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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Meet our Members: Good Cheer Food Bank, Whidbey Island



Mission: Fund and manage an accessible Food Bank
Operate and promote successful Thrift Stores.
Involve the community as volunteers, donors, and recipients.


Just a short ride across the Puget Sound, on the quaint Whidbey Island you will find the Good Cheer Food Bank which has been serving the community since 1962. The Food Bank serves the South end of the Island that includes around 15,000 people, 4,600 of which use the services offered by the Food Bank. Much of the success and financial stability of the Food bank comes from two general thrift stores and one clothing thrift store, making up 67% of their funding. Good Cheer runs with the support of 14 staff members and around 400 volunteers. Their numbers have increased dramatically over the past several years, and remain high, with nearly 800 families a month accessing the Food Bank to help put food on the table.

An innovative part of the program is the system used to keep track of the amount each client receives each month. According to their website “Good Cheer has developed an innovative food points system which empowers clients to choose their own foods in a grocery-like setting using monthly points based upon household size. Selection of fresh produce is encouraged through low-points for these healthful items.” Each adult begins with 70 points a month and then an additional 10 points are added for each family members. This system allows clients to make choices and use “points” in place of money. This process brings dignity back to the process of visiting a food bank. While discussing this idea, a Good Cheer staff member said “Money does not create happiness. Choices create happiness.” This statement rings true at Good Cheer as clients walk around the Food bank with their shopping cart choosing the items that best fit their needs and wants.

An on-site garden, tended with great community involvement, provides fresh-picked produce. The garden has been thriving for the past three years and produces around 5,000 pounds of produce annually. Fresh organic produce such as kale, blueberries, spinach and basil are picked from the garden and carried directly into the Food Bank. This partnership ensures that Good Cheer is offering healthy and high quality products to all their clients.

Good Cheer has a number of annual events to fundraise and also benefits from several smaller operations that have been developed by past and current volunteers. One faithful volunteer has taken up the art of extreme couponing and uses her skill to purchase large quantities of high quality products to put on the Food Bank shelves. The Gleeful Gleaners is a group of women who visit farms and pea patches to glean and bring their findings back to the Food Bank. Good Cheer’s efficiency and understanding of their clients needs has led them to be a successful and joy filled organization.










For more information please visit: http://www.goodcheer.org/index.html
A special thanks to the Good Cheer staff for their time and information!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Urgent Message from Food Lifeline

Congress Continues to Keep Hungry Families Waiting on Fate of Nutrition Assistance Programs.....

As you’ve likely been hearing in the news, our US Congress and President Obama are continuing to negotiate on a deal to reduce the deficit, increase our ability to borrow and avoid default by August 2nd. Each day, we are hearing new information, and in our last alert, we asked you send an email to Washington’s US Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and the president. Now, it’s time to reach back out to your member of the House of Representatives. Let them know that you’re still watching, and you’re counting on them!

Unfortunately, over the weekend lawmakers continued to show signs of partisan disagreements that could pull the rug out from under families struggling to put food on the table. The House and Senate announced that they will each be crafting their own partisan deficit reduction plans, to accompany a vote to raise the debt ceiling. While both plans rely on massive cuts, the Senate plan is reported to make $2.7 trillion in cuts through 2012 without cutting funding to programs such as Medicaid and SNAP (food stamps), that are available for all who qualify. The current House plan is a short-term plan to raise the debt ceiling for only 6 months, while making $1 trillion in cuts that are likely to hit hunger-relief programs and other support for those struggling in this recession.

Although the bi-partisan “Gang of Six” plan included some strong steps towards finding a balanced approach such as an expiration of the Bush era tax breaks for the wealthiest, spending cuts with an explicit protection for SNAP, it is not gaining the ground that was anticipated.

Take Action!

As negotiations continue and the August 2nd date when the US government reaches its borrowing limit looms closer, we must keep the pressure on! Take a moment NOW to tell your US Representative that hunger-relief programs are your top priority when it comes to solving the budget deficit. Our congressional leaders are deciding how much and where to compromise. Together we can make sure that they stay strong on ensuring that vital food programs are available for the families that need them as the economy struggles to recover.

