Date: September 16, 2009

Hunger Rising in Washington County

Montpelier, VT – Hunger is on the rise in Washington County. Community leaders gathered last Thursday in Montpelier to assess the state of hunger in Washington County and discuss strategies to address the issue. Pastor Ralph Howe of the Hedding United Methodist Church in Barre stated “At our food shelf we are seeing many more people come in for assistance, some of whom used to donate to us.” Jenn Evans, Food Shelf Coordinator at CVCAC in Barre, is seeing a similar increase in need:  “The number of people who need our services has almost doubled. We are seeing 5-6 new families each week who have never needed help before.” Peter Youngbear, Director of the People’s Health and Wellness Clinic, a Barre clinic that serves those without health insurance, shared that the clinic has seen an increase in patients, while at the same time; donations to run the clinic are down.

The Council members examined the availability of programs in the County that could help individuals and families that were running out of food. Marissa Parisi, Executive Director of the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger noted that participation in 3SquaresVT (formerly Food Stamps) has increased to over 7,000 Vermonters in Washington County, up from 5,000 last year. Almost 1 in 8 people in Washington County are accessing this important resource for food. “It is important for everyone to know that 3SquaresVT not only helps Vermonters stretch their food budgets and improve their health, but brings over $9.5 million federal dollars into the state’s economy each month.”

School meal programs are an important source of nutritious meals for school age children. Schools in the Washington West Supervisory Union were highlighted as examples of schools that were able to improve their food service program while also improving their financial status.   The schools increased participation in the school meal programs by reducing the amount of unhealthy, competitive foods in vending machines and preparing meals from scratch rather than buying prepared meals. “Schools are running some of the biggest restaurants in Vermont and they are finding that they can save money by improving the quality of the food and participation in these critical meal programs,” said Retired Superintendent Robert McNamara.

Community members who need food resources can call 211 for assistance or go to http://www.gmunitedway.org/foodshelf.shtml for a listing of local food shelves.

CONTACT: Dorigen Keeney, Director of Public Policy and Research at the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger at 802-865-0255 or .

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The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger is a statewide nonprofit organization that works with state agencies and community groups to develop sustainable hunger solutions. Since 1993 the Campaign’s outreach programs have substantially enhanced Vermont’s nutrition safety net and increased access to nutritious foods.

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