The USDA’s Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) fills the gap for millions of low-income children who receive free or reduced in-school meal programs during the school year.  The program provides free, nutritious meals for kids at local organizations, like schools, recreation centers, playgrounds, parks, churches, summer camps and more, all over the country – all summer long. 

Find more information on summer meals in Wisconsin by visiting the Department of Public Instruction’s child nutrition programs website.

The Transform WI Fund, administered by the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Prevention Resources and funded by a Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Community Transformation Grant, intends to commit $6.6 million over 26 months to community coalitions and partnerships. The goal is to promote healthy environments that help Wisconsinites make healthy choices and therefore prevent chronic disease.

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS.
The initiative focuses on three strategic directions:

• Tobacco-Free (Smoke-free multi-unit housing)
• Food System    (Farm to school)
• Active Community (Open gyms)

FOR MORE INFORMATION   visit    www.transformwi.com

On June 19^th from 2:00-3:00pm we will be holding a networking call to learn how you’ve been working to end hunger in WI since the release of the Ending Hunger in WI Action Plan. We will feature individuals implementing strategies around each of the four table legs, request your feedback on presentation topics for the Swipe Out Hunger Conference in September, and ask you for your thoughts on how to best keep you engaged.

Call in and connection details will be delivered at a later date – stay tuned!

On April 26, 2012 the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry passed the bill by a vote of 16-5. For more information visit http://www.ag.senate.gov/issues/farm-bill

Nov. 2009 – The New York Times ran a front page story on changes in food stamp use nationwide, along with associated changes in perceptions of the program.  Highlighted are the dramatic increases in participation, particularly in Wisconsin.  Read the full article here. View an interactive map (Select the “Change since 2007” button for a look at how Wisconsin’s increase compares to other states).

Feb. 2010 – An analysis of a Gallup survey by the Food Research and Action Center showed that in 2008 and 2009, 15.3% of Wisconsin residents reported that they didn’t have enough money to buy food that they needed at some time during the past year. This food hardship rate jumps to 20.9% for households with children. This first ever study of its kind includes analysis of food hardship for every state, and a breakdown for all 436 congressional districts and major metropolitan areas. While food hardship in this report is not defined or measured in the same way as food insecurity (and as such, rates of food hardship and food security cannot be directly compared) both provide real measures of families’ struggles. The full study can be found here.