Greetings, awesome Comm kids!
This space will be used for you to collaborate on some of the research you were doing today (and will be doing tomorrow).
To reiterate, in case you may have forgotten, these are your research questions:
What facts surprised you? (this question relates to the two videos we saw in class)
What are the hunger statistics for our AND surrounding communities?
Is there any one group that is affected disproportionately by hunger?
What impact does hunger have on school and resources?
Research "food desert"
Research SNAP
Additionally, I have linked the site No Kid Hungry to the blog--there are two other videos you can watch and there may even be some useful information for helping to answer those pesky research questions!
ReplyDelete5) Food Desert
Urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food.
USDA, Treasury and HHS have defined a food desert as a census tract with a substantial share of residents who live in low-income areas that have low levels of access to a grocery store or healthy, affordable food retail outlet. Using the census tract as a unit of analysis for identifying food deserts, USDA, Treasury and HHS will give funding priority to projects and interventions that establish healthy retail outlets in defined food deserts.
They qualify as "low-income communities", based on having: a) a poverty rate of 20 percent or greater, OR b) a median family income at or below 80 percent of the area median family income; AND
They qualify as "low-access communities", based on the determination that at least 500 persons and/or at least 33% of the census tract's population live more than one mile from a supermarket or large grocery store (10 miles, in the case of non-metropolitan census tracts).
USDA's Economic Research Service estimates that 23.5 million people live in food deserts. More than half of those people (13.5 million) are low-income.
http://apps.ams.usda.gov/fooddeserts/foodDeserts.aspx
3.Latino Hunger Fact Sheet
DeleteNationally, the population identifying as Hispanic/Latino represents 17 percent (53.0 million people) of the U.S. population. The Latino population in the U.S. grew 43 percent over the last decade and growth increasingly occurred in new communities[i]. Overall population growth in the U.S. was just 10 percent over that time.[ii] Latinos are disproportionately affected by poverty, food insecurity, and unemployment. They are also more likely to receive emergency food assistance than their white, non-Hispanic peers and less likely to receive SNAP benefits.
http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/latino-hunger/latino-hunger-fact-sheet.html
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ReplyDelete"While hunger occurs across American society, some populations and communities are disproportionately affected. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 24.9% of African-American households and 26.9% of Latino households were at risk of hunger in 2009. By comparison, the overall proportion of all American households at risk of hunger is 14.7%, a number which drops to 11% for Caucasian households"
ReplyDeleteI found this information on here:
http://www.hungerfreecommunities.org/resources/hunger-in-america/
http://www.whyhunger.org/getinfo/showArticle/articleId/981
ReplyDelete^ ^ ^ ^
Answers number 3 in first paragraph and is a big article for number 5
2. http://www.nj.com/helpinghands/foodbank/index.ssf/2008/09/hunger_here_at_home.html
ReplyDeleteThis is the link to the information I found on Hunger Stats for our surrounding communities
http://www.cfbnj.org/news/general/hunger-study-2014-report-new-jersey/
DeleteAnother link for question 2
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ReplyDelete4.) In 2010, more than 31.7 million children got their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. This meaning their parents couldn’t afford for their child’s lunch so they had to sign up for a free program.
ReplyDeleteSchools in poorer communities struggle to meet the learning meet and the dropout rate is higher.
http://www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx?item=4
“One of my students this year came up to me during a test and said she was having trouble. When I asked her which question she needed help with, she answered, “I don’t need help with the questions. I need help because I’m hungry and can’t think” –An elementary teacher in Maryland
http://www.nokidhungry.org/pdfs/school-breakfast-brochure.pdf
3.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/latino-hunger/latino-hunger-fact-sheet.html
6. NJ SNAP also known as Food Stamps, is a supplemental nutritional assistance program here in New Jersey that can help low income families put food on the table. In order to be eligible, there are several factors that the criteria committee looks at like income, household size, resources, etc. There is no application for those who are eligible and the application for this particular program could be found online at NJOneApp.com or in person at a County Welfare Agency.
ReplyDelete4) In addition to cash reimbursements, schools are entitled by law to receive USDA foods, called "entitlement" foods, at a value of 23.25 cents for each meal served in Fiscal Year 2012‐2013. Schools can also get "bonus" USDA foods as they are available from surplus agricultural stocks.
ReplyDeleteThe National School Lunch Program cost $11.6 billion in FY 2012. By comparison, the lunch program's total cost in 1947 was $70 million; in 1950, $119.7 million; in 1960, $225.8 million; in 1970, $565.5 million; in 1980, $3.2 billion; in 1990, $3.7 billion; and in 2000, 6.1 billion.
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/NSLPFactSheet.pdf
Each day, 32 million children in the United States get lunch at schools that participate in the National School Lunch Program, which uses agricultural surplus to feed children. About 21 million of these students eat free or reduced-price meals, a number that has surged since the recession. The program, which also provides breakfast, costs $13.3 billion a year.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/04/opinion/sunday/school-lunches-and-the-food-industry.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Atlantic County gets a federal grant from the Department of Agriculture for $43, 901 for school lunches.
