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Farming programs help immigrants get out of poverty
By Cynthia Boyd MinnPost
Friday, May 11, 2012
He was born in mountainous Cambodia and dreamed of owning a farm. She was born to the far-reaching plains of the Midwest and flourished in an urban setting of coffee shops and poetry readings.
Now, immigrant Proeun and Amy Doeun are married, have four children, a herd of goats and 85 chickens as well as their own 40-acre farm in Rush City. That’s thanks in large part to the Minnesota Food Association, a farm entrepreneurship program she calls “our alma mater.’’
That program is but one of many to be highlighted at an upcoming national conference with a title as long and as self-explanatory as many a non-fiction book.
“Grassroots & Groundwork: Working Together to Reduce Poverty and Build Prosperity” will showcase both tested and emerging models for helping low-income as well as immigrant and refugee populations to get out and stay out of poverty, planners say. More than 400 people are expected to attend the event sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation June 6- 8 at Mystic Lake Casino Hotel in Prior Lake.
We believe all communities can prosper,’’ says Kevin Walker, president and CEO of the foundation.
Presenters from around the country, including Oregon, Seattle, Philadelphia and the Twin Cities, will talk about programs working to stamp out hunger and poverty. Another local effort is... Continue Reading
Jump in food need has Minnesota schools looking for ways to help
by Julie Siple, Minnesota Public Radio
Monday, May 7, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. — New data from the Minnesota Department of Education show a growing number of students rely on the federally funded National School Lunch Program. The numbers have school officials looking for ways to ensure that children are well-fed and able to learn — even outside school hours.
The evidence of increased need "reflects the severe financial hardship that so many Minnesota families are facing," said University of Minnesota economics professor Ben Senauer, co-author of "Ending Hunger in Our Lifetime: Food Security and Globalization."
More than 37 percent of children in Minnesota public schools can't afford to pay for lunch.
That's more than 310,000 students, and a 1.8 percent increase compared to the 2010-11 school year. The number of children on free or reduced-price lunch has jumped close to 14 percent since the fall of 2008 — a period in which statewide enrollment in Minnesota schools has remained mostly flat.
"Particularly shocking here is what's happened in the suburbs," said... Continue Reading
Anti-hunger Groups Collaborate to Help Seniors Enroll in Food Aid Program
by: Mary Van Beusekom | from: AARP Bulletin
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Hazel recently signed up for a program that provides financial aid for groceries — but only after county workers convinced her she really needed it.
"I was going to do it once before, and then I thought, 'I can get along without it,' " said Hazel, 86, who lives in a small town outside of Minneapolis. "I thought, 'Maybe there's others that need it worse.' "
Hazel didn't want her last name printed because she doesn't want her neighbors to know she's getting government assistance. Hazel's determined self-reliance is typical of her generation, said Jan O'Donnell, special projects coordinator with Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank in Duluth.
"Many seniors are so sensitive to what people might think about them," she said. "They just don't want to be a burden."
Just four in 10 Minnesotans 60 and older whose income makes them eligible for federal food assistance are enrolled, according to the state Department of Human Services (DHS). For those 60 and older, the monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit ranges from $16 to $80.
The reluctance to sign up for SNAP benefits is so widespread and utilization so low that AARP Minnesota has... Continue Reading
Anoka County gets national recognition for food stamp outreach
by Julie Siple, Minnesota Public Radio
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
ST. PAUL, Minn. — Anoka County will receive an award from the federal government later today for its help enrolling more Minnesotans in food stamps.
The award from the United States Department of Agriculture recognizes the county for a program that seeks out Minnesotans who are eligible for food assistance.
The county works with two nonprofits to send teams to food shelves and subsidized senior housing, where they identify people who are eligible and help them fill out the eight-page application.
Jerry Vitzthum, director of the Economic Development department in Anoka County, said delivering applications and helping low-income people fill them out can remove some of the barriers to applying. He says the program is catching people who might otherwise fall through the cracks.
"It's a lot easier. For example, some of the food shelves are in the northern parts of the county where we don't have any offices. And transportation and that kind of thing is a difficult situation for people," he said. "And there's help in gathering the information. Because it is confusing to a lot of people. It's a lot of work to apply for the public assistance."
Right now, 65 percent of those eligible for food stamps — now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — in Minnesota are actually signed up, and 41 percent of seniors.
"It's a good way to outreach to the groups who are most in need and get them the... Continue Reading