CLICK HERE


*Information provided by Food Lifeline

FRAC Updates



Five School Districts Celebrate Breakfast in the Classroom

FRAC celebrated five major victories for a partnership that is bringing large-scale Breakfast in the Classroom initiatives to selected urban school districts across the country, with media events in Orlando, FL, Prince George’s County, MD, Memphis, TN, Dallas, TX, and Little Rock, AR.

There’s a lot to celebrate: More than 10,000 additional children are eating breakfast at school every day in the five districts, principals and teachers are thrilled with the academic improvements they are seeing due to the program, and the school districts are pledging to expand Breakfast in the Classroom beyond these initial grant-funded schools.

Funded by the Walmart Foundation, the project was run by Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom —a joint initiative of FRAC, the National Education Association Health Information Network, the National Association of Elementary School Principals Foundation, and the School Nutrition Foundation. These organizations worked together to identify school districts, garner stakeholder buy-in, and provide support every step along the way to ensure successful, sustainable Breakfast in the Classroom models.

“At every event I attended, I heard from school administrators, principals, teachers, parents, and students who are ecstatic about Breakfast in the Classroom. ‘We love it,’ is the number one most common thing you will hear them say,” said Casey Dinkin, FRAC’s project coordinator for Breakfast in the Classroom. “Principals who initially expressed hesitation about Breakfast in the Classroom when we met with them a few months back now are raving about it. These events allowed them to share their excitement and celebrate with the entire school district community, Partners for Breakfast in the Classroom, and the Walmart Foundation.”


FRAC continues to take the lead on fostering the implementation of the participation and the healthy eating components of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act – the 2010 child nutrition law.

FRAC’s “Putting the Act in Action” webinar series continues to achieve record registration. Our two most recent webinars focused on “Strategies for Success: Making the Most of the New School Water and Milk Requirements” and “Healthy Choices for School Children.” With its milk and water webinar, FRAC (with speakers from USDA, the California Endowment, and other advocacy organizations) shared information, practical models, tools and resources needed to facilitate the successful implementation of new requirements that free water must be readily available to children during lunch, and that schools must only offer milk consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. “Healthy Choices for School Children” focused on the Act’s new provision that gives USDA the power to eliminate the unhealthy foods in vending machines, snack bars, “a la carte” lines in cafeterias, and other foods sold outside of the federally-reimbursed school meals.

Previous webinars in the series highlighted opportunities to expand school meal eligibility; new afterschool food provisions; improvements to the school nutrition and wellness environment; child care food changes; and other key elements. Transcripts and slides for all webinars are available on our website.

FRAC also launched a campaign to engage the anti-hunger and public health community in commentary on USDA’s proposed rules to improve nutrition standards for school lunch and breakfast (the rules are to implement the new child nutrition law and are at the public comment stage). In addition to submitting its own comments, FRAC publicized the opportunity; developed model messages and comments; and otherwise encouraged advocates and stakeholders to ensure the regulations set a path to realizing the best possible improvements in school nutrition quality.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Foodlinks America Newsletter

