Fighting Hunger, Improving Nutrition: Progress and Opportunities in the Texas Legislature Texas Food Policy Roundtable Texas State Capitol Austin, Texas January 20, 2010 Celia Hagert Senior Policy Analyst

Overview The economic context Gaps in the nutrition safety net The policy context in Texas Work & progress in the Texas Legislature: 1990-present

The Economic Context: Hunger, obesity, poor nutrition are all symptoms of poverty Texas has high rates of poverty, hunger and child obesity Long-term solution must attack the root causes of poverty In the short-term, increasing access to the federal food programs will help prevent hunger and improve children’s nutritional health

Texas Hunger Rate Linked to Poverty Sources: Poverty data are one-year estimates from American Community Survey, U.S. Census Bureau. Food Insecurity data are three-year averages from USDA’s Economic Research Service.

Texas 43 rd Worst Rate of Total Population in Poverty TX = 15.8%; U.S. = 13.2% Source: 2008 American Community Survey, map from KIDS COUNT Data Center,

Short-Term Solution: Improve Nutrition Safety Net Make sure everyone eligible for food assistance is getting it Make sure everyone who needs food assistance is getting it

Two Problems 1.Many eligible families aren’t getting federal food assistance 2.Many needy families don’t qualify for federal food assistance (Federal food assistance = SNAP/Food Stamps, School Lunch/Breakfast, Afterschool/Childcare, Summer Food, WIC, Commodities)

Many Texans Qualify for Food Assistance But Do Not Receive It Source: Bridging the Gaps Project, Center for Economic and Policy Research WHY? Limited awareness Stigma Inadequate funding Enrollment barriers (staff shortages, red tape, outdated rules) make the benefits hard to access

Many Texans Qualify for Assistance But Do Not Receive It Source: Bridging the Gaps Project, Center for Economic and Policy Research

Many Needy Families Don’t Qualify for Food Assistance WHY? The Federal Poverty Measure is flawed Poverty = 3 x cost of food per family size (methodology from the 1960s) Fails to take into account today’s cost of living Child care Medical costs Housing Unfair rules leave out other populations: legal immigrants, childless adults, former drug felons

Federal Poverty Guidelines Family Size $13,690$14,000$14, ,17017,60018, ,65021,20022,050 Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Income Limits for Safety Net Programs Sources: U.S. Department of Agriculture; Texas Workforce Commission; Texas HHSC

Cost of living is 2-3 times higher than official poverty measure Total Monthly Expenses for Families in Austin-Round Rock as Percentage of the Federal Poverty Level

Improving the Nutrition Safety Net Overarching Goals: Make sure everyone eligible for food assistance is getting it –Less than half of eligible population gets SNAP –Fewer than one in five eligible children get free summer meals Make sure everyone who needs food assistance is getting it –Since eligibility is tied to the official poverty measure, many needy families don’t qualify for federal food assistance –Need to revise poverty measure or income limits for food programs

The Texas Context Historically conservative policy environment Distrust, hostility toward government programs Pull yourself up by your own bootstraps mentality Limited funding for public services –Revenue system fails to raise enough money –Budget/Policy choices

Fighting the uphill battle Educate legislators about the causes & consequences of hunger –Cost of hunger = $9 billion annually for U.S. –Hunger, poor nutrition affects ability to learn –Educated workforce critical to Texas competitiveness Present realistic solutions: –Maximize federal food dollars (i.e., summer food program)

Fighting the uphill battle Know your legislators –Get to know your local representatives –Leadership (Gov., Lt. Gov., Speaker) –Budget committees –Health & Human Services/Agriculture Committees Understand the process/opportunities –Legislative –Budgetary Interim charges –Hearings –Report (recommendations for 2011 legislation)

A Timeline of Progress: Anti-Hunger Victories Established a mandate that requires low- income school districts to offer breakfast programs (1995) –99% of schools offer breakfast –Texas has among the best breakfast participation rates in the nation Increased access to WIC by expanding clinic hours (1997) –Approx. 90% of eligible women, infants and children participate

A Timeline of Progress: Anti-Hunger Victories Established a mandate that requires low-income school districts to offer summer food programs (1997) –The number of summer food sponsors has increased 60% –The number of children who participate has more than quadrupled over the last decade –The number of meals served increased 78 percent. Established line item in state budget that provides $2 million in funding for food programs outreach (1999) –Today, $4 million in state/federal funds support a strong network of outreach providers who also provide application assistance

A Timeline of Progress: Anti-Hunger Victories Increased access to food stamps by revising asset limits and authorizing phone interviews (2001) –From 2000 to 2005, enrollment in SNAP increased 65% Provided $300,000 to support food bank efforts to provide fresh produce to hungry families (2001) –Today, the Texas Food Bank Network receives $2 million to purchase and distribute surplus agricultural products from Texas farms.

A Timeline of Progress: Anti-Hunger Victories Improved automatic enrollment of children on Food Stamps for school meals (2005) –Reduced administrative costs for schools, enrollment barriers for families Mandated a study on ways to expand school breakfast (2007) Increased funding for Food Stamp eligibility workers (2007, 2009 )

A Timeline of Progress: Nutrition/Anti-Obesity Victories CATCH: Mandated school district participation in a coordinated school health program by 2007 (2001) SHACs: Mandated the establishment of School Health Advisory Committees in every district to provide leadership in the identification and dissemination of school health best practices and resources for school policymakers (2005) Established grant programs at TDA to promote school-based and early childhood nutrition education programs (2009)

A Timeline of Progress: Nutrition/Anti-Obesity Victories Created an advisory committee to study the availability of healthy foods in underserved areas of Texas (2009) Established a farm-to-school task force to promote the availability of locally grown fresh foods in public schools (2009) Created the Early Childhood Health and Nutrition Interagency Council to develop a plan for increasing physical activity and healthy nutrition in early childhood care settings (2009)

A Timeline of Progress: Nutrition/Anti-Obesity Victories Made P.E. requirements consistent with national standards (2009) Allowed specialty license plate fees to fund the Safe Routes to School Program (2009) Allocated $20 million for the Texas Education Agency to make grants to low-income middle schools to support physical education and fitness programs (2009) Appropriated $4.7 million to support evidence- based obesity-prevention initiatives (2009)

Contact Information Celia Hagert (512) ext. 110 Sign up to receive notice of our work at: