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Reducing Food Insecurity in Billings SD-2

Reducing Food Insecurity in Billings SD-2. Virginia Lee Mermel, PhD, CNS BackPack Meals & Teen Pantry Prog. Recognizing the Issue. “ Improving school meals is fine, but the real nutrition problem is the number of students who don’t get dinner or weekend meals. ”.

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Reducing Food Insecurity in Billings SD-2

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  1. Reducing Food Insecurity in Billings SD-2 Virginia Lee Mermel, PhD, CNS BackPack Meals & Teen Pantry Prog

  2. Recognizing the Issue “Improving school meals is fine, but the real nutrition problem is the number of students who don’t get dinner or weekend meals.”

  3. 2007 SD-2 Food Security Stats October 2007 • DOW >14,000 • Unemployment < 1% • 24% (~ 3700) Free or Reduced cost school meals • 12% weekend hunger

  4. MT’s Hidden Hunger MT’s relatively low unemployment rate masks surprisingly high rates of poverty & hunger due to low paying jobs

  5. Looked for BackPack Program Support • Local emergency food entities DEALT w ADULTS ONLY!

  6. SD-2 Great Recession Hunger Stats • ~ 37% of students (>6100) receive F & R meals • More qualify but don’t participate • > 5100 Free Meals

  7. Billings BackPack Prog Stats ‘09 to ‘13: • 520/weekend 1st yr • 350 down to 245* 2nd-3rd yrs • 280-340 4th yr • 216-236 this yr

  8. Billings Teen Pantry Stats Fall ‘11 to ‘13: ~ 100 7th-12th graders use 6 Teen Pantries each weekend since Oct 2011

  9. Summer Leaves Kids Hunger Challenged #1 issue: getting kids in need to feeding sites

  10. Summer 2013 Interventions Salvation Army Church Pantries Peace Lutheran-onsite Grace Methodist-onsite St Pius stocked Tumbleweed Teen Pantry • > 600 meals/wk night So & No sides • Summer meals to Big Sky & Meadow Lark areas

  11. Summer 2013 Interventions Tumbleweeds Center & Mobile Unit • Food, toiletries, laundry counseling

  12. Lesson: Contact Faith Based Groups Discuss Directed & Specific Food Bank Sunday donations

  13. What Works Operationally? Use: • Proven Practices • Existing Systems/Infrastructure

  14. What Works when Fund Raising? Talk, Talk, Talk: “Fed, Fit & Ready to Learn so they grow to be adults who are ready to earn” Connect hunger to individual & societal costs

  15. Dropouts are at > Risk of: Substance abuse Criminal activity Incarceration Teen PG Generational Poverty

  16. What Works for Fundraising? Know Your: • Stats • Goals • Outcomes

  17. 5th-Year Goals •  BackPack Prog participation to 50-100 students • Demonstrate  in standardized test scores •  dropout rate in Title 1 neighborhoods

  18. Early Outcomes • Significant reduction in students’ sense of stress and behavior problems •  elementary student discipline issues • Older elementary students report less stress • 5-8 more students graduate high school/year

  19. BackPack Program Connected to other Anti-Poverty Prog • School Food Ser. • Homeless Liaison • Graduation Matters • Health Dept • City Community Development Dept

  20. Thank You , for Your Time and Interest!

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