What's New

July 3, 2008 - Need food? DC Food Finder has the answers - Interactive map connects D.C. residents to healthy food in their community
The DC Food Finder is an easy-to-use online tool that aims to connect DC residents with sources of food in their communities from any computer terminal in the city. Created by the Healthy Affordable Food for All Coalition and developed with the generous help of Social Compact, the DC Food Finder (www.dcfoodfinder.org) is the first interactive map of food programs and resources in Washington, DC. Read more about it in the press release (pdf). Visit the DC Food Finder.

May 6, 2008 - DC Hunger Solutions In the News - From CNN online, this video on high food prices features Alexis Ashbrook, Director of DC Hunger Solutions. Click here for the video at CNNMoney.com.

April 17, 2008 - Church World Service is sponsoring the “Washington DC CROP Hunger Walk” to raise funds for local and international projects to feed hungry and food insecure families. The 2 ½ mile walk will be held from 10:30am to 12 noon on Saturday, April 26, 2008 and will start at Christ United Methodist Church (900 4th Street SW). A portion of the proceeds will be donated to D.C. Hunger Solutions. For more information, visit the Church World Service Web site, or contact walk coordinator Corinne Scott at 202-484-3575, or email daviscors@cs.com.

March 26, 2008 - 5000 Dreams. 20 Finalists. Your Vote Helps Decide the Final Four.
The Case Foundation has announced the Top 20 Finalists in the Make It Your Own Awards. Now, it’s up to the online community to vote and decide which of these finalists will become the Final Four and receive an additional $25,000 to make their community dreams come true.

Get $2,500 for Your Charity
If you are one of the first ten people to choose the four projects that become the Final Four, you will receive $2,500 for the charity of your choice!

Vote today and tell us who’s in your Final Four!
Visit miyo.casefoundation.org/vote.

March 5, 2008- Attend the D.C. Healthy Corner Store Initiative Summit
Thursday, March 13, 2008
1pm - 5pm
Location: The ARC, 1901 Mississippi Avenue, SE.

The D.C. Healthy Corner Store Initiative seeks to improve the health of D.C. residents by increasing small food stores’ sales of healthy foods. The project is led by D.C. Hunger Solutions, with support and funding from the D.C. Department of Health, and in partnership with KAGRO (Korean American Grocers Association), community-based organizations, and small retailers in the city.

Learn about healthy corner store initiatives in other cities from national expert James Piett of The Food Trust;

Hear an overview of the District’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative, including a discussion of preliminary findings from data collected in 20 stores in Wards 7 and 8;

Participate in planning the next steps for the District’s Healthy Corner Store Initiative by sharing your expertise on ideas for city-wide policy, small business improvement, nutrition interventions, community partnerships, or other strategies.

Click here for more information. To reserve your space, contact Kristin Roberts, D.C. Hunger Solutions, at (202) 986-2200 x3008 or by email: kroberts@frac.org.

February 13, 2008- Washington Business Journal article titled Food Desert features DC Hunger Solutions' Corner Store Initiative.

January 23, 2008 - Do you want to serve more customers at your FARMERS' MARKET? Then attend the Farmers' Market Debit Workshop, Wednesday, February 6, 2008 at DC Hunger Solutions, an initiative of the Food Research and Action Center. This workshop will help you:

Market Your Program to Food Stamp Customers
Apply for Your Food Stamp Permit
Choose a Wireless Card Service Provider
Set Up Sound Accounting Systems to Track Your Dollars
Meet Other Regional Market Managers Interested in Growing Sales

Facilitated by Suzanne Briggs, past President of the Oregon Farmers Market Association, and founding member of the Portland Multnomah County Food Policy Council. Suzanne has taught this workshop to farmers’ market managers in Kansas, Vermont, New Mexico, Colorado, Washington and Oregon.

Register quickly! Registration is limited to 25 people. Lunch will be provided. If you have questions or want to register, contact Matt Grason by e-mail at mgrason (at) frac.org or phone at 202-986-2200 x3024. Click here for registration information and the workshop agenda

January 7, 2008 - Volunteers Needed! D.C. Hunger Solutions is seeking volunteers to conduct food stamp outreach at free tax preparation sites. Many people that receive the Earned Income Tax Credit may also be eligible for food stamps. No prior knowledge of food stamps is needed -- free training is provided. To sign up, e-mail Srindhi Vijaykumar with your contact information, specific dates, and how you heard about us. (download the details, training dates, and volunteer opportunities)

December 11, 2007 - Farmers markets can apply for consideration to receive an EBT machine, training and technical assistance, and a $2,500 stipend to cover project costs during the 2008 market seasons. Any interested parties can attend the EBT training and receive technical assistance. (download the RFP)

Also please take note of these key dates for applying for and
participating in the USDA-funded grant to bring EBT machines to farmers'
markets:

April 5, 2007 - Join D.C. residents in walking to end hunger. This year's annual CROP walk - sponsored by the Church World Service - will be held on Saturday, April 28th. Learn how you can support the walk by visiting their Web site.

