SNAP Challenge

by Nicole Milbradt, Director of Marketing

In honor of #HungerActionMonth, I decided to take the SNAP challenge. Thousands of local families rely on the Basic Food program – also known as SNAP and formerly known as food stamps – to provide their family with basic nutrition. On average, SNAP benefits provide $4 a day per person for food. Four. Dollars.

A family of four, like my own, gets an average of $459 each month in SNAP benefits. I spend about $700 to $800 each month on food for my family. I am a thrifty shopper and often by store brands over name brands but I also like to make sure my family has access to lean meats and fresh fruits and veggies. The more I thought about the SNAP challenge, the more certain I was that I could do it without compromising my priorities.

It all started with some meal planning. I chose seven meals I thought would…

•          Require less expensive ingredients,
•          Make enough to feed my family and provide some leftovers for lunch,
•          And leverage ingredients to give me the most bang for my buck!

I assumed that kids in a SNAP family would also qualify for free-and-reduced lunches and breakfasts at school. This gave me more funds towards our other meals but in reality, it’s not that simple. If kids can’t get to school in time for the breakfast service, they have to eat at home. Those who rely on the school’s buses for transportation, don’t usually make it. So even though I was not buying any weekday breakfast foods, many kids in this scenario don’t actually have school breakfast as an option.

My Plan was…

•          Taco Soup with cheese quesadillas
•          Cranberry Chicken with steamed rice and salad
•          Spaghetti with salad
•          Teriyaki Chicken with steamed rice and salad
•          Burritos with Spanish rice
•          Lasagna with salad
•          Roast with potatoes and carrots

Weekday breakfasts would only be needed for me and the hubby. We chose sausage muffins with a banana. We elected to take advantage of the free coffee and tea generously provided by our employers (a great idea until Saturday came along) rather than make our own at home. For the weekends, we chose pancakes and fruit for our family breakfasts.

Weekday lunches were a throwback to when we were kids. The hubs and I opted for PB&J’s with chips and an apple. We considered going really cheap and doing ramen instead but we weren’t sure our aging bodies could handle the sodium intake! So PB&Js it was. We made a family favorite for one weekend lunch – BLT’s with mac and cheese – and an easy option – Cheese Quesadillas – for the other.

I even threw in some popcorn for movie night, chips and salsa for game day and a special treat of ice cream. I was certain I could come in under my budget of $112 for the week.

Next up... Shopping.

Hunger's New Staple

by Lindsay Fujimoto, Hunger-Free Pierce County VISTA

“Pay the water bill, pay the energy bill, pay rent, pay for child care, buy food…” This snapshot of the many monthly bills a family may face leaves many, particularly low-income families, wondering how they can stretch their dollar to cover all of their expenses. This is often where federally funded programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) come in. However, many struggling families do not qualify for these assistance programs, and those who do may not receive enough to cover their needs. This is where food pantries come in. For those in poverty, low-income working families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, food pantries provide relief so families can put food on the table and be able to pay their bills. It is this gap between what is earned and the cost to meet basic needs coupled with the inability of assistance programs to fully bridge that gap that is contributing to a shift from emergent to regular visits to food pantries.

While food pantries continue to assist families in crisis, a large percentage of clients visit regularly with many families factoring monthly visits to food pantries into their budgets. In fact, a Feeding America study showed that “food pantries are being accessed as a consistent, supplemental food source.” More than 50 percent of all food pantry clients “visited a food pantry at least six or more months during the prior year,” many of whom visited the pantry every month. This consistent access is not something that came about in the last year. Instead, it has been a long-term way for families to put food on the table. Feeding America’s study showed that of those who were visiting food pantries once a month, they had been visiting a food pantry on average every month for over two years. Those who use food pantries regularly come from an array of socioeconomic backgrounds, though three groups in particular stand out: low-income and underemployed individuals, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.

