The Job & Family Services blog has just been added to a great online resource for local news, both from traditional news sources like the Messenger, as well as a number of other bloggers. Check it out! Athensi.com.
We haven't gotten much of a response regarding food stamps and what you'd buy with them yet, but we'd still love to hear from you. Also, if you're a volunteer or employee at any food banks or other organizations that provide free food to low income families, is the article from the Athens News pretty accurate regarding increased demands? Is it harder over the summer with children home from school? It would be a real eye-opener to hear from people that experience it every day.
One last quick note regarding free food is that the Athens County libraries will be serving free meals to children under 18 as well as adults with mental and physical disabilities all summer long. Meals will be provided at Glouster, Nelsonville, Chauncey and Coolville branches. The announcement in the Messenger last Wednesday didn't go into much detail, but if you want more information, click here for the library's contact information.
Showing posts with label food stamp challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food stamp challenge. Show all posts
Jun 20, 2007
Jun 19, 2007
Another food pantry accepting donations...
Our sincerest apologies for overlooking another food pantry that would be grateful for your donations as we continue to explore the issue of hunger among Athens County's poorest folks:
Athens County Food Pantry
740-594-6680
This pantry provides food boxes and Seamans vouchers to families who call the Athens County Foodline (1-800-338-4484), as described in our first post about food stamps. They're always in need of food and financial donations, so call the number listed above if you'd like to make either!
Athens County Food Pantry
740-594-6680
This pantry provides food boxes and Seamans vouchers to families who call the Athens County Foodline (1-800-338-4484), as described in our first post about food stamps. They're always in need of food and financial donations, so call the number listed above if you'd like to make either!
Jun 14, 2007
The Food Stamp Challenge—Part 2
Until significant changes are made, those in need will have to continue to rely on a strained support system and find whatever resources they can to supplement the $25 per week. Below is a sample of what someone might choose to buy, and along with that, here’s a challenge: the next time you’re grocery shopping, figure out how you would spend $25 to feed yourself for a week and send us the list with prices. (Post them in comments.) While you’re doing that, find a couple things you’d want to eat that you wouldn’t be able to afford on this hypothetical list, buy them and drop them off at a food bank. They’ll be much needed and much appreciated.
For $25, a week of (not necessarily balanced, or particularly filling) meals:
*Note—these prices were quoted at Athens’ local Aldi store on June 12. As their Web site states: "Aldi is an international retailer specializing in a limited assortment of private label, high-quality products at the lowest possible prices."
Meat:
-Bologna:$.99 for 16 servings
-Canned chicken breast: $1.69 for 4 servings
-Canned chicken broth: $1.17 for 3 cans
Dairy:
-Skim milk: $2.61 for 1 gallon/16 servings
-American cheese slices: $.79 for 12 slices
-Eggs: $.89 for 12
-Margarine: $1.29 for 3 lbs
Grains/carbohydrates:
-White bread: $.49 for 22 slices
-Tortillas: $.89 for 36
-Rice: $.99 for 30 servings
-Potatoes: $1.99 for 10 lbs./about 20 potatoes
-Egg noodles: $.69 for 6 servings
-Quick oats: $1.49 for 30 servings
-Macaroni and cheese: $.58 for two boxes
Fruits/vegetables:
-Dry pinto beans: $1.19 for 25 servings
-Onions: $1.29 for about 5
-Bananas: $.35 for about 6
-Fresh carrots: $.49 for 5 servings
-Canned green beans: $.78 for 2 cans, 2 servings each
-Canned corn: $.78 for 2 cans, 2 servings each
-Canned carrots: $.78 for 2 cans, 2 servings each
Condiments:
-Salt: $.33 for one canister
-Garlic powder: $.99
-Ketchup: $.99
Total: $24.52
Here is a list of local food pantries that accept donations: (They also accept monetary donations to buy what is most needed.)
