HEALTH | May 19, 2008
Well: Paying Attention to the Food We Don't Eat
Tara Parker-Pope
Despite an epidemic of obesity, Americans waste a surprising amount of food. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/05/19/paying-attention-to-the-food-we-dont-ea t/?ex=1211947200&en=4f3013eb8db64f57&ei=5070&emc=eta1

Hunger Highlight- #3 Gardening for Good

Awareness:

Many local agencies are currently working to grow fresh food for hungry people in our community. There is a Food Bank Farm located off the Guide Meridian run as a partnership with Bellingham Food Bank and Growing Washington with many volunteers provided by Small Potatoes Gleaning Project,and a new Community Garden in Ferndale.(a program of Small Potatoes Gleaning Project) The community garden is a 10,000 plus square foot parcel divided into thirds: one-third divided into 18 plots which will grow food for 53 participants, one-third for the Ferndale Food Bank, and the remaining third for a children’s garden for the Ferndale Boys and Girls Club.

The food from these growing ventures provides fresh produce to individuals,food banks and hot meal programs throughout Whatcom County. The Victory Garden project brings any unwanted vegetables from your garden to the food bank.

Action:

You can help provide fresh, local, healthy fruits and vegetables to people in need. Volunteer at the Food Bank Farm or the Community Garden. Deliver any extra vegetables from your home garden to the Bellingham Food Bank, Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30. Be a hero simply by giving the food bank the extra lettuce, tomatoes, and zucchini you grow! We are blessed with the ability to grow a wide variety of great fruits and vegetables. Think about community members who go hungry when you harvest your home-grown food. Donate some to the local Food Banks.

For more information on Volunteering for the Food Bank Farm contact Barbara Montoya at beemon@comcast.net or 738-0690

To volunteer for the Ferndale Community Garden contact Andrea Traner almaness@yahoo.com or 384-0570 Plant an extra row in your garden, no matter the size, to help feed the hungry in your community.

Plant vegetables and fruits that travel well and are good keepers: broccoli, carrots, peas, cabbage, green beans, tomatoes, peppers, squash, and onions. Herbs are always welcome. Contact Mike Cohen at bfbanked@openaccess.org or 676-0392

Turn your garden into a Victory Garden and share your produce with neighbors, friends, and the local food banks and soup kitchens. Drop any produce off at the Bellingham Food Bank Monday-Friday 8:00-4:30 or Contact Mike Cohen at bfbanked@openaccess.org or 676-0392

Hunger Highlight- April 2008	Participating restaurants include: Bayou on Bay Café Akroteri Pastazza Cascade Pizza Busara Thai Cuisine D’Anna’s Café Italiano Diamond Jim’s Grill Flats Tapas Bar Giuseppes Italian Rastaurant The Bellingham Keg Steakhouse Stanello’s Italian Restaurant India Grill Restaurant Mount Bakery The Grace Café Oriento Grill and BBQ Fresh Start Espresso Bayside Café Taco Lobo Black Drop Coffeehouse Mambo Italiano Café Nimbus Mykonos The Temple Bar Fiamma Burger La Fiamma Wood Fire Pizza On Rice Thai Cuisine (Samish and Barkley) Thai House Restaurant Rocket Donuts Rocket Express Boundary Bay Pepper Sisters Hilltop Restaurant
Awareness: Last year Maple Alley Inn provided over 15,000 hot, full-course, home cooked meals to hungry people in our community.  An important financial contributor to the program is DINE OUT FOR MAPLE ALLEY INN where community members can donate to the program by going out to eat!
Agency: Maple Alley Inn is an Opportunity Council program that provides over 100 meals per day, two days a week.  In addition to offering nutritious meals, Maple Alley Inn provides resources and referral information to its guests: people who are homeless, mentally ill, working poor, aging, disabled veterans, and families with children.
Action: On MAY 6, 2008, 35 Bellingham restaurants are participating in the Opportunity Council’s eighth annual DINE OUT FOR MAPLE ALLEY INN.  A percentage of the sales on May 6 will go to support this important program.  To find out where you can “dine out” for breakfast, lunch or dinner, contact the Opportunity Council or watch the papers! For more information, please call Opportunity Council at (360) 734-5121 ext. 233 or visit our web site at www.oppco.org/dineout.

