Alabama Possible » food security

23.4 Percent of Alabama Households Unable to Afford Enough Food in 2011

Kristina Scott — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:25:50 +0000

Report finds Alabama 2nd hungriest state in the nation, Birmingham 12th hungriest metro area

BIRMINGHAM – According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), 23.4 percent of respondents in Alabama in 2011 said they didn’t have enough money to buy food that they or their family needed at some point during the prior twelve months.

FRAC’s February Food Hardship in America – 2011 report provides data on food hardship, which is the inability to afford enough food. Findings include:

o Statewide, 23.4 percent of households said they were unable to afford enough food, which is the second highest rate in the country.

o The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had a food hardship rate of 21.3 percent, which is the 12th highest rate among the nation’s 100 largest MSAs.

o The 7th Congressional District reported 27.2 percent food hardship, which is the highest in the state and 23rd highest in the country.

o The 6th Congressional District reported 16.3 percent food hardship, which is the only Alabama congressional district below the national average.

“Many Alabamians have told us that they are having trouble affording groceries, and this data substantiates their personal stories,” said Alabama Poverty Project Executive Director Kristina Scott.

The data were gathered as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index project, which interviewed 1,000 households daily since January 2008. Specific to this analysis, people were asked, “Have there been times in the past twelve months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?” FRAC analyzed the data gathered by Gallup.

“Having enough food to eat is the most basic of human needs. However, we can’t food bank our way out of poverty and hunger. In these tough fiscal times, it is more important than ever to address the systems that cause food hardship. I challenge lawmakers and communities to support sustainable solutions so that our neighbors can meet their own needs,” said Scott.

The full report is available at www.frac.org.

About the Alabama Poverty Project

Alabama is the third poorest state in the nation, with 18.9 percent of households subsisting below the poverty line. The Alabama Poverty Project (APP) is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to reducing systemic poverty through strategic relationships with faith communities, higher education institutions and civic organizations. For information and resources, visit our website, http://alabamapossible.org.

The $12,964 thank you letter

Kristina Scott — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 16:50:23 +0000

Woodlawn High School Students visited UAB as part of our Blueprints College Access Initiative.

Dear Friends,

During 2011, faith and individual donors like you contributed $12,964 to the Alabama Poverty Project. That means we are nearly 75 percent of the way to our 2011 goal of $17,500. Thank you!

We are immensely grateful to partners like you. You inspire us and constantly remind us that, together, we have the power to end poverty and hunger in Alabama.

We hope that you had a chance to join us at one of our programs this year. The highlights included:

• The Blueprints College Access Initiative, which worked with 246 students at seven high schools across Alabama. Blueprints increases college access by supporting families in college and career planning, financial aid literacy, and ACT preparation. Thank you for helping equip students to pursue their college dreams.

• Celebrating the publication of APP Co-Founder Wayne Flynt‘s memoir, Keeping the Faith: Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives. Wayne challenges and inspires us to keep fighting for a more just Alabama. Thank you for helping us keep his flame going.

• Alabama Possible Community Conversations, which bring together Alabamians to talk about our aspirations for our communities, the barriers we face in achieving those aspirations, and what actions individuals, leaders, and communities can take in turning possibilities into reality. Thank you for helping us listen to the dreams of everyday Alabamians.

• July’s Tornado Recovery Workshop and September’s Lifetime of Learning Conference, which brought together students, educators, and community partners to talk about poverty and long-term tornado recovery. Thank you for ensuring that the structural causes of poverty are addressed in rebuilding efforts.

We have just 5 more days to raise $4,536. Please ensure that we have the resources to continue our work together by making a contribution today.

Thank you,

Kristina Scott

Executive Director

Alabama Poverty Project

Sowing the Seeds of a Bountiful Harvest

Kristina Scott — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 21:11:18 +0000

Amid news that nearly one-third of Alabamians received food stamps during May, we wanted to highlight some of the work our Higher Education Members are doing to increase food security in their communities.

We recently visited with Dennis and Dean Itson of Faulkner University, who showed us their community garden.

When asked what the garden’s mission is, Director of Service-Learning Dennis Itson replied, “Our mission is to feed the elderly and those in need.”

Nearly 100 senior citizens live in apartments adjacent to the university. In addition to feeding them, the garden serves as a form of therapy and spiritual renewal too.

The garden also serves the educational needs of nearby elementary schools and college science classes, who go to the garden to learn about science and conduct experiments

Dennis stresses the vital role that volunteers have played in the success of the garden. “People have volunteered their time, seeds, plants, money, tractors, and even their land to make this garden a reality and success,” states Dennis. Volunteers include students, faculty and staff, and even local residents, schools, churches, and community groups.

The garden sits upon a 70 x 35 foot plot. It includes corn, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, okra, onions, peppers, rosemary, squash, watermelons, and others vegetables, and has helped feed nearly eighty residents.

Dennis holds big plans for the garden’s future. He plans to increase its size by adding a second plot of land. Faulkner will also offer a gardening class in the fall.