Vineland receives $91,420.
http://projects.propublica.org/recovery/item/20120630/6437
ReplyDeleteNJ Snap : known as food stamps NJ supplemental nutrition assistance program also known as food stamps which includes WIC,EBT,
SNAP- is New Jersey's supplemental nutritional assistance program that can help low-income families buy the groceries they need to eat healthy.
Snap also provides
•WIC (Women, Infants , children) provides checks for each family based of the amount of children in the family
•Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. WIC is a federal program designed to provide food to low-income pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants and children until the age of five. The program provides a combination of nutrition education, supplemental foods, breastfeeding promotion and support, and referrals for health care. WIC has proven effective in preventing and improving nutrition related health problems within its population.
•Households may have $2,250 in countable resources, such as a bank account, or $3,250 in countable resources if at least one person is age 60 or older, or is disabled.\
•With the benefits you can qualify for EBT which is Electronic Benefits Transfer ,which is a credit card with money that the government gives you.
•When you receive aid from government you are able to attend classes for nutrition education , food safety , healthy cooking for your family
http://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dfd/programs/njsnap/
4. There is a pretty large impact on children that are hungry.
ReplyDeleteIt costs tons of money to serve every kid in a school.
Kids can’t concentrate when they are hungry.
Atlantic County receives an average of $43,000 for school lunches.
http://www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx
http://projects.propublica.org/recovery/locale/new-jersey/atlantic/dept/1200
Yamil Roman
ReplyDeleteChildhood hunger affects one out of every five kids in America. That is a very large statistic considering there are 73,460,567 kids under the age of 18. Approximately 31.7 million children get their lunch through the National School Lunch Program. This means that families who can’t afford to pay for school lunches must sign up for free or reduced lunches through the National School Lunch Program. The National School Lunch Program cost $11.6 billion in 2012. By comparison, the lunch program's total cost in 1947 was $70 million; in 1950, $119.7 million; in 1960, $225.8 million; in 1970, $565.5 million; in 1980, $3.2 billion; in 1990, $3.7 billion; and in 2000, 6.1 billion. The amount needed to pay for the program has steadily increased over the years.
My family takes part in the National School Lunch Program. I don’t suffer from hunger at home. My life at home is quite comfortable. My family just doesn’t make a big enough income to be able to pay $2.50 or more every day for lunches. It would cost five dollars every day for my family to pay for lunches since my younger sister and I both go to school. That amounts to twenty five dollars per week and 100 dollars per month. With everything else we have to pay for, my family doesn’t have that extra 100 dollars a month.
One thing that upsets me is when other people sign up for the free or reduced lunch program and they lie about their income. If you could pay for the meals, do it. Don’t lie about your income just so you won’t have to spend extra money. That 100 dollars per month and 900 dollars per year could be used on another two kids who really suffer from hunger or can’t afford the school meals. It’s being selfish and stingy. Don’t make the situation worse.
I think kids my age need to do more to stop the childhood hunger epidemic. One thing we could do is have a charity event. Maybe like a carnival and have all the proceeds go to local food banks so they could buy healthier foods and mission shelters so they could feed the families that they house. Even one dollar makes a difference. We need to take a bigger stance for childhood hunger and actually make a difference, one step at a time.
This is my essay by the way
DeleteChildhood hunger isn’t just a problem that occurs in countries over seas but a problem right in United States. Sadly, an epidemic that is even in our hometown of Mays Landing that affects teens that walks in the halls of Oakcrest. The government has set up different programs that allow low-income families to eat nutritionist meals. Such as S.N.A.P, EBT, foodstamps and various other programs. Permitting families who aren’t able to provide are not able to receive aid. As we face this problem that is growing larger we shall figure out different ways to eliminate hunger one step at a time.
ReplyDelete1 in every 5 children suffers from childhood hunger. That Statistic is a result of food deserts and certain groups living in low –income areas. The base of the issue of young children and families’ suffering from hunger start with lack of supermarkets in their area. Supermarkets are the main force and drive of the body. Without being able to purchase the food you need to be filled with nutrition results in families to suffer from starvation. Food deserts are mainly prominent in cities such as Atlantic City, filled with low-income families and poverty. In order to lower the number of children in urban areas New Jersey should build supermarkets and grocery store in the area affected mostly by child hunger.
Every demographic and age group is affected by this issue and New Jersey food banks, SNAP programs and welfare offers families to receive assistance to provide for there family. New Jersey shows that 900,000 people in the state rely on food banks over 5,000,000 times a year. Different programs that allow families to purchase the food needed to survive and eat healthy especially in school. In school kids are able to receive free or reduced lunch. Allowing children to properly receive two meals out of the day. Atlantic County gets federal grants from the Department of Agriculture for $43, 901 for student’s school lunches. The breakfast and lunch gives kids the nutrition for two meals.