First, despite being employed, low-income families fall within the income guidelines to qualify for federal assistance programs like SNAP. While utilizing SNAP helps to put food on the table, a family of four can at most get $649 per month. Many families turn to food pantries as a “supplementary method” of acquiring their basic needs when programs like SNAP are not enough. Other low-income families may fall into the category of ALICE, which is a United Way acronym for Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE’s are living from paycheck to paycheck and are still struggling to meet their daily needs. Since ALICE’s fall above the poverty line, they may not be eligible for benefits like SNAP that would reduce their financial strain. Currently, the income guidelines to qualify for SNAP benefits is 130 percent of the federal poverty level, which is equivalent to a net $2,021 per month. Even if a family makes just one dollar more than the cutoff, they are ineligible for the program. These ALICE families make up the “millions of low-income, food-insecure families (who) still earn too much to qualify for SNAP” and who depend on food banks to access enough food every month.

Second, despite having worked for most of their lives, many seniors now live on a fixed income with social security benefits becoming a primary source of money. In fact, according to a January 2016 statement by the Social Security Administration, the average senior receives a benefit of just $1,341 per month. Having a fixed income means knowing how much one will receive from their next payment, but for many seniors, this also means knowing how much they will fall short in being able to afford their basic needs. As a result, many seniors depend on monthly visits to food pantries and have become some of the “most consistent pantry clients.” Of the senior food pantry clients, nearly 75 percent visited a food pantry at least six months of the previous year with over half visiting every month. This data shows that food pantries are an integral part in helping to maintain the health of our community’s seniors.

Lastly, disability is another key factor in the issue of food insecurity. According to a USDA Economic Research Service article, “disability has emerged as one of the strongest known factors that affect a household’s food security.” To quantify how strong of a factor disability is, “a study by Mathematica Policy Research found that a person with a persistent work-limiting disability would require more than two and (a) half times the income of an able-bodied person to have the same likelihood of food insecurity.” This means that for an able-bodied individual at the federal poverty level making $990 per month, an individual with a disability must make over $2,475 per month to be at the same risk for food insecurity as the able-bodied individual. One should note that this is not the amount it would take to put someone with a disability out of risk for food insecurity. Instead, it demonstrates the disparity in how much money is required to meet an able-bodied person’s basic needs versus an individual with a disability’s basic needs. This is due to the fact that individuals with disabilities “face higher expenses related to their disabilities,” which not only contributes to the fact that “food security (is) more common among households affected by disabilities, but it also tends to be more severe in these households.” Like low-income seniors on a fixed income, many individuals with disabilities receive a fixed monthly benefit. Similarly, this amount may not be enough to meet the individual’s basic needs each month, particularly when factoring in the extra expenses these individuals face. Food pantries again become a critical support system for those with disabilities and one that is depended upon often.

Research shows that families in poverty, ALICE, seniors, and those with disabilities are particularly at risk for being food insecure. In Pierce County, one in ten people are food insecure, making food pantries especially critical to the success and health of our community. United Way believes that everyone deserves a good life, which is why we have partnered with organizations within our community in working to eliminate hunger. We at United Way along with our partners invite you to join us in fighting hunger. You can make a difference in a number of different ways including donating to United Way and our initiatives such as the Hunger-Free Pierce County Collaborative, advocating for policies that promote food security, and spreading awareness. Together, we can continue to make progress in ending hunger and breaking the cycle of poverty.

Bridging the Hunger Gap - Little Free Pantries

by Lindsay Fujimoto, Hunger-Free Pierce County VISTA

As a parent, imagine watering down your family’s food in the hopes that it’ll last you until the next time you can get to a food pantry or afford to get groceries. As an older sibling, imagine trying to help your family by working a part-time job on top of going to school and still not being able to afford enough food. As a child, imagine going to bed early to try to ignore your hunger. For over 122,000 people in Pierce County, including children, that is not their imagination. That is their reality.

