Tag: food insecurity

Family Corner 2/22/17

Producer/Host: Sue Mackey Andrews
Engineer: John Greenman

Issue: Food Insecurity in Maine: Focus on Washington, Hancock Counties

Program Topic: Helping Our Neighbors: Combating Hunger
Key Discussion Points:
a) Food insecurity, or HUNGER, has increased substantially in Maine subsequent to the LePage Administration restrictions to eligibility for SNAP benefits
b) Maine is now 9th in the country; 1st in New England in terms of food insecurity
c)Affects all Mainers – children, youth, families, adults and seniors
d)There are many opportunities in Washington/Hancock County to both volunteer or receive help and assistance
e) Organizations throughout Maine are partnering together to maximize resources (people, time, money) to address food insecurity

Guests
Joe Perkins, Director of Development & Community Services
Emily Herwerden, AmericaCorps VISTA with Healthy Acadia
Marjorie Peronto, Extenstion Educator with University of Maine Cooperative Extension

Family Corner 4/23/14

Producer/Host: Sue Mackey Andrews
Engineer: Amy Browne

Program Topic: Discussed food insecurity and the options that Healthy Acadia and the County Extension programs are creating through farm to school efforts, school gardens, summer food programs, nutrition education, mentoring and volunteering opportunities

Key Discussion Points:
a) Food insecurity in Maine for children is the highest of the New England States
b) Lots of options exist for families to access locally gown, healthy foods
c) Lots of options exist for individuals to volunteer, share a skill, time and develop relationships within their communities
Guests by name and affiliation:
A. Bronwyn Clement, Community Food Security Organizer at Healthy
B. Acadia
C. Elsie Flemings, Executive Director of Healthy Acadia
D. Nikki Fox, Community Health Coordinator for Healthy Acadia
E. Lisa Reilich, 4-H Youth Development Professional for Hancock & Washington Counties

Talk of the Towns 6/14/13

Producer/Host: Ron Beard, University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Engineer: Amy Browne

Issue: Community concerns and opportunities

Program Topic: A Place at the Table—Responding to Hunger in our Midst

Key Discussion Points:
a) You have chosen to screen a recent documentary, A Place at the Table, to highlight the issue of hunger and inequality… how and why did that come about?
b) What do we know about hunger and food insecurity in this part of Maine?
c) What factors contribute to persistent hunger and food insecurity?
d) What programs are in place to address these issues, and what are the gaps? (SNAP, WIC, School Lunch program, Commodity foods)
e) What are individual communities and community organizations (yours and others) doing to address these issues and the gaps?
f) Tell some stories about who is affected, their circumstances, their strengths…
g) What do you hope the screening of A Place at the Table will accomplish to raise awareness and stimulate individual and community response?
h) What do you find particularly compelling about the documentary? What would you tell a friend or neighbor who you wanted to attend?
i) Against this backdrop, Congress is debating the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, which includes funding for food assistance… what is being proposed? Is there anything happening with the state budget that addresses or makes worse food insecurity?
j) Attending to food insecurity in the short term is important… what are ways forward to address the broader inequality in our country, where some have food and some do not?
k) Details about tonight’s screening and other contact info…

Guests:
A) Adam Lacher, United Way of Eastern Maine
B) Sister Lucille MacDonald, Emmaus Center, Ellsworth
C) Lisa Weisker
D) Rick Traub, Tree of Life Food Pantry, Blue Hill
E) Zoe Scott, Executive Director, The Grand, Ellsworth