All in all, our trip to the garden proved a great success. Who would have known that such a simple idea would spark such a successful response? In addition to learning about the garden and its achievements, Dennis also taught us a thing or two about gardening. Dennis has a big heart, and he loves his community. We thank him for hosting us and for sharing with us the garden.

To learn more about the garden, check out these news reports: WFSA 12 News Montgomery and the Montgomery Advertiser.

To learn more about community gardens, check out these resources.

To learn more about poverty and food insecurity in Alabama, check out this resource.

2010 Food Summit: Bringing Everyone to the Table

T.C. McLemore — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:24:32 +0000

The Alabama Poverty Project team had a great time joining the Greater Birmingham Community Food Partners to produce the 2010 Food Summit, November 12-13. We helped plan and moderate the day’s educational programming and reflections on the Birmingham Food Charter. Here is the story of the day in pictures:

Attendees filled the beautiful Avon Theater early in the morning with high anticipation of the day’s speakers. Mayor William Bell welcomed the crowd, and John Talmage from Social Compact talked with us about bringing grocery stores to under-served communities.

Our Executive Director Kristina Scott joined Scott Douglas from Greater Birmingham Ministries, Marquita Davis of The Links, Incorporated and the Department of Children’s Affairs, Elaine VanCleave from Bread for the World & ONE Campaign and Melissa Oliver from Alabama Arise on the panel “Using Your Voice: Advocating for change in your community.”

Kristina also moderated the Faith-Based Food Security Panel comprised of Brent Everett from the Southside Baptist Food Pantry, Leanne Pearce Reed from Montevallo Seed-to-Table, Maggie Johnston from Camp McDowell, and Charlie Griffin from Mountain Brook Presbyterian.

Horticulturalist Sallie Lee from the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) talked about the many programs and resources they offer in Jefferson County and the rest of Alabama. ACES programs include Master Gardener training, workshops and courses on home and community gardening, and plant clinics. They can also provide contact information for Master Gardeners in your area who are willing help get gardens started in their community.

Other panels, like the Community Garden Panel, had takeaways that people could act on immediately. They offered ideas on how to start a garden in your own yard, finding a garden in your community, and opportunities to attend how-to sessions at Jones Valley Urban Farm.There were great examples around the room of successful home and community gardens. Some attendees even realized they were neighbors and planned on gardening together!

Food Systems Expert Mark Winne was the lunch keynote speaker. He delivered a strong indictment of Alabama’s current food system and a hopeful and empowering look toward the future.

The David Mathews Center for Civic Life helped us reflect on our new food charter with interactive displays. GBCFP chose to unveil the food charter during the Food Summit to publicly proclaim that the food system should work for the people that use it in an equal, fair, and healthy way.

Thanks to Elisa Muñoz, the Program Coordinator for GBCFP (below), and everyone else who came together to make this Food Summit a great success!

We had a great time and learned a lot! To learn more about the Food Summit and what you can do to address food issues in your community check out these resources:

Posted by T.C. McLemore

Alabama is the hungriest state in the nation

Robyn Hyden — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:21:43 +0000

Alabama ranks number one in the nation for households experiencing hunger, according to a report released Tuesday by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). An average of 6.8 percent of Alabama households reported very low food security, or food insecurity with hunger, between 2007 and 2009.

This rate has more than doubled since the last report in 2006, when 3.3 percent of households reported very low food security.

The report, “Household Food Security in the United States, 2009,” also finds that an average of 15 percent of Alabama households experienced food insecurity during the years 2007-2009.

“This report show us how badly Alabamians are hurting right now,” says Kristina Scott, Executive Director of the Alabama Poverty Project (APP). “We hear from folks every day that food assistance and hunger relief programs are being stretched beyond capacity. So many of our partners are in emergency mode, just trying to reach immediate needs.”

Food insecure households reported reduced quality, variety or desirability of diet, with little or no indication of reduced food intake. Households with very low food security reported multiple indicators of disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake.

“At the Alabama Poverty Project, we mobilize Alabamians to eliminate poverty. This means equipping faith communities, higher education institutions and other community partners who are on the front lines of direct assistance to help people move out of poverty permanently. Together, we can not only work to meet our neighbors’ immediate needs, but also permanently reduce the number of Alabamians who make up these statistics.”

How can you fight hunger?

Get the facts: access our Hunger and Food Security Resources, including the new FRAC report on hunger. Also check out the latest income, health and obesity data

Advocate: visit Bread for the World to learn how to advocate for federal policies to fight hunger. To influence local food policy, connect with Food Policy Councils in Birmingham or Huntsville – or start your own!

Take Action: connect with a community garden or a food ministry in your area to see what you can do.

Posted by Robyn Hyden

Community garden takes off in Tuscumbia

Robyn Hyden — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:25:43 +0000

Thanks to our friend Myra at Volunteer Mobile for letting us know about a community gardening project in Tuscumbia, Alabama. As the Times Daily reported a few weeks ago, the half-acre project has become a popular spot, with at least 20 people participating and more community members showing interest in the project. They just broke ground last year, but already have plans to expand.

