How can we end childhood hunger? It starts with knowing

that we really can end this persistent social problem — in the District of Columbia,

and around the country. Not just make things a bit better, but make sure that

every child can get three nutritious meals every day. We can do it in as little as

10 years, if not sooner.

In Washington, D.C., today, there are more than 35,000 young people living in

homes where they don’t always know where their next meal will come from.

They start their day without breakfast, go hungry when school is closed, or lack

the good nutrition they need to learn, grow and thrive. Hunger hurts their early

mental and physical development, threatens their long-term health, makes it

hard to concentrate in school, limits their future prospects, and contributes to

behavioral and other problems that affect the entire community.

Childhood hunger hurts the District’s economy by limiting the productivity of

the workforce. It limits the effectiveness of our schools because hungry kids can’t

learn. It may also contribute to other social problems in every part of the city.

Ask Me How...

To close these gaps, the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation’s Capital (D.C. Hunger Solutions, The Food Research and Action Center, and Share Our Strength) called together leaders and experts from every part of the District, who worked together to design a plan that addresses this complex issue. This isn’t a set of goals or principles. It isn’t a policy proposal or pie-in-the-sky ideal. It’s a concrete, common sense 10-part plan that will be implemented.

2

Kids go hungry because they lack three basic things.

ResourcesMost childhood hunger is a resultof family poverty — low incomes,combined with the high costs ofhousing, transportation, health care, energy and other necessities, leavetoo little to keep food on the table.

AccessEven when families have the resources, they often can’t get good food to their kids, as many of the poorest District neighborhoods have no access tosupermarkets selling fresh produce.

InformationMany families don’t know that helpis available to them through programs like food stamps or school breakfast. Parents don’t have the nutrition education they need to get the maximum value out of a limited budget.

P A R T I C I P A N T S Alicia Rucker Empower DC Greg Roberts Childrens Youth Investment Trust Corp. Frankeena Wright DC Action for Children Angela Jones DC Action for Children Ed Lazere DC Fiscal Policy Institute Patty Mullahy Fugere Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Ariele Foster Community Harvest

ISSUE GROUP #2:ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOODS Judy Tiger Gardening Resources of Washington Ellen McCarthy D.C. Dept. of Planning and Economic Development Ann Caton Youth Education Alliance Susan Topping Capital Area Food Bank Lynn Parker Food Research and Action Center Ariele Foster Community Harvest Andy Hastings Share Our Strength

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Nechama Masliansky So Others Might Eat (SOME) Barry Scher Giant Foods George Jones Bread for the City Nick Karas Hotel Furniture Sellout Anne Spaulding Mary’s Center Ted Pringle Bread for the City Jill Rademacher The Case Foundation Lynn French Office of the Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders Eboni Banks Fields of Dreams Dr. Eleanora Isles Howard University Lindsey Buss Martha’s Table Stan Jackson Deputy Mayor, Housing & Community Development Craig Schniderman Food & Friends Frances Reed D.C. Central Kitchen Todd Mann National Restaurant Association Rev. Willie Wilson Union Temple Baptist Church Sarah Borron Community Food Security Coalition Dan Tangherlini Dept. of Transportation Mike Jasso Dept. of Community Planning, Office of the Mayor Katie Simons GW Capstone Colleen Doyle George Washington University Capstone Christine Maulhardt George Washington University Capstone Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Sam Dratch Hitachi Foundation Barbara Lang D.C. Chamber of Commerce Janice Williams YMCA of Greater Washington Mardell Moffett Cafritz Foundation Mark Patwin Sodexho USA Robbie Chinsky Sodexho USA Rachel Wick Consumer Health Foundation David Glaser Adams Bank Jeannan Peterson Bank of America Scott Pannick Metropolis Development Merrick Malone Metropolis Development Chris Boyd SHARE Hanna Burton The Food Trust, Consultant

ISSUE GROUP #3:PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION Angelo Ioffreda Sodexho USA Alison Volz GMMB Hannah Isles Share Our Strength John Stokes State Education Office Barbara Dyer Hitachi Foundation Linda Thompson LL Thompson & Assoc. Robert Egger D.C. Central Kitchen Marion Flores Mary’s Center Mark Miller The Case Foundation Reuben Gist Capital Area Food Bank Linda Douglass ABC News Chuck Bean Nonprofit Roundtable Tobi Printz-Platnick Cafritz Foundation Martin Gillis Fair Budget Coalition Polly Sherard Channel 9 Mary Dwight Spitfire Strategies Kendra Beach Spitfire Strategies Clark Lobenstine Interfaith Conference of Metro Washington Kae Dakin Washington Grantmakers Mai Abdul Rhaman Parent