HAPCAP Southeast Ohio Regional Food Center
1005 C.I.C. Drive
Logan, OH 43138
(740) 385-6813
Friends & Neighbors Community Food Center
2808 Sixth Street
Coolville, OH 45723
(740) 667-0684
Glouster Community Center Food Pantry
3 Front Street
Glouster, OH 45732
(740) 767-3829
Kilvert Community Center Food Pantry
21120 McGraw Rd.
Stewart, OH 45778
740-448-7332
Salvation Army Food Pantry
1 Townsend Place
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-7082
The Nelsonville Food Cupboard
83 West Washington Street
Nelsonville, OH 45764
(740) 753-3810
Let us know what you would buy with $25/week, or if you receive Food Stamps, what you do buy!
For $25, a week of (not necessarily balanced, or particularly filling) meals:
*Note—these prices were quoted at Athens’ local Aldi store on June 12. As their Web site states: "Aldi is an international retailer specializing in a limited assortment of private label, high-quality products at the lowest possible prices."
Meat:
-Bologna:$.99 for 16 servings
-Canned chicken breast: $1.69 for 4 servings
-Canned chicken broth: $1.17 for 3 cans
Dairy:
-Skim milk: $2.61 for 1 gallon/16 servings
-American cheese slices: $.79 for 12 slices
-Eggs: $.89 for 12
-Margarine: $1.29 for 3 lbs
Grains/carbohydrates:
-White bread: $.49 for 22 slices
-Tortillas: $.89 for 36
-Rice: $.99 for 30 servings
-Potatoes: $1.99 for 10 lbs./about 20 potatoes
-Egg noodles: $.69 for 6 servings
-Quick oats: $1.49 for 30 servings
-Macaroni and cheese: $.58 for two boxes
Fruits/vegetables:
-Dry pinto beans: $1.19 for 25 servings
-Onions: $1.29 for about 5
-Bananas: $.35 for about 6
-Fresh carrots: $.49 for 5 servings
-Canned green beans: $.78 for 2 cans, 2 servings each
-Canned corn: $.78 for 2 cans, 2 servings each
-Canned carrots: $.78 for 2 cans, 2 servings each
Condiments:
-Salt: $.33 for one canister
-Garlic powder: $.99
-Ketchup: $.99
Total: $24.52
Here is a list of local food pantries that accept donations: (They also accept monetary donations to buy what is most needed.)
HAPCAP Southeast Ohio Regional Food Center
1005 C.I.C. Drive
Logan, OH 43138
(740) 385-6813
Friends & Neighbors Community Food Center
2808 Sixth Street
Coolville, OH 45723
(740) 667-0684
Glouster Community Center Food Pantry
3 Front Street
Glouster, OH 45732
(740) 767-3829
Kilvert Community Center Food Pantry
21120 McGraw Rd.
Stewart, OH 45778
740-448-7332
Salvation Army Food Pantry
1 Townsend Place
Athens, OH 45701
(740) 593-7082
The Nelsonville Food Cupboard
83 West Washington Street
Nelsonville, OH 45764
(740) 753-3810
Let us know what you would buy with $25/week, or if you receive Food Stamps, what you do buy!
Jun 13, 2007
The Food Stamp Challenge—Part 1
Beginning the week of May 15, four members of Congress, including Ohio’s Representative Tim Ryan (D), learned what it was like to try to survive on food stamps for a week. (Read a Washington Post article about this experience.)
The four had $21 each, which they spent at a Safeway near Washington, D.C. They stuck to purchases such as bread, pasta, spaghetti sauce, and peanut butter and jelly. An eye-opener for these lawmakers as they introduced legislation to increase the food stamp budget in the upcoming Farm Bill, this week of poor nutrition and frequent hunger pangs certainly drew attention to the growing problem of food-stamp inadequacy. (Tim Ryan’s blog,Rep. Jim McGovern’s (D-Mass.) blog.
Nationally, according to the Washington Post article, about 26 million Americans receive food stamps. Locally, here’s what that translates into for Athens County:
Last year (FY2006: July 2005 through June 2006):
-An average of 6,614 people per month received food stamps.
-Their average allotted spending amount was $99.82 per month, which is about $25 per week.
-Food Stamp recipients don’t actually get Food Stamps anymore. The Ohio Direction Card, which works like a debit card, has replaced food stamps and removed some of the stigma attached to getting public assistance. They can be used at most local grocery stores.