Foodlinks America – July 15, 2011  Click to Subscribe
In this issue:
Government Action Paralyzed by Debt Limit Dilemma
SNAP Shots
School Food News & Notes
Nutrition Trends and Troubles 
Reports from the Field – Sacramento, CA
Small Bites
Foodlinks America is published 24 times a year by California Emergency Foodlink in Sacramento, CA and distributed by Weinberg & Vauthier Consulting, 122 South Main Street, No. 9, Burnet, TX 78611; Zy Weinberg and Barbara Vauthier, Editors; email:  bvauthier@tefapalliance.org.
Foodlinks America is not copyrighted, so the information can be freely shared with colleagues and friends, though attribution for reprinted articles is appreciated.  For archived issues of Foodlinks America, go to:  www.tefapalliance.org.   To request a free subscription to the newsletter, submit story ideas, or unsubscribe, contact Barbara Vauthier at: bvauthier@tefapalliance.org.    
Government Action Paralyzed by Debt Limit Dilemma 
Republicans and Democrats in Congress remain at odds on how to address the federal deficit of $14.3 trillion – raising the credit limit, drastically cutting spending, revising entitlement benefits, or some combination of such measures – to avoid a government default next month.   President Obama has entered the negotiations personally to urge Democratic and Republican leaders to compromise, but has gotten no pledges of help thus far from either side.
House Republicans are insistent that the budget be balanced exclusively with reductions in federal spending.  They will not allow passage of any measures to raise revenues, whether that be a restructuring of the tax code, an effort to close loopholes, or any other action that would bring in revenue above current levels.  Furthermore, hard line conservatives want to take fiscal controls to the next level with a constitutional amendment to slash appropriations, cap future spending, and mandate a balance budget. 
Democratic leaders have pledged to protect entitlement programs and insure that low-income people are not harmed by federal initiatives to pay back the debt.  “Do not consider Social Security a piggy bank for giving tax cuts to the wealthiest people in our country,” said Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), House Minority Leader.  “We are not going to balance the budget on the backs of America’s seniors, women, and people with disabilities,” Ms. Pelosi stated.
President Obama is advocating flexibility, both in terms of the content of a compromise agreement and the length of time it would be in effect.  Obama might be willing to deal on Medicare, Medicaid, and other basic programs that fellow Democrats want to protect.  “I’m prepared to take significant heat from my party to get something done,” Obama said recently.  “And I expect the other side should be willing to do the same thing.  But unless,” the President added, “Republicans are willing to make the same ideological concession on taxes, I do not see a path to a deal.”
The President wants at least a mid-range solution to the debt problem that will carry the economy and the debt limit through the end of calendar year 2012.  A deal is only “going to get harder” as the 2012 election approaches, Mr. Obama noted.   “So we might as well do it now.  Pull off the Band-Aid.  Eat our peas.  If not now, when?”
SNAP Shots
Participation still rising:  Nationwide participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) rose for the 30th consecutive month in April 2011, as 44,647,861 people received benefits.  The total was 60,586 people higher than March 2011, one of the smallest monthly increases over the past two-and-one-half years, but an increase nonetheless.  
Most states experienced caseload growth between March 2011 and April 2011.  Over the year between April 2010 and April 2011 states with the largest percentage growth were:  New Jersey, 22.7 percent; New Mexico, 21.2 percent; Maryland, 21.2 percent; Nevada, 19.9 percent; Delaware, 19.4 percent; Minnesota, 18.8 percent; Florida, 18.3 percent; North Carolina, 17.7 percent; Idaho, 16.7 percent; and Hawaii, 15.4 percent.
Non-citizen eligibility detailed:  Although SNAP eligibility has never been extended to undocumented non-citizens, some non-citizens may be eligible for benefits if they meet certain immigration status requirements in addition to income and resource tests.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a “Guidance on Non-Citizen Eligibility” in order “to help simplify and clarify SNAP policy on non-citizen eligibility,” especially as it affects children.  The 62-page Guidance may be found at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/whats_new.htm as item number 19 for fiscal year 2011.
Ex-felons may get benefits:  In the past, persons convicted of a felony were banned from food stamps for life.  Not necessarily so today.  Federal encouragement to aid re-entry into society for convicted felons has resulted in most states eliminating or modifying the ban.  Learn more from the Re-entry Myth Buster! at: http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/whats_new.htm and clicking on item number 21.
School Food News & Notes
Guidance released on wellness policy updates:  The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a July 8, 2011 memorandum providing information on the new requirements for wellness policies that local education agencies must incorporate into their school year 2011-2012 plans.  Wellness policies can help improve student health and prevent and reduce childhood obesity.  
The memo covers key elements of local wellness policy; local discretion; and public involvement; along with implementation, periodic assessment, and public updates.  For additional information, go to: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/whatsnew.htm and find the July 8 memo.
Indirect costs reviewed:  The 2010 Child Nutrition Act reauthorization revised requirements on indirect costs for schools in the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.  A July 7, 2011 memorandum from USDA provides definitions of both direct and indirect costs and federal cost principles.  How a district’s general fund recovers indirect costs from the school food service account is also explained.  For details, locate: http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/whatsnew.htm and the July 7 memo listed on that page.
