Aging Secretary Teresa Brown; Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding, Human Services Secretary Ted Dallas and Lela Reichart, brand manager, Sterman Masser Potato Farms, spoke about ending hunger in Pennsylvania through efficiency in the programs the state offers and through effective partnerships.
On September 20, the Governor’s Food Security Partnership announced “Setting the Table: A Blueprint for a Hunger-Free PA” during a press conference at the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank. The blueprint is the result of planning sessions throughout the past year with the secretaries from the departments of Aging, Agriculture, Community and Economic Development, Education, Health, and Human Services, and public, charitable and private leaders in food security.
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding spoke about the departments’ commitment to connecting Pennsylvanians in need of food assistance with healthy, nutritious products produced in the commonwealth by the more than 59,000 farm families.
“That includes connecting them to Pennsylvania products through innovative programs like the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System, Farmers Market Nutrition Programs, and Farm-to-School programs,” he said.
“1.7 million fellow Pennsylvanians are food insecure,” said Secretary Ted Dallas, Department of Human Services. “That’s 13.8 percent of your neighbors that at one point don’t know where their next meal is coming from.”
“The Blueprint demonstrates the Wolf Administration’s commitment to help Pennsylvanian’s eat better and stay healthy,” said Aging Secretary Teresa Osborne. “Our capacity to communicate and collaborate at the state and local level is not only evidence of a government that works, it ensures that by working together every Pennsylvanian, including our seniors, has the food they need to live and age well.”
The plan lays out goals of providing all Pennsylvanians with access to healthy, nutritious food, which will improve their well-being, health, and independence. Pennsylvania will leverage the strength of its community and business partners; federal, state, and local resources; and innovations in the charitable food network to set the table for a hunger-free Pennsylvania. The Blueprint’s goals by 2020 are:
• Every county and/or region in Pennsylvania will have a local food alliance to combat hunger in their local communities.
• The SNAP participation rate will increase from 90 percent to 98 percent or higher.
• The number of children benefiting from free and reduced price meals during the school year (linked to nutrition programs in summer) will increase from 20 percent to 30 percent.
• Sixty percent of students benefiting from free and reduced priced school meals will participate in school breakfast. This is an increase from 47 percent in 2014-15.
• The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program redemption rate will increase from 308,000 to 340,000 checks annually.
• Double SNAP Bucks will be available at all highly accessible, high-need farmers’ markets, and additional SNAP recipients will have access to SNAP employment and training and SNAP education.
• Pennsylvanians will have streamlined access to food security information and benefits.
• The average number of people participating in WIC programs will increase from over 245,000 to 260,000.
• Pennsylvania will improve access to healthy, nutritious food.
Download the blueprint at www.dhs.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/communication/s_001611.pdf
Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding spoke about the departments’ commitment to connecting Pennsylvanians in need of food assistance with healthy, nutritious products produced in the commonwealth by the more than 59,000 farm families.
“That includes connecting them to Pennsylvania products through innovative programs like the Pennsylvania Agricultural Surplus System, Farmers Market Nutrition Programs, and Farm-to-School programs,” he said.
“1.7 million fellow Pennsylvanians are food insecure,” said Secretary Ted Dallas, Department of Human Services. “That’s 13.8 percent of your neighbors that at one point don’t know where their next meal is coming from.”
“The Blueprint demonstrates the Wolf Administration’s commitment to help Pennsylvanian’s eat better and stay healthy,” said Aging Secretary Teresa Osborne. “Our capacity to communicate and collaborate at the state and local level is not only evidence of a government that works, it ensures that by working together every Pennsylvanian, including our seniors, has the food they need to live and age well.”
The plan lays out goals of providing all Pennsylvanians with access to healthy, nutritious food, which will improve their well-being, health, and independence. Pennsylvania will leverage the strength of its community and business partners; federal, state, and local resources; and innovations in the charitable food network to set the table for a hunger-free Pennsylvania. The Blueprint’s goals by 2020 are:
• Every county and/or region in Pennsylvania will have a local food alliance to combat hunger in their local communities.
• The SNAP participation rate will increase from 90 percent to 98 percent or higher.
• The number of children benefiting from free and reduced price meals during the school year (linked to nutrition programs in summer) will increase from 20 percent to 30 percent.
• Sixty percent of students benefiting from free and reduced priced school meals will participate in school breakfast. This is an increase from 47 percent in 2014-15.
• The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program redemption rate will increase from 308,000 to 340,000 checks annually.
• Double SNAP Bucks will be available at all highly accessible, high-need farmers’ markets, and additional SNAP recipients will have access to SNAP employment and training and SNAP education.
• Pennsylvanians will have streamlined access to food security information and benefits.
• The average number of people participating in WIC programs will increase from over 245,000 to 260,000.
• Pennsylvania will improve access to healthy, nutritious food.
Download the blueprint at www.dhs.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/communication/s_001611.pdf
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