Hunger Data Book 2002

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS

Each data book profile contains participation statistics for the following nutrition programs:

The Food Stamp Program

The Food Stamp Program is our nation’s premiere defense against hunger, designed to support low-income households in need of nutrition assistance. Permanently authorized by Congress in 1964, the FSP is an entitlement program, which means that any individual who applies and meets the established eligibility requirements may receive benefits. (Eligibility standards are uniform nationwide, as a result of federal legislation in 1977.)

The federal government covers the cost of the benefits, and determines Food Stamp Program rules and regulations. The United States Department of Agriculture administers the program at the national level. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance administers the program at the state level through local county social services districts, and through HRA in New York City.

Eligibility for the Food Stamp Program is based on a household’s available income and resources, as well as other factors such as citizenship and employment status. To be eligible, households without an elderly or disabled member must have monthly gross incomes below 130% of poverty, and resources totaling less than $2,000. Elderly and/or disabled households have to meet a net income test, and may have resources totaling up to $3,000.

Individuals may apply for FSP benefits at the local department of social services at any time during regular business hours, and benefits must be issued to eligible households within 30 days of application. Benefits in New York State are now issued in the form of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, used like a debit card at retail locations authorized to redeem food stamp benefits.

Emergency Food Assistance

Originally intended as a last resort for those in need of immediate assistance, more and more families, single adults, children and senior citizens are relying on the emergency food system as a regular source of food. While state guidelines determining who may receive emergency food do not exist, individual emergency food providers often establish their own income guidelines and may limit the number of allowed visits.

New York State’s emergency food system is a network of food banks, food pantries, soup kitchens and emergency shelters. These emergency food providers depend on charitable contributions to enable them to serve their communities, as well as on state and federal funding and/or commodity distributions. Presently, the NYS Department of Health’s Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP) providers 2,100 New York State emergency food providers with financial aid for food, operating costs, food service equipment, food safety and sanitation supplies. Eight regional food banks in New York, responsible for the solicitation, warehousing and distribution of bulk food donations, also provide technical support and mini-grant funding to emergency food providers.

Applications for HPNAP assistance are available annually through regional food banks or through the United Way of New York City. In most instances, membership in a food bank or the United Way is not necessary in order to receive HPNAP assistance.

Senior Nutrition Programs

The Older Americans Act of 1965 authorized funding for a variety of services for senior citizens, with the nutrition component establishing the availability of home-delivered and congregate meals, nutrition education, nutrition screening and counseling, shopping assistance, and transportation to congregate meal sites. These services are intended to serve seniors with the greatest economic and social needs, including those older adults who are isolated, physically/mentally impaired and nutritionally at-risk.

Congregate and home-delivered meals programs are administered federally by the Health and Human Services Administration on Aging, and in New York State by the State Office for the Aging and local county offices for the aging. Funding for these programs is limited and is provided through Title III-C of the Older Americans Act at the federal level, along with support from two New York State funding streams — the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and the Community Services for the Elderly Program.

Congregate meals, are designed to serve persons 60 years of age or older and are served at various local community sites, such as senior centers, churches and schools, as available funding allows.

Home-delivered meals are designed to serve to homebound seniors who are unable to prepare meals for themselves and do not have any assistance available for meal preparation. As limited funding allows, meals are delivered to recipients’ homes one to two times daily, five or more days per week, with some programs providing additional frozen meals for weekends.

The Food Stamp Program is another great nutrition resource for older adults. As mentioned earlier, seniors do not have to meet gross income requirements (since medical expenses incurred by senior citizen households are taken into account in the Food Stamp eligibility determination process) and are allowed to have up to $3,000 in resources.

Older adults interested in receiving congregate meals or home-delivered meals may receive information through the local office for the aging. In some instances, there may be a waiting list, and meals will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. Seniors may also obtain information about the Food Stamp Program through the local office for the aging or by contacting the local department of social services.

The School Lunch Program

The National School Lunch Program (SLP), established in 1946, is an entitlement program that provides nutritionally balanced lunches and after-school snacks to children in schools and residential childcare institutions. Meals must meet federal nutrition requirements, and the same meal must be served to every child regardless of income.

The School Lunch Program is administered by the USDA — Food and Nutrition Service at the federal level, and at the state level by SED through agreements established with school districts. Per meal reimbursements are distributed to schools for all meals meeting the federal nutrition requirements.

Children from low-income families may be certified to receive free or reduced-price lunches (and breakfast, if available). By completing a school meal application during the school year, children from families with incomes below 130% of poverty qualify for free lunches, and children from families with incomes between 130% and 185% of poverty may receive reduced-price lunches. In NYS, families receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) or Food Stamps do not need to complete the entire school meals application, and are eligible to receive free lunches. Through a process known as direct certification, these families can simply indicate a case number on the application and submit a letter from social services verifying TANF or Food Stamp Program participation.