Full use of federal funds:  USDA published a final rule in the June 29, 2011 Federal Register mandating that federal child nutrition funds be used to administer programs and stipulatimg that federal funds cannot be subject to state budget restrictions or limitations.  The rule may be reviewed at: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-06-29/html/2011-16282.htm.
Nutrition Trends and Troubles
Latinos fear WIC budget cuts:  Potential cuts in federal funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC Program) are particularly worrisome for low-income Hispanics across the U.S.  Although half of all infants born in the U.S. participate in WIC, the percentage is considerably higher among Latino infants – nearly 90 percent receive program benefits.  A fiscal year 2012 budget passed by the Republican majority in the House would reduce WIC funding by $685 million next year resulting in hundreds of thousands of potentially eligible WIC mothers and children going unserved.
Industry seeks voluntary marketing rules:  Ever since the federal government issued voluntary guidelines for foods marketed to children in May, food and advertising companies have been actively working to undermine them.  The guidelines, jointly issued by the Federal Trade Commission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), call for reduced salt and less added sugars and fats in foods and drinks targeted to children.  The current guidelines are voluntary practices, not regulations.  Even though companies are not required to meet them and government agencies have no way to enforce them, industry has challenged guidelines aggressively, saying they would limit advertising and “free speech.”
Deep pockets needed to raise a child:  A middle-income American family will spend $226,920 ($286,860 if projected inflation is added in) to provide food, shelter, and other necessities to raise a child born in 2010 over the next 17 years.  That amount represents a two percent increase over 2009.  Child rearing expenses for transportation, childcare, education, and health care all saw significant increases over last year.   USDA has been tracking the cost of raising a child for 50 years.  Learn more at: http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2011/06/0241.xml
Hot dry weather to continue:  Triple-digit temperatures and an extended drought are plaguing the Midwest, South, and Southwestern parts of the country this year as summer gets underway.  It’s been 100 degrees or higher in Oklahoma City every day since June 29.  And Oklahoma has had only 28 percent of its normal summer rainfall.  Texas, where the drought has been the worst, is sizzling and shriveling; all 254 counties have been declared a disaster area.  It’s been 100 degrees plus in Dallas for over 10 days.  Although some past years have been hotter, Dust Bowl days are being recalled.
But the weather patterns have even broader implications for society.  In part due to the recession, which has closed beaches, parks, and swimming pools, children are turning to more indoor, usually more sedentary activities.  The severe heat means children are being drawn to movies, game arcades, and videos rather than baseball diamonds and soccer fields this season.   
Prices are rising:  Here’s a news flash!  Food prices are going up, notes USDA in its June 2011 Outlook Report.  The Department’s Economic Research Service (ERS) does not even need full sentences to explain “the large and rapid increase in agricultural prices during the past year.”  Keywords on the cover page capture it all:  “Agricultural prices, food commodity prices, prices, supply, demand, global supply, global demand, food inflation, food security, energy prices, biofuel, dollar depreciation, ERS, USDA.”  Meats and dairy prices have increased five to eight percent in the past three years and are predicted to keep rising.  Increasing shares of important world crops like cassava, corn, sugar, and palm oil are being diverted to biofuels.  Higher gas prices also increase the cost of procuring household food.
Reports from the Field – Sacramento, CA
California may lead the nation in a lot of things, but participation in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is not one of them.  SNAP used to be known as “food stamps;” but now the official program name within the Golden State is “CalFresh.”  But no matter what you call it, getting through the bureaucratic maze still takes considerable time and perseverance, as reporter Hugh Biggar described in this edited version of an article from the June 30, 2011 issue of the Sacramento News & Review:
One day last month, Monica Turner received a notice in the mail that tested her usually upbeat personality.  Out of work since October and supporting two children, she was about to be evicted.  Unsure what to do next, and with the end of the month rapidly approaching, Turner reluctantly turned to two sources for help.  For the rent, her parents agreed to lend a hand.  For food and other basic needs, Turner, like 192,000 others in Sacramento County, turned to public assistance known as CalFresh, or food stamps.
Turner paid her rent and wasn’t kicked out.  But for food and necessities, she entered a bureaucratic labyrinth, one from which she has yet to emerge.  It’s truly a maze, but those who stick it out win a prize of roughly $4.50 per person, or about $31 a week, or $325 monthly for a household.  But Turner was hindered by the food stamp process’s web of appointments and paperwork.  Many Californians give up or don’t bother.  As a result, the state leaves $4.9 billion in benefits on the table each year, money that could juice the economy by $8.7 billion in related activity.  Here in Sacramento County, this means $57.5 million in untouched benefits and $103 million in lost economic impact.
At the moment, California faces some embarrassing statistics.  Despite need, the state ranks next to last nationally in food-stamp participation.  Less than half of those eligible in California enroll, compared to a national average of 75 percent.  Numbers are stronger in Sacramento County, which ranks fourth among California counties. In contrast, 90 percent of those eligible in Oregon take part. Applications for CalFresh in Sacramento County have jumped from 59,326 in 2008 to 80,765 in 2010. Sacramento County also currently has 84,429 CalFresh cases for a staff of 208.
The dismal participation rates and lack of access to good nutrition also come with long-term social consequences, affecting such things as school performance, life span and susceptibility to diseases, and even obesity. Instead of food stamps, residents look to fast food and high-sugar, high-calorie eats.  In Sacramento County, for instance, 61 percent of adults are classified as obese.
