#MythbusterMonday - December 2017 Myths Busted!

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We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and school meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In December, we busted the following hunger myths:

December 4

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in November 2017. Click here. 

December 11

#MythBusterMonday "Too many people take advantage of CalFresh/SNAP benefits." False! After unemployment insurance, CalFresh/SNAP is the most responsive federal program available to provide additional assistance during economic downturns. Enrollment expands when the economy weakens and contracts when the economy recovers.

December 18

#MythbusterMonday "Breakfast in the Classroom makes a mess." False! Many teachers and principals say that any mess or trash issues can be overcome with a smart system. Creating roles and opportunities for students to clean up after themselves can make breakfast a simple experience. Click here to read more from No Kid Hungry.
 

December 25

#MythbusterMonday “Government assistance is a waste of money and doesn't accomplish its goals.” False! Poverty rates would likely double without safety net programs like CalFresh/SNAP and add to human suffering. Last year, the safety net lifted 38 million people, including 8 million children, out of poverty. Click here to read more myths about poverty.

Follow the San Diego Hunger Coalition on Facebook,  Twitter, and Instagram. 

Hunger Free Kids Convening Brings Together Experts in Child Nutrition, Hunger Relief, and Policy Solutions

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Attendees, presenters, and panelists gather at the Hunger Free Kids convening on November 1, 2017 at Leichtag Commons.

Attendees, presenters, and panelists gather at the Hunger Free Kids convening on November 1, 2017 at Leichtag Commons.

Many afterschool programs serve a snack to keep children focused and engaged in active learning and play. Yet for many children, a snack is simply not enough. Afterschool “supper” is a meal like lunch that can help ensure all children don’t go to bed hungry. However, San Diego Hunger Coalition’s analysis found that only 9% of students enrolled in the Free and Reduced Price Meal program at school are participating in afterschool programs that serve supper. This is one opportunity to feed more children and youth without raising money to spend on food.

Opportunities for schools and youth-serving community-based organizations to expand their meal programs like afterschool suppers and tap into federal funds to support more robust programs are at the heart of the San Diego Hunger Coalition’s soon-to-be released report - Hunger Free Kids: Opportunities by District to End Child Hunger. The Hunger Coalition partnered with Alliance Healthcare Foundation as part of its iEngageU series to bring together experts in child nutrition, hunger relief, and policy solutions along with parents and other advocates for a convening on November 1st at Leichtag Commons, to preview of the report’s findings.

Presenters at the convening included keynote speaker Kathy Saile, California Director of No Kid Hungry, as well as:

The week following the Hunger Free Kids convening, our Executive Director Anahid Brakke, Research Director Heidi Gjertsen, Ph.D., and Hunger Free Kids Program Director Robin McNulty represented San Diego at the Alliance to End Hunger's 2017 national Sunshine Summit to End Hunger where they presented on the report's findings and how to start a hunger free initiative in other communities.

The full report will be released at the end of January. Sign-up to receive a link to where you can download a copy of the report when it is available. The report methodology and data on the school districts presented at the November 1st convening is available on our Hunger Free Kids Report webpage. 

#MythbusterMonday - November 2017 Myths Busted

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MythBuster_Header.png

We begin each week using our online voice to debunk myths about hunger. Our #MythbusterMonday social media series dispels misinformation and stigma commonly associated with food assistance programs like CalFresh/SNAP and school meals and the people who rely on them to help put food on the table.  

What hunger myths have you heard? Join us in sharing the truth about hunger each Monday using the hashtag #MythbusterMonday.

In November, we busted the following hunger myths:

November 6

The first Monday of the month we take a look back at the myths busted the previous month. Check out the myths we busted in October 2017. Click here. 

November 13

#MythbusterMonday "I don't know anyone suffering from food insecurity." False! In San Diego County 1 in 6 people don't have enough to eat for an active, healthy life. A staggering 1 in 5 are children. It is likely that we all know someone who may not know where their next meal is coming from. Visit our Hunger in San Diego webpage to learn more. 

November 20

#MythbusterMonday "It’s better for local charities to feed people, not the government." False! Food banks, food pantries, and soup kitchens were not designed to do this. Instead, they were created to solve temporary or emergency situations, not systemic problems. Click here and see Myth 2 from MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. 

November 27

#MythbusterMonday "Breakfast in the Classroom places an unnecessary burden on teachers." False! Two out of three educators whose students eat breakfast in the classroom are fans of the program. Teachers find that with clear procedures, breakfast can take less than 15 minutes, has a calming effect and sets a positive learning atmosphere. Click here to read more 'Breakfast in the Classroom' myths from No Kid Hungry. 

What We Did on Our Summer Vacation: Understanding summer hunger among children in Southeastern San Diego

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What We Did on Our Summer Vacation: Understanding summer hunger among children in Southeastern San Diego

Summer can be a hungry time of the year for children in households that struggle with food insecurity. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), also known as the summer meals program, was created in the 1970s to connect children from low-income families to the critical nutrition they need during the summer and intersession breaks.  Unfortunately, only 2 out of 5 kids who benefit from Free and Reduced Priced Meals during the school year are participating in the summer meals program.  An estimated 97,500 are missing out. This summer, the Hunger Coalition set out to test the assumption that lack of program awareness is the major cause of low participation.

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