A Crucial Partnership in our Nation’s Capital
Posted by Shaylyn Carey on Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Ever wonder what happens to that can of corn you drop off at a food drive? Chances are it ends up at a place like a food bank, where it is re-shelved and re-sold at a subsidized price to organizations that support low income families.
A food bank is almost like a supermarket for nearby shelters and smaller food pantries to buy canned goods, bread, and fresh produce by the pound. Last month, as part of my work for the No Kid Hungry™ Campaign, I had the opportunity to tag along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a tour of the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB) in Washington, DC.
We began in the conference room, where we learned how much food $16 can buy, which is the minimum amount of SNAP (food stamp) aid one can receive per month. The presenter pointed out that such a small amount of money can be discouraging to those in need.
The CAFB educates clients, showing them how far their money can go. A nearby display featured $16 worth of food: bags of rice, wheat tortillas, beans, cheese, and canned peaches— enough nutritious food to feed one person for more than a week.
The CAFB also offers classes for SNAP recipients, teaching them how to cook these healthy and economical foods. Nutrition specialists travel to sites with portable kitchens, showing low-income families how to prepare items from the food bank.
Share Our Strength specializes in providing grants that promote long-term solutions that improve access to nutritious and healthy food choices, which is why we support the Operation Frontline program at CAFB, a big part of their nutrition education efforts.
Are you curious to know how you can help us support these organizations? Find a Food Bank in your area and volunteer!
Photo source: Capital Area Foodbank
July 7, 2010 | 1 comment(s) | Tags: Cooking Matters, event, grantees, No Kid Hungry, Operation Frontline, SNAP
Comments
1 reader comment so far.
Hi Shay Great article on the food banks. Keep up the good stuff. Auntie A
Posted by andrea carey on July 8, 2010
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