CalFresh is an obstacle course requiring stamina and will, one with a paper trail that only half bother to complete.  Take the case of Monica Turner.  Formerly a phlebotomist, Turner lost her job at Kaiser Permanente last fall.  She then relied on financial aid from her classes at Sacramento City College to help support her 12-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son.  But by May, with the onset of summer and the end of classes, that aid was set to expire.
“I didn’t know what to do,” said Turner, 40. “I looked everywhere, even food-service jobs, but nothing turned up.  I have worked and paid taxes since 1994 and hadn’t considered food stamps before, because I figured people that needed it were worse off than me, but by then I didn’t have any choice.”  The last week in May, Turner visited Sacramento County’s social-services office a block from her home in Midtown.  There, she learned she in fact had to go to a different office in north Sacramento, a considerable distance for her since she didn’t have a car.
After initial appointments – filling out multiple documents, undergoing a face-to-face interview with a caseworker, traveling to her daughter’s middle school to have forms signed – she also had to be fingerprinted, a requirement in California and just two other states.  After borrowing a car to drive to the north Sacramento county office for fingerprinting, she then had to drive an hour to pick up her son at school and bring him to the office for fingerprinting, too.  All adult members of households applying for CalFresh must be fingerprinted and photographed.
Her process remains unfinished. This summer, Monica has to take part in a seven-week jobs program in order to receive CalFresh, requiring more trips to north Sacramento and adding the challenge of figuring out childcare while she is there.
“The barriers she faces are pretty representative of the many barriers [people] face in applying for CalFresh,” [said] Edith Martinez, CalFresh outreach coordinator for the River City Food Bank.  “And many don’t make it through the process because of the excessive verification requirements, difficulty attaining out-of-office appointments, complicated forms … lack of linguistically competent workers, all of which can make it a difficult process.”
This year, more changes to CalFresh system are in play and gaining momentum. Three state Assembly bills and one Senate bill are now under consideration in the Legislature, bills that address some of the significant hurdles in the way of signing up for CalFresh.
Assembly Bill 6 aims to eliminate the fingerprint-imaging requirement and switch to semiannual reporting.  Critics of SNAP point to fingerprint imaging as a way of deterring fraud, particularly through selling benefits for cash, alcohol or narcotics, or through filing multiple applications in different locations.  But … less than one percent of food-stamp investigations nationally are due to multiple-aid fraud.  Additionally, the state auditor has determined that the fingerprinting requirement is unnecessary, though it costs the state about $17 million annually.  Another bill, Assembly Bill 828, would end the lifetime ban on CalFresh for former nonviolent drug offenders.  
In the meantime, the federal government is also pushing hard for California to make changes.  USDA Undersecretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Kevin Concannon stresses that changing the system is vital.  “By incorporating key changes to their processes, California could reduce burdens on their staff and improve access at the same time, ultimately simplifying the program for everyone,” he explained in an email. He adds that it is essential vulnerable populations have access to a healthy diet.
In particular, Concannon highlighted several possible changes, including eliminating fingerprint imaging, converting to simplified reporting, expanding the use of telephone interviews and reducing verification requirements.  Such changes would also help California slash the high costs of administrating CalFresh. (California ranks third in the amount it spends on administrative expenses).  The federal government funds 50 percent of the administrative costs, with the state and counties picking up 35 and 15 percent of the remaining costs.  These improvements will help feed more hungry people who could be our friends, neighbors, or co-workers in this difficult economic climate.” Concannon said.
In Sacramento, Martinez, who is on the front line of hunger daily at the River City Food Bank, also advocates for cutting down on the number of face-to-face interviews and using more phone interviews instead.  Reducing the level of red tape would also help, she said. “I have seen situations where people who have applied later discover that some of their information never got put into the system.  It would be also helpful if some social-service offices stayed open in the evening, say from 5 to 7 [p.m.], since an increasing number of CalFresh recipients also work.”
And for Monica Turner, all the discussions and legislation around hunger in California are more urgent and closer to home.  “I need a job, but nobody is hiring, even when you know people like I do in phlebotomy,” she said.  “I’ll even work for tips.”
In the meantime, she is depending on her parents and CalFresh, and hoping some work-study opportunities this summer at Sacramento City College will come through.  Through a friend, she has also helped her son find a one-day-a-week job at a fast-food restaurant.  Even so, the maze that is California’s safety net at a time of shrinking state budgets is still out there.  Said Turner, “I am worried that when do I get my get my degree and CalFresh is up, I am going to have nowhere to go.”
Small Bites
Increasing the minimum:  Increase in the real value of the minimum wage since 1990:  21 percent.
Not keeping up with the minimum:  Increase in the cost of living since 1990:  67 percent.
Digital overtime:  Twenty-two percent of employees say they are expected to respond to work email even when they’re not at work.
No time off:  Half of all employees check work email on the weekend.
Not too sick to log on:  Nearly half – 46 percent – of employees check work email on sick days.
Plugged in; tuned out:  More than a third (34 percent) of employees check email while on vacation. 