August 7, 2006 - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued the long-awaited proposed regulations to improve the nutritional value of the WIC food packages. (The rule, Register for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC): Revisions in the WIC Food Packages, will be posted in the Federal Register August 7, 2006. See Preliminary Summary of the New WIC Food Package Proposal

July 10, 2006 - D.C. Hunger Solutions releases the first D.C. Farmer’s Market Locator: an easy to use map with clickable directions to every farmer’s market in Washington, DC.

District School Breakfast Program served 16,022 low-income children in 2005, an increase of 2.9 percent, according to the 2005 School Breakfast Scorecard released today by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC). FRAC estimates the district could serve at least 5,274 more low-income students and leverage $1,077,691 million in additional federal funds.

December 7, 2005 - D.C. Free Summer Meals Commercial Nominated for "Project Now" Award

The D.C. Free Summer Meals commercial, produced in partnership by Child Nutrition Services of the State Education Office and WUSA Channel 9, was nominated for a "Project Now" award from Gannett Television.This is exciting because it was the only nomination for Washington, D.C. and there are only eight nominations in all. The nominations were based on creativity, subject matter, impact in the community and total presentation. Final results should be announced within the next two weeks. D.C. Free Summer Meals is a nutrition program that allows children and youth, 18 and below, to get free tasty and nutritious meals throughout the summer. Providing meals to more than 27,000 youth this summer, there were approximately 300 meal locations across the city - at parks and recreation centers, community centers, schools, churches, housing complexes and apartment buildings. The program operates each summer - all summer long and no enrollment is required. More information can be obtained by calling (202) 727-6436 or by logging on to www.summeryouthprogram.dc.gov.

This document is for faith-based organizations in DC who are currently aiding Hurricane Katrina evacuees or are interested in doing so. It explains how an organization can get involved, what sort of service it can provide, and who to contact for further assistance. Information is also available on how evacuees in the DC area can access the food stamp, WIC, and school nutrition programs.

DC Hunger Solutions has put together a Question and Answer document for evacuees currently or soon-to-be in the DC area and the volunteers assisting them. The document includes information on requesting and offering assistance, access to food and shelter, enrolling in local schools, as well as details on emergency measures governing Food Stamps and other government benefits for evacuees relocated to Washington, DC. Feedback is welcome and we encourage widespread distribution of this document.

Calling all D.C. Schools - Join us on September 26, 2005 at the District of Columbia Action for Healthy Kids 2005 School Summit on Nutrition and Physical Activity. The summit is an effective opportunity to reach traditional public, charter and independent schools to discuss strategies for improving academic achievement by concentrating on improved policies focusing on nutrition and physical activity. Utilizing the School Health Index, DC Action for Healthy Kids will host a one day planning session that will focus on defining the best way to implement nutrition and physical activity policies that are in alignment with national standards.

The Department of Human Services (DHS) developed and released for public use a new, simplified “Combined Application for Medical, Food Stamp, and Cash Assistance” to make it easier for District residents to apply for these services, and to streamline the eligibility process. The new application is also available in Spanish and the cover page features messages in Amharic, Chinese, and Vietnamese.

Twenty-one members of the newly established Mayor’s Commission on Food and Nutrition will advise the Mayor and the Council of the District of Columbia on the policy, nature and extent of food and nutrition programs in the District. The commission will handle issues concerning food served in public, charter, and private schools, and shelters, as well as food assistance for seniors. The commission panel will also explore new ways to encourage healthy eating. ”While DC has made great strides in combating hunger, the advent of the Mayor’s Commission of Food and Nutrition will bring a more structured, collaborative approach to food and nutrition programs in the District,” acting State Education Officer Deborah Gist said. Rober Egger, Executive Director of D.C. Central Kitchen will chair the commission; Kimberly Perry, Director of D.C. Hunger Solutions will serve as the Vice-Chair.