Education and Advocacy

One in six Vermont children experiences hunger. Many Vermonters find this number surprising. To increase awareness and develop sustainable solutions, the Campaign has evolved into Vermont's principal anti-hunger authority and leading nutrition policy advocate. We were the primary force behind Act 22, a law that substantially increased access to school meal programs so that 96% of Vermont schools now provide school lunch. The Campaign also worked to develop and pass H.333 in 2008, making Vermont the 4th state in the U.S. to provide free school breakfast to all low-income students.

Each year, we provide policy makers at the state and national level and partner organizations with information on the state of hunger in Vermont and recommendations for strengthening the nutrition assistance programs that help prevent hunger.

Campaign Staff with Senator Leahy
Marissa Parisi , Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger Executive Director, Senator Patrick Leahy, Sarah Robinson, Senior Nutrition & Policy Specialist, and Angela Smith-Dieng, Senior Nutrition & Policy Specialist in Washington, DC

NEW IN 2010! We are delighted to announce the passage of the Vermont Child Nutrition Omnibus bill (H.408) that will expand meals to Vermont children during the summer, afterschool, and during school hours! The bill also seeks to improve nutrition for all Vermonters by expanding access to 3SquaresVT (formerly Food Stamps). The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger worked hard to help design and support the passage of this bill that will help to feed our communities.

Here are a few examples of our regular education and advocacy efforts:

Hunger Awareness Day: In coordination with area partners, the Campaign organizes and implements an annual Hunger Awareness Day at the state capitol. During this event, we encourage legislators to improve programs that feed vulnerable Vermonters, especially children and elders.
Electronic Updates: We send periodic electronic updates with information about trainings, legislative issues, hunger, and nutrition programs to approximately 1,200 Vermonters, including service providers, advocates, members of the faith community, educators, and health professionals. To view samples or to sign up for free E-Updates now, please visit our Newsletters page.
Governor’s Hunger Task Force: In early 2006, along with the Vermont Foodbank, and Foodworks at Two Rivers, we requested that Governor Jim Douglas establish a Hunger Task Force. Our Director of Public Policy and Research, Dorigen Keeney, is a member of the Task Force, which has been meeting since July 2006. The group seeks to make recommendations to increase access to the federal nutrition programs, particularly 3SquaresVT and the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP).
Regional Hunger Councils: In partnership with Northfield Savings Bank, the Campaign recently convened Regional Hunger Councils in two of Vermont’s most densely-populated regions—Washington and Chittenden Counties. These two Hunger Councils consist of area leaders and service providers who meet regularly to learn about local hunger and existing resources, identify opportunities for improvement, and strategize about local solutions. Results of this new advocacy model include a significant increase in the number of low-income children eating school breakfasts and the number of households receiving 3SquaresVT (formerly the Food Stamp Program).

For more information, please contact Dorigen Keeney, MS, RD, Director of Public Policy and Research, at .