Job Announcement: Policy Specialist for Children's Alliance

Posted: July 6, 2011
The Children’s Alliance Policy Specialist is a dynamic position, whose primary role is to assist the Deputy Director with a variety of programmatic responsibilities. The position involves a diverse range of work in multiple program areas relating to child and family policy, and works with a wide variety of partners and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment on everything from long-term strategy to new project implementation. This position assists the Children’s Alliance to actively respond to opportunities for advancing positive, racially equitable child and family policies at both the state and federal levels.
This is a 32-37.5 hour/week position, based in the Seattle office. Ability to work a flexible schedule is required, with some evenings and weekend availability required, particularly during state legislative sessions. Health, dental, and retirement benefits included. This position reports to the Children’s Alliance’s Deputy Director and is a member of the organization’s policy staff. Salary is $47,000/year, based on full time work.
Major responsibilities:
Lead Children’s Alliance federal advocacy work: manage contracts and relationships with funders and federal partners, integrate activities into the program staff of the Children’s Alliance, and provide leadership on federal activities
Provide public policy advocacy support to Deputy Director on a range of child and family policy issues. This includes but is not limited to policy analysis and monitoring, strategic advice, recommendations, and implementation of activities for children’s health, early learning, child hunger and nutrition policy, child welfare, juvenile justice issues, and others as needed
Provide support to Deputy Director on child poverty related advocacy efforts, including but not limited to strategic analysis and management of logistics Provide support to Deputy Director for a variety of responsibilities including new project development aspects of Children’s Alliance
Provide an additional point of contact to partners and advocates interested in the activities of the Children’s Alliance, including but not limited to representing the Children’s Alliance in community meetings, meetings with other advocates, and responding to outside requests for information Miscellaneous tasks as needed
Qualifications:
A minimum of 2 years professional experience in the policy advocacy arena Demonstrated understanding and ability to articulate Children’s Alliance’s mission, values, and approach to child advocacy Ability to work effectively in multiple arenas, on a range of tasks and levels Understanding of state-based child and family policy
Passion for and interest in supporting the work of a child advocacy organization Experience with racial equity policy analysis and advocacy and commitment to undoing institutional racism
Excellent written and verbal communications skills Persistence, resourcefulness, and positive demeanor Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to simultaneously handle multiple tasks
Please submit letter of interest, resume, and affirmative action form (optional, available at http://childrensalliance.org/about-us/jobs) to:
Hiring/Policy Specialist, Children's Alliance 718 6th Ave S. Seattle, WA 98104 FAX 206.325.6291 EMAIL job@childrensalliance.org
Candidates encouraged to apply by August 7, 2011. Children's Alliance is an equal opportunity employer working toward a culturally diverse and culturally competent work place.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