 

“Hunger Highlight” For February and March 2008

Awareness:
The Bellingham Food Bank just completed its busiest year on record serving 76, 951 individuals. Of these clients, 3% were 0-3 years old, 33% were between the ages of 3-18, and 15% were over 55. The Food Bank operates through the work of over 130 volunteers, 4 paid staff, and YOU!

Agency:
The Bellingham Food Bank helps to reduce hunger in our community by providing free groceries to anyone living in Bellingham in need of food assistance.

Action:
The Food Bank is always in need of money to purchase items in short supply. Their ability to buy food at less than wholesale cost gets the most for your dollars. If you choose to donate groceries, baby food, canned fruit, and dairy products are always needed. The Food Bank is temporarily located at 1511 North State Street. Donations can be dropped off from 8:00a.m.-4:30p.m Monday-Friday at the red door located on York Street.

Food and Meal Resources in Whatcom County This guide lists the places where SPGP regularly delivers gleaned produce during the growing season. (Food Resource Guide.pdf file requires Adobe Acrobat Reader to download) The Bellingham Food Bank has MOVED to its temporary location at 1511 North State Street Donations can be dropped off at our parking lot at the corner of York and North State St.

8 Myths and Facts about Hunger in Whatcom County

1. Myth: Hunger really isn't that big of a deal.
Fact:

• Whatcom County food banks have received 17,500 requests for assistance each month. (Hunger in Whatcom County Food Bank Facts)
  

2. Myth: People who use emergency food resources are lazy and don't work
Fact:

• "A report by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that in 2002 more than 25% of working American families were classified as low-income, with incomes at 200% of the federal poverty level. This translates into more than 9.2 million families."
  
• In Whatcom County, 50% of households at food banks have at least one household member who works. (Hunger in Whatcom County Food Bank Facts)
  

3. Myth: People don't really need food banks and meal programs.
Fact: "

• 59% of food bank households skip or cut meals at least once a week because they can't afford to purchase enough food. Other expenses that compete with the food budget include paying for heat, medicine, medical care, and rent. (Hunger in Whatcom County Food Bank Facts)
  

4. Myth: The number of people accessing emergency food systems is decreasing
Fact:

• " Demand for help at Whatcom County food banks has increased by 20% since 2000. (Hunger in Whatcom County Food Bank Facts) "
  
• Among members of the America's Second Harvest network, 65% of pantries, 61% of kitchens, and 52% of shelters reported that there had been an increase since 2001 in the number of clients who come to their emergency food program sites. America's Second Harvest is the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the US. http://www.secondharvest.org/learn_about_hunger/fact_sheet/poverty_stats.html
  

5. Myth: Everyone that needs food stamps is getting them.
Fact:

• " The participation rate for eligible working poor individuals was 51% nationwide in 2004. That means that nearly half of the eligible working poor families are not receiving food stamps. http://www.fns.usda.gov/oane/MENU/Published/FSP/FSPPartState.htm
  

6. Myth: Food Stamps drain the economy.
Fact:

• "Every $5 in new food stamps benefits generates $9.20 in total community economic activity. On average $1 billion of retail food demand by food stamp recipients generates 3,300 farm jobs. http://www.fns.usda.gov/fsp/outreach/business-case.htm

7. Myth: There is not enough food to feed everyone.
Fact:

• Enough food is available on the planet to provide each person with at least 3,500 daily calories - about 1000 calories more than our minimum requirement. That is almost 4.3 pounds of food per person, per day worldwide. The problem is that many people lack the money to buy food or the means to produce it for themselves and their families. http://www.ncm.org/pdf/hunger.pdf page 38
  

8. Myth: Hunger only affects adults.
Fact:

• "53% of the Mt. Baker School District's students are eligible for free or reduced school lunch. http://www.k12.wa.us/ChildNutrition/FreeReducedDistrict.aspx "
  
• 32% of Bellingham food bank clients are 3-18 years old. (Hunger in Whatcom County Food Bank Facts)

The Bellingham Food Bank serves as the lead agency for the Coalition. For more information, contact Mike Cohen, 676-0392 or email bfbed@openaccess.org

Get Involved in helping to end hunger in our community:
WHATCOM ANTI-HUNGER COALITION Formed in 2001, the Whatcom Anti-Hunger Coalition is a collaborative effort of emergency food providers, hot meal programs, and food security advocates who share a common goal of ending hunger in Whatcom County.