Other food stamps considerations:
-ONLY food is allowed to be purchased with food stamps. Some examples of excluded items (imagine living without them): toilet paper, napkins, tissue, sanitary supplies, soap, shampoo, dishwashing soap, laundry supplies, diapers.
-Because $25 per week is often inadequate to feed a family member, families often must turn to food pantries to get supplemental food. Job & Family Services operates an Emergency Food Line in conjunction with the Athens County Food Pantry Board that allows qualifying families to receive one box of food along with a few dollars per person in food vouchers every 90 days. ($10 for a family of one to three, $20 for a family of four to six, and $30 for a family of seven or more.)
A growing trend continues to drive home the point that Food Stamps scarcely provide families with their basic needs. A "http://athensnews.com/index.php?action=viewarticle§ion=news&story_id=28408" target="_blank">recent article in the Athens News reported that local food pantries are running low on provisions to hand out as demand increases.
Four members of Congress took a weeklong challenge to get an idea of what it’s like to live on Food Stamps. It was certainly an admirable attempt to empathize with their constituents and understand what changes must be made, but the issues surrounding hunger in America are far from over.
Since their inception, Food Stamps have been intended to provide only 75 percent of the necessary food to individuals, based on the Thrifty Food Plan set by the USDA; they are expected to pay out-of-pocket for the other 25 percent. However, low income eligibility requirements to qualify for Food Stamp benefits pretty much guarantee that these people have no other resources to turn to. This is a catch-22 that needs to be addressed, because it is leaving millions of Americans—including children—hungry and undernourished.
The four had $21 each, which they spent at a Safeway near Washington, D.C. They stuck to purchases such as bread, pasta, spaghetti sauce, and peanut butter and jelly. An eye-opener for these lawmakers as they introduced legislation to increase the food stamp budget in the upcoming Farm Bill, this week of poor nutrition and frequent hunger pangs certainly drew attention to the growing problem of food-stamp inadequacy. (Tim Ryan’s blog,Rep. Jim McGovern’s (D-Mass.) blog.
Nationally, according to the Washington Post article, about 26 million Americans receive food stamps. Locally, here’s what that translates into for Athens County:
Last year (FY2006: July 2005 through June 2006):
-An average of 6,614 people per month received food stamps.
-Their average allotted spending amount was $99.82 per month, which is about $25 per week.
-Food Stamp recipients don’t actually get Food Stamps anymore. The Ohio Direction Card, which works like a debit card, has replaced food stamps and removed some of the stigma attached to getting public assistance. They can be used at most local grocery stores.Other food stamps considerations:
-ONLY food is allowed to be purchased with food stamps. Some examples of excluded items (imagine living without them): toilet paper, napkins, tissue, sanitary supplies, soap, shampoo, dishwashing soap, laundry supplies, diapers.
-Because $25 per week is often inadequate to feed a family member, families often must turn to food pantries to get supplemental food. Job & Family Services operates an Emergency Food Line in conjunction with the Athens County Food Pantry Board that allows qualifying families to receive one box of food along with a few dollars per person in food vouchers every 90 days. ($10 for a family of one to three, $20 for a family of four to six, and $30 for a family of seven or more.)
A growing trend continues to drive home the point that Food Stamps scarcely provide families with their basic needs. A "http://athensnews.com/index.php?action=viewarticle§ion=news&story_id=28408" target="_blank">recent article in the Athens News reported that local food pantries are running low on provisions to hand out as demand increases.
Four members of Congress took a weeklong challenge to get an idea of what it’s like to live on Food Stamps. It was certainly an admirable attempt to empathize with their constituents and understand what changes must be made, but the issues surrounding hunger in America are far from over.
Since their inception, Food Stamps have been intended to provide only 75 percent of the necessary food to individuals, based on the Thrifty Food Plan set by the USDA; they are expected to pay out-of-pocket for the other 25 percent. However, low income eligibility requirements to qualify for Food Stamp benefits pretty much guarantee that these people have no other resources to turn to. This is a catch-22 that needs to be addressed, because it is leaving millions of Americans—including children—hungry and undernourished.
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