FIGHTING CHILDHOOD HUNGER: FILLING THE GAPS SO KIDS LEARN & THRIVE

How is your school system impacted by student hunger? How big is the problem and how does it impact student achievement? What else can School Boards do to help? Childhood Hunger: Where is it?

Umbrella organization bringing together a food bank, a Meals on Wheels, and a Community Kitchen (to prepare meals for delivery to at-risk children and homebound seniors & disabled) 1 of 7 Virginia Food Bank organizations Serves 36 localities in Central Virginia First, some background on us

FeedMore’s Objectives & Outcomes Objectives Childhood Hunger To reduce food insecurity and improve the nutritional status of high risk children. Programs are targeted to fill the gaps year round when school meals are not available. Senior Hunger To reduce food insecurity by providing balanced, nutritious and appealing meals to seniors, people with disabilities and disadvantaged populations. We strive to improve the quality of life of homebound individuals by providing supported through daily social interaction, safety checks and more. Feeding Families To provide hunger relief for food insecure families and individuals in need through CVFB food procurement and distribution, partner agencies and mobile pantries.

Programs Overview

Food Insecurity – across the U.S. County Type High Food Insecurit y Rate Counties High CHILD Food Insecurity Rate Counties All Counties Non- metro/ rural 59%60%43% Metro14%26%35% Micro- politan 28%14%22% U.S. Total100% The most food insecure (top 10%) counties are heavily concentrated in the south and are less likely to be metropolitan than average 2010 Feeding America

Food Insecurity in Virginia

 In 2010, U.S. households with children reported food insecurity at a significantly higher rate than those without children, 20.2 percent compared to 11.7  Statewide, 17.6% of children are food insecure.  We’re among the five states with lowest childhood food insecurity.  But, that’s still 1.8 million food insecure Virginia children.  Locality by locality, food insecurity rates range from 11.2% to 32.1% of the community’s children. Severity of Childhood Food Insecurity

Where are the localities with the highest rates of childhood food insecurity?  Bristol, Galax City, Lexington City, Martinsville City, Henry, Bedford City, Dickenson, Page, Covington City, Smyth Where are the localities with the highest number of food insecure children?  Fairfax, Virginia Beach, Prince William, Chesterfield, Loudoun, Henrico, Norfolk, Richmond, Newport News, Chesapeake Childhood Food Insecurity in Virginia

Childhood hunger – what is it? Food InsecurityHungerObesity “Limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain availability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways.” “The uneasy or painful sensation caused by a lack of food. The recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food. Hunger may produce malnutrition over time… Hunger…is a potential, although not necessary, consequence of food insecurity.” Young children who experience food insufficiency at any point during the child’s toddler years are 3.4 times more likely to be obese at 4.5 years old. This increase in risk was greater than the 2.5- fold risk increase associated with having an overweight or obese parent.

29% of food insecure individuals are above 185% of poverty. Poverty ≠ Food Insecurity

“Children from families that report multiple experiences of food insufficiency and hunger are more likely to show behavioral, emotional, and academic problems on a standardized measure of psychosocial dysfunction than children from the same low-income communities whose families do not report experiences of hunger.” - Pediatrics Digest 1/1/98 Childhood hunger – what’s the impact?

Childhood Hunger Solutions  For a child, hunger does not take a summer vacation, a winter break or a weekend off.  Child Hunger focus shifted to address the need in four key time periods:  Afterschool: includes Kids Cafe, CACFP and Snack  Weekends and Vacations: includes BackPack Program  Summer: includes Summer Feeding  At Home: includes School Pantry Filling the GAPSWhen School is Out For children in need, multiple programs provide access to multiple food needs – resources must be available at the times when children need them most: in the summer, over weekends and school vacations, afterschool, and at home.

Filling the gaps: Kids Café & Summer Feeding Programs Target Population

Filling the gaps: Back Pack Program Food Insecure: If a child does not get enough food outside of school he/she is considered “food insecure.” MMG 2011: There are children at risk in every county in the U.S.

Blue Ridge Area Food Bank Capital Area Food Bank (Northern VA) Fredericksburg Area Food Bank Feeding America Southwest Virginia FeedMore (Central Virginia Food Bank) Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia Foodbank of the Virginia Peninsula Virginia’s Food Banks

 Improved Learning, health, behavior “It really helps the kids with focusing—in the past they were so lethargic on Mondays or experienced sickness because they’ve been without food.” - City guidance counselor “…she has been a different student; she words hard does her homework, and is making progress in the classroom. This has made a huge difference in her daily attitude, and we are sure the food is the primary cause.” - County assistant principal  Connection with students!  Parental involvement! Impact of Hunger Relief programs

Questions/Comments Thank You!