74% of the families that receive food from the food bank are below the poverty line. If the government created a system that enables parents with a high school diploma or equivalent to earn a higher degree. In return they can get jobs that will pay better and provide for their family. That is one way to stop childhood hunger due to the fact that 73 of the 74% that get food from the food bank have at least a high school degree or equivalent. Which later causes families to get state aid.
In our community the amount of students that are effected by their families circumstances that grow each and every year. Many don’t know the situations of those suffering from childhood hunger. Awareness needs to be raised so the public really knows how many don’t eat meals during the day. Ultimately, ending hunger at an early age starts with the parents getting better benefits through their jobs. Giving parents alternatives and incentives to get a better job and provide for their family.
Many of us have a habit of viewing hunger as a problem that is only present in third world countries. America tries to disguise itself as a perfect nation with a sufficient amount of resources and opportunities to go around. Unfortunately, our country is far from flawless in the sense that we still face issues that are commonly associated with poorer countries. Hunger is still a huge issue even in the land of the free. In fact, a recent statistic states that one in every five children suffer from hunger in the United States. This makes it very likely that a student passes at least one hungry peer on a normal school day. This hunger, however, is much more than just the result of skipping breakfast everyday. It is the upsetting event in which a family cannot afford to provide their household with plentiful and nutritious meals on a regular basis. We can no longer ignore this travesty that is currently affecting 17 million families in America. In order to improve this national issue, we need to take action.
ReplyDeleteThroughout my entire life, I have been fortunate enough to never experience what it’s like to suffer from hunger. I always knew that hunger was an issue in America but I never realized how major it actually was. I could never imagine what it must be like to wake up each day and wonder when I would get to eat my next meal. It is a shame to think that some of my very own peers face hunger almost everyday. This problem affects more than just health. Poor academics is another result of hunger. These students are constantly burdened with low levels of energy and motivation so they can’t even concentrate during school. Even though there are free meal programs in place for these students to access, it still doesn’t seem to be enough to drastically improve the situation of the matter. It is obvious that school systems are in dire need of better ways to feed those who need it the most. We may not be able to end childhood hunger completely but we can do something to get just one step closer to this far-fetched goal.
High schools generally host canned food drives a few times a year and communities tend to provide food pantries that are available to those who qualify for access to such resources. However, there is always more that we can do. Hungry families would greatly benefit from free, informational courses on how to find and prepare nutritious meals with a budget. Programs like this could significantly improve the health of those who currently suffer from hunger. From these courses, families will be able to gain the skill and knowledge to slowly but surely solve their issue. As a community, we need straighten out our priorities and invest in beneficial plans that are sure to make a difference in the lives of those who are less privileged. If teens volunteer their time and effort to helping out families who experience problems as extreme as hunger, they can easily make a big difference among local individuals. No one should ever hesitate to put a concept into action. A small group of progressive and passionate individuals with a great idea can surely make a powerful impact on the world.
ReplyDeleteOne of the most over looked problems in our country today is that such a large percentage of Americans go through their days hungry. Children are no excluded from the issue of hunger, about 1 in every 5 children does not get proper nutrition and nearly 40% in America are in the National School Lunch Program. The NSLP is a program that either provides children with free or a reduced price for school lunches. This not the only program designed to help fight hunger in America and provide food for people that might not have the means to feed themselves. One of the more recognizable organizations in New Jersey is Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) which helps families purchase groceries, essential food stamps.
For children and teens it becomes extremely impactful in everyday activities when they are battling hunger and malnutrition. It negatively effects their growth when they are not receiving the right or enough nutrition throughout the day. This stunt to their growth could affect their bodily functions for the rest of their lives. Not only are their physical condition at risk, but even their mental intellectual potential is greatly diminished. While the kids are hungry it makes it almost impossible to pay attention in school or to even make it a priority. Dropout rates for kids that are deemed to be hungry sky rocket compared to those that are not. It is just a downward spiraling cycle that just continues to reoccur in future generations. If the kids that are going hungry drop out, they will find themselves and their families in the same exact circumstances they are in.
This might sound a little bit like wishful thinking but we cannot fix a huge problem until our leaders and people admit we have a huge problem. Everyday citizens often turn a blind towards the problems such as ones of hunger or poverty. If we continue to pretend that life is fine how it is and that there is no problems going on, it is impossible to fix it. Political leaders need to stop having so many debates on defense spending, where we spend more than the next 26 countries combined, while 25 of them are our allies or arguments of political peace in Middle East in Russia when our own people are struggling to find their next meal. Let’s have the debate where the top 1% of our income brackets could solve our countries hunger situation ten times over by giving 1% of their incomes up. Now it would be unfair for us to place total blame on our political and government leaders for any problem in our country. We need to look in the mirror and ask what we could do to solve a problem that maybe doesn’t affect all of us, but it for sure has a big impact on all of our lives. We need to bring more press and attention to the problem, and continue to support those people, groups and programs that are doing their best to make sure we will eventually rid the problem that the greatest country on the face of the earth should not be experiencing.