Do you live in North Alabama and want to know more about these types of projects? Plan to attend our September Hunger Workshop in Huntsville, where we will discuss hunger, food security, community gardening, and other ways to share fresh, healthy food with our friends and neighbors. As The Birmingham News reminded us yesterday, many Alabamians are food insecure, especially in the summer months.

Photo: Matt McKean/Times Daily

Live in South Alabama? You’re in luck! We’re going to be on the Gulf Coast for our Mobile Hunger Workshop on June 22, where we will discuss community gardening, food ministries, and other solutions to ongoing hunger and food insecurity in South Alabama. We recommend faith leaders, outreach ministers, social workers, teachers, aspiring community gardeners, and all people of faith interested in ending hunger to join us. It’s not too late to register!

Growing Together: A fresh, local food pantry

Robyn Hyden — Mon, 17 May 2010 19:41:54 +0000

Lindsey Mullen, an alumnae of our Montgomery Hunger Workshop in March, shared an exciting update with us from the Growing Together ministry at the University of Alabama’s Canterbury Episcopal Chapel. Lindsey works with the David Mathews Center for Civic Life and is a regional coordinator with Impact Alabama. She is one of the many young people making change in Alabama possible.

“I just wanted to thank you and your staff for the work that you put into this workshop, and to update you on what I’ve been doing with some of the things that I learned at the workshop…

“First of all, at Canterbury we’ve started a vouchers program with a farmer’s market that’s held on our lawn every Thursday, so that the people who come to our food pantry (called the Deacon’s Deli) now receive vouchers to buy fresh, local produce for their families. The idea behind this is that we’re not only providing for those in need, but also supporting local growers and our local economy. We were a bit nervous that the people who came to Deacon’s Deli would have trouble with transportation or wouldn’t be interested in buying fresh produce, but, while we still want to consider how we can help overcome these obstacles, we had a great turnout this past week, and lots of people showed up to spend their vouchers at the market! The funding for this program comes from the money that students raise during football season by parking cars on our church lawn. There’s a full description of the program on Canterbury’s website.

“Something else really exciting is that this evening we’re breaking ground on a small community garden, which we hope will help build community here and supplement our food programs. The inspiration for this project came from what we heard about the Seed to Table project in Montevallo. And, in partnership with UA, the DMC, Homegrown Alabama, and the Druid City Garden Project, Canterbury has been able to hire a summer intern to work on the garden. Through this internship, the Mathews Center is hopeful about exploring networks of people interested in community agriculture, food security, hunger, and other related issues. I’m hoping that this will eventually lead into some statewide conversation on how communities can act together around these issues.”

See a video slideshow of Canterbury Garden’s groundbreaking:

We share Lindsey’s interest in spurring a statewide conversation, as well as more cooperation, collaboration, and relationship building with hunger and food security! That’s why we’re hosting a Hunger Workshop in Mobile on June 22. And why we’re helping to organize the 2nd Annual Birmingham Food Summit in November (more details TBA, so stay tuned.)

Thanks for the update Lindsey! We look forward to hearing more about the great work that Canterbury, and other similar ministries, are doing throughout the year.

Posted by Robyn Hyden

What we’re watching: Food, Inc.

Robyn Hyden — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:48:47 +0000

We are in love with the spring weather – and the return of farmers markets. Robyn bought some great cheese from Wright Dairy last weekend at Pepper Place, and we all went to the market at Birmingham’s Waldorf School a few weeks ago. I got farm fresh eggs, mushrooms and sweet potatoes. Let me tell you, I had some fantastic breakfasts with those eggs!

Tonight, we are all planning to watch Food, Inc. at 8 p.m. on APT. I first saw Food, Inc. last fall at the Bottletree Café – and I think it is a really engaging look at how our food is produced.

I highly recommend taking the time to watch it tonight – and then going to a farmers market this weekend! Here’s where you can find one near you.

-Posted by Kristina Scott

Help stop hunger – 2010 Crop Walk

Kristina Scott — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 19:22:01 +0000

Join us at Caldwell Park to walk away poverty and hunger Sunday, April 18, 2010 at 2:30!

The CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) walk is a community event calling on neighbors to walk together to take a stand against hunger and poverty in our world.

If you want to fight hunger around the block and around the world join us for the Birmingham CROP Hunger Walk. We encourage the active involvement of teams and individuals from public and private schools, civic and cultural groups, area businesses and all faith groups.

There is no fee to participate but each walker is encouraged to raise at least $100. 25% of the money you raise will benefit stay right here in Birmingham and 75% will help international poverty relief efforts. The Birmingham CROP Hunger Walk hopes to raise $30,000 in 2010. And every walker gets a free CROP Walk t-shirt!

If you would like to participate or need more information visit http://www.bhamcropwalk.org or contact John Duke at 205-939-1408. You can also email John at jduke@alabamapoverty.org.

Could you survive on just food stamps?

Kristina Scott — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 23:19:48 +0000

According this article in Saturday’s New York Times, 18 percent of food stamp recipients’ – or 1 in 50 Americans – now live in a household with a reported income that consists of nothing but a food-stamp card.

Read the full report – including the personal stories of some of these Americans – here.

It reminds me how fortunate and blessed I am.

Posted by: Kristina Scott