The Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation's Capital

The latest news and information about The Strategy to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation's Capital.

News

10-Point Plan Includes Dramatic Steps in First Two Years, Will Build on Previous Success to Improve Access to Nutrition Assistance, Strengthen Infrastructure, and Improve Nutrition Education

D.C. Plan to End Childhood Hunger is First Step in National Effort to Fight Childhood Hunger City by City

Washington, DC, April 18, 2006—The Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation's Capital, led by D.C. Hunger Solutions, the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) and Share Our Strength, today released a comprehensive 10-point plan to eliminate the enduring problem of childhood hunger in the District of Columbia within the next 10 years. They were joined by concerned District residents, businesses, organizations and elementary and pre-school children. Point-by-point, the plan released today lays out detailed strategies and goals to make significant progress in the first two years.

Designed by more than 150 civic activists, business community leaders, and District officials, the plan provides a roadmap for government, advocates, businesses, community groups and individuals to work together on behalf of the 35,000 children who are hungry or living on the edge of hunger in the District by:

• Increasing public awareness of and participation in existing nutrition support and education programs;
• Improving the infrastructure for getting nutritious food to children and their families; and
• Helping families help themselves with improved economic security.

The effort started last year, the first in a series of city-wide and state-wide efforts across the country to eradicate childhood hunger. The planning process was made possible by support from the Case Foundation and Sodexho Foundation.

Kimberly Perry, Founding Director of D.C. Hunger Solutions, said: “We have an opportunity to make history here in our great city. We can assure three healthy meals for every child by better utilizing existing nutrition resources, clarifying a role for all of us to participate, and then holding ourselves accountable. Our collaborative success will make healthy meals a reality for more than 35,000 children and youth and leverage more than 14 million federal dollars annually to do it.”

Jim Weill, President of the Food Research and Action Center, said: “Ending childhood hunger is a significant achievement by itself. But it also has positive outcomes that go much farther. The fastest and least expensive way to improve D.C.'s schools, for example, is to increase the number of children participating in school breakfast. By implementing this plan, we will strengthen education, improve health care, increase economic productivity, and make the whole community stronger.”

Bill Shore, Founder and Director of Share Our Strength said: “What's most exciting is that this isn't just a proposal, but a real plan of action, that our partnership intends to implement and be held accountable for. It's the first step in a long-term commitment to ending childhood hunger in America, working with people in communities from coast to coast.”

Ending Childhood Hunger Draws on Variety of Solutions to Address Range of Problems

35,000 children in the District of Columbia live in families suffering from hunger or living on the edge of hunger. Studies have shown that this kind of hunger and limited food resources translates into weaker development, poor school performance, a rise in long-term health challenges, and diminished prospects for a bright future.

There are a range of federal programs – school breakfast and lunch, afterschool snacks and meals, Food Stamps, Summer Food, WIC and others – with proven track records of making sure that children get the nutritious food they need. In total, there is $14 million in available federal funding not being accessed in the District each year because not everyone who is eligible for those programs takes advantage of them.

Steve Brady, President, Sodexho Foundation Board, said: “This plan is going to attract broad support across the Washington area business community, because not only is investing in the future of our children the right thing to do, we know that sound nutrition in the early years can reduce health care costs, improve the ability to learn and increase workforce productivity. All of this adds considerably to our region's strength as a place to do business. The Sodexho Foundation is proud to have been a partner in producing this sensible, achievable plan.”

The Partnership has produced a comprehensive 10-point plan that will:

1. Provide all D.C. children a healthy breakfast;
2. Encourage healthy food choices;
3. Help families meet needs at home with food stamps;
4. Improve working families' economic security;
5. Increase families' access to fresh, affordable produce in their neighborhoods;
6. Help after-school programs provide healthy meals and snacks;
7. Expand the reach of summer food programs;
8. Ensure access to balanced, nutritious diets for all pregnant women and pre-school children;
9. Ensure access to nutritious food in shelters and food pantries; and
10. Provide comprehensive public education about available assistance

Ask Me How Campaign: AskMeHowDC.org

To build support for the plan, the Partnership is also conducting public outreach around the theme— Ask Me How...to end childhood hunger—designed to both raise awareness and encourage community participation. The public is encouraged to visit www.askmehowdc.org to find out how they can take part in the local fight to end childhood hunger.

About D.C. Hunger Solutions

D.C. Hunger Solutions (www.dchunger.org), a project of the Food Research and Action Center, is dedicated to fighting hunger and obesity and improving the nutrition, health and well-being of children, youth and families in the District of Columbia. D.C. Hunger Solutions partners with District agencies, policymakers, organizations and individuals to ensure every District resident has access to healthy food in their community.

About the Food Research and Action Center

The Food Research and Action Center (www.frac.org) is the leading national organization working for more effective public and private policies to eradicate domestic hunger and undernutrition. FRAC's research, advocacy, technical assistance, organizing, and information campaigns support anti-hunger efforts in every state. FRAC's Campaign to End Childhood Hunger has played a key role in expanding the availability to hungry children of school breakfast and lunch, summer and afterschool food, WIC and Food Stamps nationwide.

About Share Our Strength®

Since 1984, Share Our Strength (www.strength.org) has led the fight against hunger and poverty by inspiring and organizing individuals and businesses to share their strengths. Share Our Strength has raised over $200 million and have invested critical funds to over 1,000 hunger-related organizations around the globe to help the most effective organizations sustain their efforts and maximize their capacity to deliver results. Today, its priority is to end childhood hunger in America by 2025 ensuring that the nearly 14 million American childrenfacing hunger have access to the nutritious food they need to learn, grow and thrive.