How to Get Your Tax-Exempt Status Back - IRS Youtube Video Resource

Food Systems Coordinator position with the City of Seattle

Department:
Office of Sustainability and Environment
Position Description:
The Office of Sustainability and Environment  is seeking qualified candidates for a Food Systems Coordinator.

The City of Seattle's Food Initiative is a coordinated effort to increase access to healthy and affordable food for all, promote urban agriculture and foster the growth of local food economies.

The Food Systems Coordinator will be responsible for advising the department Director, the Mayor and City Council on the development of strategic plans, policies, communications, and evaluation tools that will encourage a food system that promotes health, equity, and the environment. 
Job Responsibilities:
Policy Development and Coordination
  • Provide strategic analysis of current and emerging policies to identify new initiatives.
  • Coordinate development and implementation of food policy across City departments.
Program Development and Implementation
  • Lead food systems strategic planning processes to set goals, develop implementation plan, and identify programmatic activities
  • Coordinate and monitor implementation of the City's food systems strategic plan
  • Coordinate and prioritize food projects among City departments
  • Conduct research, develop strategies, and lead grant writing efforts to enhance program funding from public and private resources
  • Develop agendas and lead monthly interdepartmental team meetings
  • Report on program progress to City leadership, partners and community members
  • Communications and Outreach
  • Act as a liaison between the City and other public and private local, state, and federal entities dealing with the development of food systems policies and programs
  • Participate in community and department outreach processes related to food
  • Lead development of City's food systems communications plan, including the development and maintenance of website, newsletters, presentations and other materials
  • Design and facilitate community outreach efforts
This position will report to the Department Director, and is expected to play a leadership role consistent with the Mayoral priorities and City Council priorities and legislative directives.  This position represents City government and its priorities to the public.
Currently this is a part-time position funded by the City's General Fund.  The intention is to seek additional funding from other sources to eventually support a full-time position that stewards food systems work for the City of Seattle.  Note:  Position title, salary, and exempt status subject to final legislative approval.

Qualifications:
Experience:
  • A minimum of four years of progressive leadership experience, project management, and research and analytical experience.
  • A minimum of two years of experience in food systems or related work demonstrating knowledge of local, regional, and national food systems policy and issues, and including developing recommendations on policy options and programs for senior management.
  • A minimum of two years of demonstrated experience cultivating relationships with external constituencies, including historically under-served and/or under-represented populations.
  • Demonstrated analytical skills, facilitation skills, presentation skills, and writing skills, including grant writing.
  • Experience with Microsoft Office software, and experience in research and evaluation tools, methods and approaches.
Education:   A Bachelor's degree in a related field is required.  A Master's degree in Planning, Public Administration, Public Health, Social Work, Political Science, Organizational Development, Social Sciences or related field; or a combination of education and/or training and/or experience which provides an equivalent background required to perform the work of the position will be considered in lieu of the Master's degree.
Additional Information:
Desired Qualifications:
  • Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire/motivate colleagues.
  • Demonstrated ability to work independently and exercise independent judgment within the context of the City's policies and procedures.
  • Demonstrated success with grant writing for public funds as well as private foundations.
  • Demonstrated commitment to race and social justice work
  • Ability to institute, facilitate, and lead collaborative policy development processes
  • Ability to provide leadership, guidance, and support to interdepartmental teams
  • Track record of complete and timely follow-through
  • Strong community leadership, communication skills, facilitation skills and negotiation skills.
  • Self-starter and ability to move forward with assignment given broad parameters
  • Ability to prioritize work and be flexible when priorities change
  • Good understanding of the political process and Mayor-Council form of government.
Work schedule may include occasional evening and weekend hours.

Job offers are contingent on the verification of credentials and other information required by the application process.

The Office of Sustainability and Environment is responsible for advancing innovative environmental policies and providing coordination on cross-departmental priority issues, such as climate protection and urban forestry.  Learn more about the Office of Sustainability and Environment at 
www.seattle.gov/environment/

Printable Infant and Toddler Nutrition Materials

Washington State Department of Health:


Healthy Children.org


WIC


Seattle Children’s Hospital and Research Foundation


Beef Nutrition.org


Keep Kids Healthy.com


USDA


National Dairy Council


Centers for Disease Control


Washington State University Nutrition Program


Child Profile


King County Health Services


Washington State Dairy Council


USDA Team Nutrition


http://naturalhealthshop.us/child-nutrition/



*Information provided by Sara Gall with Food Security for Children

Monday, July 11, 2011

Help develop a survey- earn $50 for 90 minutes

RESEARCH STUDY SEEKS VOLUNTEERS JULY 2011

Are you a young adult age 18-24?
OR a parent of a child age 0-8?

You may be able to receive $50 for participating

 

·         Evidence2Success is about to begin in a few communities across the country.  As part of this, the University of Washington (UW) is about to begin an important study.  This study will help us learn what community members think their community needs for children, teens, and young adults to be healthy and successful at every age.

·         To get ready for this, we need community members like you to help us develop our survey.  We want to talk with parents and young adults to make sure our surveys are easy to understand and relevant to you! To do this, we want to interview you ABOUT our survey.

·         Interviews take about 90 minutes. We will work with you to schedule the best time for the interview. We will come to your home or another location that you choose.

·         You will be interviewed by two trained interviewers. One interviewer will ask you questions and the other will observe and take notes. The focus of the interview will not be on your answers to the questions, but on what you thought about the questions and how you came up with your answers.

·         As a way of saying thanks, we will give you $50 cash when you are done.

·         Participation is voluntary. All of the information you give will remain completely confidential.

Are you interested?

If you would like to participate or are interested in learning more, please contact us!






Evidence2Success
Gina Marchesini, Study Coordinator
206-221-7759 or toll-free at 1-888-313-9575


This study is being conducted by the Social Development Research Group at the University of Washington in collaboration with the Annie E. Casey Foundation and the Social Research Unit
For more information, please visit our websites:  www.sdrg.org, www.aecf.org, www.dartington.org.uk
For information on the protection of study participants, please visit the University of Washington’s Human Subjects Division website: at http://www.washington.edu/research/hsd/ or call 206-543-0098.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Star Foods: Connecting Food Banks with Affordable Bulk Buys


Star Foods has been in business for over 30 years and has been working with major manufacturers to help them move excess inventory due to cancelled orders, packaging changes or discontinuation of products. They deliver all of their products through a reliable network of trucking companies they have developed a strong relationship with over the years. They guarantee all of the products 100% and are not a trading company or a diverter. They own almost all of our products. Northwest Harvest is one of their biggest customers; selling them multiple loads of bulk pasta since they can repack it.

They would love to be of assistance to any food banks/ distribution centers, even if they might only be able to purchase a pallet or two of product. Although they usually quote prices for truckloads they can always offer LTL pricing as well. If any of the food banks want to go in together on a purchase they can also arrange a couple of drops with an additional charge.

Click HERE to visit their website.

Volunteer Opportunity from Seattle's Union Gospel Mission

Hello from Volunteer Outreach Services!

Would you like help provide a hot meal for hungry people in your neighborhood? Now you can!

The Mission has recently partnered with Capitol Hill Presbyterian to provide a free monthly meal for folks on Capitol Hill. These community meals will be served the second Sunday of every month at Capitol Hill Pres (1729 Harvard Ave) from 2-6pm.

If you’re interested in volunteering for one or more of these meals, call the volunteer office at 206.723.0767 or send us an email at volunteer@ugm.org.
Thanks!

-Melissa


Melissa Engstrom,
Volunteer Outreach Coordinator
Volunteer Outreach Services (VOS)
Seattle's Union Gospel Mission
(206) 723-0767 ext 354
(206) 432-8526 fax
email: mengstrom@ugm.org