Families use these various coping mechanisms but are still left wondering how they are going to make it through the month. The fact is that that food insecurity is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and it is persistent. It does not go away just because you have to go to work during the day, and it does not make itself known only during the hours the local food pantry is open. Most food resources only operate for a limited amount of hours per week, which is just a fraction of time that people might be hungry.

One woman in Arkansas started working to find a way to bridge that hunger gap through Little Free Pantries. Little Free Pantries are unique in that they provide a 24/7 solution to a 24/7 problem. Additionally, by installing Little Free Pantries throughout the community, families who have difficulty accessing food—whether it be because of work hours restricting their access to pantries, no transportation to food resources, or a number of other barriers—now have an accessible local resource. The United Way of Pierce County is working with our community partners to bring this innovative and creative idea to Pierce County.

One of our hunger partners, Harvest House, implemented the first Little Free Pantry in Pierce County. Harvest House also houses the food pantry closest to the heart of Graham on Saturdays, with the next closest food resource located nearly 3 miles from Graham. Realizing the impact that a Little Free Pantry could have on their community, Harvest House received an overwhelmingly positive response from their board, volunteers, and supporters to start their own. This positive response quickly translated into support for constructing the pantry and Harvest House’s Little Free Pantry was up and running successfully soon after.

Harvest House’s goal for their Little Free Pantry is to “ensure that some food is available 24/7.” To do so, they aim to provide non-perishable proteins, snacks, and beverages. Sometimes, fresh produce like apples, bananas, and oranges are added. Harvest House has also engages their community in supporting the Little Free Pantry as they posted the phrase, “If you need some food, please take some. If you have some to share, please feel free to leave some,” on their pantry. The community in turn is very supportive of the Little Free Pantry, and as such, actively add new donations to the shelves.

Since Little Free Pantries are available 24/7 it can be challenging to assess who is using it, but Harvest House have made observations that indicate that they are reaching those in need. For example, individuals who use public transportation, which is fairly limited in Graham, often have to go far distances to get to their station. Some pedestrians will grab a bottle of water and a bite to eat on the journey, a healthy and nourishing snack that they may not have had otherwise.

The United Way of Pierce County is excited to join Harvest House in their vision of ensuring that no person goes hungry. Looking to the future, we are eager to get the ball rolling on installing additional Little Free Pantries. We believe that in working together to implement innovative solutions like Little Free Pantries, we can end hunger for the thousands of food insecure individuals in our community.

To find out how to get involved in a Little Free Pantry project, email me at lindsayf@uwpc.org.

In Short Supply - Everyday Essentials

by Shawn Paton, Director, Community Investment, Strong Families & Basic Needs

It may surprise you to hear that poverty does not necessarily mean being food insecure, or at risk of going hungry. More than half of all families living in poverty report being food secure. In fact, nearly 60 percent of those struggling with hunger actually have incomes above the federal poverty level. Many are working and fall into the category Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed or ALICE.

The reason for the disparity in food insecurity between these two groups is a safety net of federal food programs that help ensure those below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) receive food benefits through SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program or ‘food stamps’), free and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch programs, and WIC (Women, Infants and Children supplemental food benefits for pregnant women or families with children under five years). Once a household exceeds the maximum allowable income level for a program, they must cover 100 percent of their household’s food costs on their own, yet their income may not come close to meeting the “survival budget” for the area in which they live. 

In the fight against hunger in Pierce County, United Way convenes a wide array of organizations connected with the local food system to discuss issues related to hunger and sustainability. It was during one of these discussions that the related issue of families lacking everyday essentials, which includes items such as toilet paper, toothpaste, laundry detergent, baby care items and feminine hygiene products, was raised.

Not covered by food stamps (SNAP or WIC programs), these items are necessary for dental and physical health as well as basic personal hygiene, but many households are forced to choose between buying food or essential household items, must function without these items or they use less of an item than recommended to stretch what little they have. 