The Coalition aims to:
- Increase cooperation and mutual support among agencies and individuals working to address the problem of hunger in our community
- Facilitate widespread knowledge about existing food security resources, both for people in need and the organizations that are trying to help
- Raise awareness about the problem of hunger in our community, and encourage community support for strategies to address the problem

The Coalition has been involved with many anti-hunger projects and activities that such as: Hunger Awareness Day, Mail Carrier Food Drive, Food Lifeline Conference, Washington Food Coalition Conference, Haggen-ICU Food Drive, Local Produce Outreach, Candidates forum, Food Stamp Outreach, and legislative advocacy.

**CHANGE of day and time!**
The Anti-Hunger Coalition meets
THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH FROM 9:30 am - 11 am
AT THE SALVATION ARMY, 2912 NORTHWEST AVE.

The Whatcom Anti-Hunger Coalition is open to anyone who wishes to join. Members contribute in a variety of ways to support the work of the Coalition, including contribution of administrative support, meeting space, printing, etc.

The Bellingham Food Bank serves as the lead agency for the Coalition. For more information, contact Mike Cohen, 676-0392 or email bfbed@openaccess.org

The Anti-Hunger Coalition Wants Your Help
Formed in 2001, the Whatcom Anti-Hunger Coalition is a collaborative effort of emergency food providers, hot meal programs, and food security advocates who share a common goal of ending hunger in Whatcom County.

There are many ways you can get involved
1) Join the Coalition and attend our monthly meetings held the first Thursday of each month from 11:00-12:30 p.m. at the Salvation Army, 2912 Northwest Ave.
2) Take legislative action! The Coalition will be organizing around the WA Anti-Hunger and Nutrition Coalition's four action items for this legislative biennium. Join the chain of contact and call your legislator.
3) Help plan and participate in Hunger Awareness Day- a grassroots movement to raise local and national awareness of the solvable problem of hunger in America. These events on the topics of hunger awareness and food justice will take place in June.
4) Support the efforts of your local food banks, hot meal providers and food security advocates with administrative help, technical assistance, printing, volunteer hours or food and monetary donations.

The Bellingham Food Bank serves as the lead agency for the Coalition. For more information, contact Mike Cohen, 676-0392 or email bfbed@openaccess.org

Learn More...

"Hunger should have no place at our table. It is inconsistent with our commitment to human rights and objectionable to the American values of fairness, opportunity, family and community."
Millennium Declaration to End Hunger in America December 2003
The Declaration outlines the causes and costs of hunger in the United States. Click here to view the Millennium Declaration to End Hunger in America. http://www.alliancetoendhunger.org/pdfs/millennium_declaration.pdf

A Blueprint to End Hunger-Details Policies and Actions to Solve Problem Affecting 35 Million People Whether an individual,staff at a school or University,part of a club or group, a business owner, employee, member or volunteer of a local nonprofit organization,or representative of local government,there's something YOU can do to help end hunger in our community and our world. To see a list of specific actions you can take, view The Blueprint http://www.alliancetoendhunger.org/blueprint_to_end_hunger.htm

Food First

Federal policy supports a food system that harms poor people who lack access to real food and harms the environment to produce processed junk." Read more....

In an election year (with the national budget facing a huge deficit), it is important for farm and food advocates to inform themselves and find ways of presenting integrated demands for a Farm Bill that promotes just, sustainable food systems." Read more...

Learn more about the 2007 Farm Bill:
The Farm and Food Policy Project
A diverse coalition of family farm, sustainable agriculture, rural, public health, anti-hunger, environmental, faith-based, and other groups is forming to shape the 2007 Farm Bill. The cross-sector approach of the Farm and Food Policy Project (FFPP) reflects a commitment to policy reforms that address the full spectrum of public needs addressed by this critical piece of legislation. www.farmandfoodproject.org
For specific policy proposals for the 2007 Farm Bill, click on Healthy Food and Communities Initiative at www.foodsecurity.org/policy

 

U.S. Wastes $14 Billion in Food & Crops Every Year

Learn more about the 2007 Farm Bill:
The Farm and Food Policy Project A diverse coalition of family farm, sustainable agriculture, rural, public health, anti-hunger, environmental, faith-based, and other groups is forming to shape the 2007 Farm Bill. The cross-sector approach of the Farm and Food Policy Project (FFPP) reflects a commitment to policy reforms that address the full spectrum of public needs addressed by this critical piece of legislation.
www.farmandfoodproject.org
For specific policy proposals for the 2007 Farm Bill, click on Healthy Food and Communities Initiative at www.foodsecurity.org/policy