The School Breakfast Program

The School Breakfast Program (SBP), permanently authorized by Congress in 1975, is a federal entitlement program that provides free, reduced-price or full-price breakfast children in schools and residential childcare institutions. Meals must meet federal nutrition requirements, and the same meal must be served to every child regardless of income.

At the federal level, the Food and Nutrition Service of USDA administers the School Breakfast Program, and at the state level, the New York State Education Department administers the program through agreements with school districts. Schools interested in establishing a School Breakfast Program must apply through the State Education Department.

In schools operating the School Breakfast Program, children who have applied and have been found eligible for free/reduced-price meals through the School Lunch Program are also eligible to receive free/reduced-price breakfasts.

The Summer Food Program

The Summer Food Program was established in 1975 in recognition of the fact that children need to maintain proper nutrition all year long in order to reach their full mental and physical potential. Schools, non-profit organizations, camp operators and government agencies may qualify to sponsor the Summer Food Program, and provide meals to children at neighborhood sites such as schools, parks and community centers.

The Food and Nutrition Service of USDA administers the program at the federal level. In New York State, the State Education Department administers the program for sponsors that are schools and government agencies, and USDA/FNS NYC administers the program for sponsors that are not-for-profit organizations or summer camps.

Approved Summer Food sponsors may operate open sites, enrolled sites, summer camp and/or migrant sites, and must serve meals that meet federal nutrition requirements.

To qualify as an open site, the sponsor must demonstrate, using school, census, housing or other acceptable data, that 50% or more of the children living in the area are eligible for free/reduced price school meals, or have family incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. At an open site, any child under age 19 may receive a free meal without submitting an application or income information, and sponsors are reimbursed for all meals served.

To receive reimbursement for an enrolled site, sponsors must be able to verify, through school records or by obtaining individual income statements from participating families, that at least 50% of the children in the program have household incomes at or below 185% of poverty. These sponsors are reimbursed for all meals served to children, as long as they meet these verification requirements. Sponsors who operate camp sites must collect income documentation from enrolled children, and are reimbursed solely for meals served to children from families with incomes at or below 185% of poverty. Sponsors of migrant sites must obtain a letter from a migrant organization stating that the site primarily serves children of migrant workers and may receive reimbursement for all meals served.

Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children was established in 1975 to provide food, nutrition counseling, and access to health services to low-income women, infants and children.

At the federal level, WIC is administered and regulated by the USDA. Funds are granted to State and Indian Tribal agencies. Local WIC providers such as health agencies, social service agencies, and other non-profit agencies that are able to provide health, nutrition, and/or social services, are funded by the New York State Department of Health to implement the program.

To be eligible to participate in WIC, applicants must be pregnant, breastfeeding, up to six months postpartum, or between 0 to 5 years of age; the household’s gross income must be at or below 185% of the federal poverty level; the applicant must be certified by a health professional such as a doctor, nurse, or nutritionist, to be at nutritional risk; and must reside in New York State. It is not necessary to be a U.S. citizen, nor a permanent resident of New York State. A client is automatically eligible to meet the WIC income test if she or he receives benefits from the Food Stamp Program, TANF, or Medicaid, or is a member of a family in which a pregnant woman or infant receives Medicaid benefits.

WIC participants receive a monthly supply of vouchers prescribing food items that may be purchased at authorized food stores. These monthly WIC food packages include a variety of nutrient-rich products designed to prevent nutrition-related health problems and to promote optimal growth and development, such as: iron-fortified infant formula and cereal, iron-fortified adult cereal, juices, eggs, mil, cheese, peanut, dried beans or peas, and tuna fish.

To apply for WIC, pregnant women and mothers should visit their local WIC agency for an eligibility interview and medical assessment.

The Child and Adult Care Food Program

In 1977, the Child and Adult Care Food Program was made available nationwide in order to improve the nutritional quality of meals served to children in licensed childcare centers and childcare homes.

At the federal level, CACFP is administered by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, and by the Department of Health at the state level. The NYS Department of Health contracts with various community based agencies to sponsor CACFP programs in their service area, and these sponsors contract with family day care homes and day care centers interested in providing meals through CACFP.

CACFP providers receive reimbursement for breakfasts, lunches, suppers and snacks that that meet federal nutrition requirements. Childcare centers and adult day care centers are reimbursed based on the household income of each meal recipient, and therefore, must collect income verification from program participants. Family day care homes receive a flat reimbursement rate for all meals served to attending children, and do not have to document household income. CACFP sponsors also receive reimbursement for program administration based on the number of providers overseen.

To participate in CACFP, providers must be a non-profit or public, licensed center, and must register with a state-approved sponsor. Those interested in providing meals with CACFP should contact the New York State Department of Health, and may do so at any time during the year.