Food pantries occasionally receive donations of everyday essentials products to help meet these needs for their clients, but pantries are not a reliable source for these important items. As a result, individuals and families use a variety of coping strategies. For example:

·         Extending existing supply of a product by using less or watering down

·         Borrowing from family and/or neighbors

·         Delaying changing diapers

·         Brushing teeth without toothpaste; bathing without soap

·         Clean clothes and/or dishes with water only; only washing children’s clothing

One often unnoticed group adversely affected by lack of everyday essentials is teenagers. Teens as young as 13 often play an active role in helping to feed their families by obtaining jobs, selling their possessions, with some choosing to go without eating so that their siblings can have food.

On top of being food insecure, there are an increasing number of Pierce County students who report being homeless. Of the 4,000 homeless students in our community, about 30 percent are teenagers. Some may be ‘couch surfing’ with friends or family. Others are literally living on the streets or in cars or tents. Being a teenager and working hard to be successful in school is difficult enough. Imagine the additional stress that not having a stable place to call home creates.

Many of these young people in need do not know about resources that can help. Teens are often unable to access local food pantries because of transportation barriers. Many teens believe summer meal programs to be targeted toward younger children, so they don’t take advantage of free summer meal sites. In addition to challenges with accessing food when they are hungry, these students also face barriers to having the everyday essentials that they need.

To increase access to supplemental food and everyday essentials, United Way of Pierce County is working with our community partners to develop essential needs pantries within local high schools to help meet these needs. By providing a safe place for students to obtain the items they need to stay clean and healthy, we help them maintain their self-esteem and enable them to focus on learning and not on what they need to do to meet their basic needs.

Another project being piloted is the idea of Little Free Pantries in high-need, low-access neighborhoods across Pierce County. You may have heard of Little Free Libraries that provide free books. A Little Free PANTRY is a box stocked with nonperishable food, hygiene products and household items for neighbors who need them.

Interested in making a difference for those in need of everyday essentials? Host an Essential Needs Drive or get involved with our Little Free Pantry project. To find out more, visit our Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Project Page at www.uwpc.galaxydigital.com/diy-project.

29 going on 30: My journey, my life, living the United Way

Nap also taught me the value of hard work.  

Pete & Penny, April 1962

by Pete Grignon, Chief Financial Officer, CPA

“Get out there and do something, don’t just take up space!”  At nine years old, I formed a shoe shine business partnership with two of my best childhood friends, Dan and Kevin. We lived across the street from a college with fraternities. There was this older kid Walter. We saw him shining shoes for the frat boys and found out he charged 15 cents a pair... today’s equivalent of a dollar. We decided we would charge 10 cents a pair. For the first week, business was slow as there were many loyal customers. So, we offered a 5 cent introductory offer for the first pair and each additional pair for 10 cents. Success. Walter wasn’t happy. He threatened to kick our butts if we didn’t stop our business. So, instead of fighting with him, we offered to divide up the territory and he agreed.  

Lesson learned: There is enough for all to go around.  Don’t kill your competition. Negotiate and think about the needs of others. You will always win, and without violence.  

Turns out Nap wasn't alone in his thinking. Entrepreneur Cameron Herold's Ted Talk challenges us to raise kids to be entrepreneurs. Take a peek...

29 going on 30: My journey, my life, living the United Way

My first lesson with money 

by Pete Grignon, Chief Financial Officer, CPA

“Son, we are going to the bank today to deposit the money you earned. We will watch it grow together.”  ~ Edward Napoleon “Nap” Grignon 1960.  

At four years old, I had no idea what that meant.  Back in those days, you received a small passbook from the bank that recorded your deposits and interest earned. The first time I saw that additional interest recorded in that little blue multi page book, I got what my dad meant and was hooked on saving.  I didn’t realize later in life I would be working with United Way of Pierce County with one of our focus areas on coaching people how to earn money, keep it and grow it.

Over the next few months, I'm going to share with you the things I've learned in almost 30 years as the CFO at United Way of Pierce County and the things I learned growing up. Lessons that have played a bigger role in my life then I even thought possible. And lessons that, I hope, will help others as they work toward their own financial self-sufficiency.