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Community Corner

Nonprofits Push to Feed the Hungry in Connecticut

"[T]here are people in every community throughout the country who are hungry," said state Sen. L. Scott Frantz.

Nonprofit organizations and state government might not go together like PB&J, but go together they must for Connecticut to feed its hungry.

September is Hunger Action Month. A designation designed to highlight the more than 400,000 Connecticut citizens who don’t have enough to eat. That number makes Deb Heinrich, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s nonprofit liaison, focus on the need for the two entities to cooperate all the more. 

“The governor has been doing public service announcements to raise awareness that there is a lot of hunger,” Heinrich said.

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As part of Heinrich’s effort to call attention to food security issues, she accepted the SNAP challenge. She is eating on $4 a day, or $28 a week.

“I’m finding it can be done. I’m not hungry, but my choices are very limited,” said Heinrich, who is . “So I end up eating the same thing over and over. You really have to plan it out. Most meals at the beginning of the day for the whole day.”

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Across the state 110,000 children, or 1 in 5 kids, are hungry, said Nancy Carrington, president and CEO of the Connecticut Food Bank.

Yet many of these children live in homes that don’t qualify for federally funded programs such as SNAP, Carrington said. So the Food Bank started "Back Pack" which helps more than 2,000 Connecticut school kids.

On Fridays during the school year, the backpacks of children qualifying for the "Back Pack" program are quietly taken from their lockers and packed with 10 food items to tide them over for the weekend. The backpacks are replaced before the class returns from recess.

“Basically it is the non-profits stepping in across the state; especially in this time of prolonged unemployment,” Carrington said. 

The Share Our Strength state-based No Kid Hungry Campaigns is another example of government and non-profit partnership. These campaigns connect families to federally funded food and nutrition programs like the school breakfast and summer feeding programs.

Food drives are often tied to Thanksgiving and the holiday season, but hunger follows no calendar. There is great need all year long. Summertime often means scant offerings, Heinrich said.

The Connecticut No Kid Hungry Campaign is working with End Hunger Connecticut! and the governor to help end childhood hunger in Connecticut by 2015. According to End Hunger Connecticut, only 58.4 percent of schools statewide take part in breakfast programs. If that number reaches 60 percent, the state will get an additional $7.6 million in federal dollars.

“The work of the nonprofits is critical to serving and often filling the gaps where government services cannot reach,” said state Rep. Kim Fawcett a Democrat representing Fairfield in the 133rd House District.

Food contributions and food drives held at schools, churches, synagogues and other organizations are perfect to help local pantries stay stocked, Carrington said. But for non-profits like the Connecticut Food bank a dollar goes a long way. Literally.

“For us $1 can go further; we can get $5 worth of food at the wholesale level,” Carrington said.

State Rep. Jason Perillo a Republican representing Shelton in the 113th House District said the business community and community action agencies are heavily involved in his district.

“As to the governor's role, I really couldn't say. I am really not aware of anything he has done to enhance their ability to help the community,” said Perillo, who recently attended the Valley United Way’s food drive kickoff, the "Harvest House" program. “The non-profit success stories that I know of are the result of hard-working and dedicated employees - not government intervention.”

Recent events such as Tropical Storm Irene hit cash strapped residents hard. Many, who normally find it difficult to afford food, must now replace refrigerated and frozen food items. 

“What I hear from people is how they’re on the receiving end of it. This economy has forced a 180 where the benefactors are now receiving,” said , a Democrat representing Norwalk and Dairen in the 25th Senate District. “The need is constant, but the problem is there is more need that there are places to get food.”

In Duff’s district non-profits including and Community Plate help feed people.

State Sen. L. Scott Frantz, a Republican representing Greenwich and parts of Stamford in the 36th Senate District, applauds Malloy’s initiative to empower the nonprofits.

“Hats off to him if the state spends less and gives more money to non-profits; it’s better and more cost-effective way,” Frantz said. 

In Stamford the Food Bank has a large presence in Stamford. In Greenwich Frantz said and help people.

“In Greenwich many people find it ironic that there is a food bank in Greenwich but there are people in every community throughout the country who are hungry,” Frantz said

And that’s the truth, Heinrich said.

“With the economy as it is it reaches a lot of people, and it’s not who you think it is,” Heinrich said. “It could be your next door neighbor, and sometimes it is.”

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