Governor could balance our budget with across the board cuts. This will mean nutrition assistance programs such as the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides funding for food banks to pay for operations transportation, and food purchasing costs, may suffer from a cut in funding. Some programs, such as the Farmers Market Nutrition Program, which provides money for low-income seniors and families with young children to purchase produce at local farmers markets, may not survive any further cuts in funding.

What’s next?

We must continue to advocate strongly for the programs Washingtonians rely on to survive. If you have not yet contacted lawmakers, now is the time. We are asking people to fax letters, send emails (individualized, not form alerts) or make calls and ask to speak to your legislator or their staff directly. Lawmakers need to hear from you:

1.     Thank you’s to members of the House and Senate who worked to pass a budget which included funding for our legislative priorities.
2.     Urge lawmakers to work together to pass a budget that does not have cuts to critical human services programs, including anti-hunger programs, and which avoids the prospect of an all-cuts budget from the Governor’s office.
3.    Restore funding to State Food Assistance and include language to give the Department of Social and Human Services flexibility to increase monthly SFA benefits when funding becomes available. 

The AHNC will continue to send critical updates and action alerts as events unfold in Olympia. Please be sure to take action as needed and share these updates with your networks.

Upcoming Events:

United Way of King County is hosting Hunger Action Week March 19-24^th.  To register, click here. For more information on the event, click here.

AHNC Membership meeting: Tuesday April 10^th, 2:30-4:30pm, location TBA

Hunger Relief, Legislative Session in the News

Children’s Alliance Op-ed in Publicola

Spokesman Review article on Marshallese family

Congressional hearing on food stamps

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                         www.wsahnc.org                   

                              253-394-2787 

                       ahnc@wsahnc.org

From WithinReach: New Funding Opportunities for Summer Meals

March 7, 2012   It's Time to Turn in Your Intent to Participate Form   Do you think your organization might be able to sponsor a summer meal program this year? If so, the deadline to turn in your (non-binding) Intent to Participate form to OSPI is Friday, March 9, 2012.  This form also includes registration for the required training workshop. Fill-out your Intent to Participate Form For questions contact Donna Vincent (360-725-6202)   Funding Opportunity for Parks and Rec Organizations   The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) is funding substantial summer and afterschool grants for parks and recreational agencies that range from $15,000 to $60,000 and the funding can be used for many categories of support (staffing, outreach, equipment, transportation).  The deadline for applications is March 13.  Learn more and apply Feed Your Brain Grants for Rural Communities   School’s Out Washington offers funding for summer literacy and summer meal programs for kids in rural, high poverty communities. The application deadline is April 6, 2012. Learn more and apply For questions, contact Virgina Eader (206) 336-6915. Look for these Grant Applications Coming Out Soon...   United Way of King County Start-up / Expansion Grants   Grants will be available to start or expand summer meal programs in King County that can fund equipment, staff and outreach.   A request for proposal (RFP) will be available from United Way in Mid March. For more information, contact Lauren McGowan 206-461-6973     Meals for Kids Grants   Funds will be available from OSPI  for start-up or expansion of Summer Meal programs that can fund equipment, training and outreach in any Washington community.   Applications come out in early April – you must have a Letter of Intent to be a Sponsor on file at OSPI to apply. For more information, contact Donna Parsons (360) 725-6210   Summer Meals Resource Toolkit   The online toolkit offers information and resources to help schools and community-based organizations start or strengthen a summer meals program with links to grants, forms, outreach materials and more. Check out the Summer Meals Toolkit     The WA Summer Meals Partnership sends periodic newsletters to keep statewide partners up-to-date on the latest information about the Summer Meals Program.  http://www.icontact-archive.com/C9ZecoQL5yw3xrxuUf8TXlpY-DDH5Zat?w=4

From Northwest Harvest: Calls Needed Now to Save the State Food Assistance Program

Advocates Update Wednesday, March 7  IN THIS ISSUE CALLS NEEDED NOW - Save the State Food Assistance Program Take Action! Northwest Harvest PO Box 12272 Seattle, Washington 98102 800-722-6924 Your Weekly Action Alert:  Calls Needed Now to Save the State Food Assistance Program The Senate budget, as passed on March 2, eliminates the State Food Assistance Program, makes cuts to monthly TANF benefits, and eliminates the Disability Lifeline Medical program.  Read more...        Take Action! Please email your legislators or call 1-800-562-6000 to leave a message for them, and tell them the following, personalized to your situation: The procedure used on Friday night to pass a Senate budget without public review was shameful. That proposal eliminates the State Food Assistance Program at a time when hunger continues to be on the rise in Washington: nearly 1 in 4 Washington families rely on food stamps to meet their nutritional needs. This elimination is particularly hurtful to food banks who cannot replace the loss of benefits to these families but will be the only option available to them to find nutritional assistance. I am thankful to each of the 24 Senators who fought to restore funding for SFA, and I am deeply dismayed by the 25 Senators whose nay votes stood for pushing these families further into hunger. I urge you to set aside your differences. Please work together to pass a budget that continues funding SFA and includes language to give the Department of Social and Human Services flexibility to increase monthly SFA benefits when funding becomes available. Find your legislators here: http://apps.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/Default.aspx     Please also take a moment to send a letter to the editor of your local paper. You can use the template below, provided by our friends at the Children's Alliance, to personalize. For publication in most papers, letters should be no longer than 200 words. EDITOR:    Axing food assistance for vulnerable families is a cruel cut in times like these.   Food banks are already stretched way too thin. Hunger has nearly doubled. And the State Senate has passed a budget that would eliminate State Food Assistance - pulling the anti-hunger safety net out from under thousands of legal immigrant children and adults. (Personalize this letter here) No child, no matter where their parents come from, should go to school with their stomachs growling. No student should have to consider dropping out of school to help feed their families when they should be studying to make a better life for themselves and a better future for Washington.     Shame on the razor-thin majority of Senators who want to leave our children hungrier - and weaken our state's future.   The mission of Northwest Harvest is to provide nutritious food to hungry people statewide in a manner that respects their dignity, while fighting to eliminate hunger. Our vision is that ample nutritious food is available to everyone in Washington state.

From Food Lifeline: STATE FOOD ASSISTANCE IN DANGER ONCE AGAIN

STATE FOOD ASSISTANCE IN DANGER ONCE AGAIN. SHARE YOUR VOICE AND SAVE MEALS FOR THOUSANDS. Hello, We are writing once again asking for your help advocating for the State Food Assistance Program (SFA). Thank you so much for the great work you did and the quick response you had in contacting your lawmakers last week. Unfortunately however, last Friday the state Senate passed a budget that eliminates SFA. While we very much appreciate the efforts made by the House and several members of the Senate to preserve this program, it is now clearly in danger of elimination. As budget negotiations continue, we are reaching out to ask you once more to voice your opposition to eliminating SFA.  Elimination means that 14,000 individuals will no longer have the program as a reliable first line of defense against hunger as they struggle to provide food and nutrition for their families.  It also means more pressure will be placed on area food banks, meal programs, and shelters who are already straining to keep up with increased need. Time is running out. CLICK HERE to contact your lawmakers TODAY to oppose elimination of SFA.

fOOD LIFELINE NEWS AND OPPORTUNITIES Get Involved! Food Lifeline Advocacy Opps. Legislative Agendas Conact the FLL Policy Team