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Ellen Vollinger Food Research and Action Center Denise Rolark-Barnes The Washington Informer

ISSUE GROUP #4:ANALYSIS OF NUTRITION EDUCATION Lisa Fleige D.C. Dept. of Health/WIC/FSNEP Linda Thompson LL Thompson & Assoc. Amanda Pike Operation Frontline Hadley Boyd Share Our Strength Joy Boyle The Case Foundation Cheryl Focht, M.D. Mary’s Center Mildred Brooks Nutritionist Lynn Parker FRAC Elizabeth Fish DC Central Kitchen Sue Kincaid Capital Area Food Bank Sarah Latterner State Education Office Pamela Watson Sodexho USA Laura Otolski Food & Friends Mai Abdul Rhaman Parent Barbara Rockwood D.C. Public Schools Robert Templin Northern Virginia Community College

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Phillip Good Sodexho USA Linda Marmer Sodexho USA Beth Olson Sodexho USA

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Working together, we will end child-hood hunger by surrounding all children in the District of Columbia with reliable access to good food and nutrition every place that touches their lives — in the family, at school and throughout the community.

Much of the work involves simply making sure people take advantage of the programs that are already available to them. The $1.4 million per year it will cost to implement this plan will

yield $14 million a year in federalassistance that currently goes unclaimed by local families, schools and community groups who are eligible for it. Extendingthe reach and effectiveness of food stamps, school breakfast, after-school and summer food programs, and the Earned Income Tax Credit will havea dramatic impact on childhoodhunger in the District.

But the most important ingredient for this plan’s success is the involvement of every District resident, community group, business and organization. Together, we will end childhood hunger.

There’s a role for everyone inending this problem, an opportunity for everyone to make a difference.

go to www.askmehowdc.org

1. PROVIDE ALL D.C. CHILDRENA HEALTHY BREAKFAST.

2. ENCOURAGE HEALTHYFOOD CHOICES.

3. HELP FAMILIES MEET NEEDSAT HOME WITH FOOD STAMPS.

4. IMPROVE WORKING FAMILIES’ ECONOMIC SECURITY.

5. INCREASE FAMILIES’ ACCESS TO FRESH, AFFORDABLE PRODUCEIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

6. HELP AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS PROVIDE HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS.

7. EXPAND REACH OF SUMMER MEALS PROGRAMS.

8. ENSURE ACCESS TO BALANCED, NUTRITIOUS DIETS FORALL PREGNANT WOMENAND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN.

9. ENSURE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN SHELTERS AND FOOD PANTRIES.

10. PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVEPUBLIC EDUCATION ABOUTAVAILABLE ASSISTANCE.

10 PART PLAN

We will build a stronger, healthier,

better educated and more pro-

ductive District of Columbia by

ensuring that all children have

access to the nutritious food they

need to learn, grow and thrive

in their families, at school and

throughout their communities.

By eradicating childhood hunger

in the nation’s capital, we will

create a new model that other

communities can follow.

Our Vision

IMPROVINGPUBLIC EDUCATION

about good nutrition and the help that’s already available

STRENGTHENINGTHE INFRASTRUCTURE

in the District for getting nutri-tious food to those who need it

HELPING FAMILIESHELP THEMSELVES

with better information andenhanced economic security

The 10-part plan is built on three key approaches:

“This isn’t a set of goals or principles. It isn’t a policy proposal or pie-in-the-sky ideal. It’s a concrete, com-mon sense 10-part plan that will be implemented.”

3

LEAD PARTNERS D.C. Hunger Solutions Share Our Strength Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)

FUNDERS OF THE PLAN The Case Foundation Sodexho Foundation

CORE ADVISORY GROUPAcademia Allan Johnson Howard University

Kathleen Maas Weigert Georgetown UniversityAdvocacy Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Angela Jones DC Action for Children Ed Lazere DC Fiscal Policy Institute Patty Mullahy Fugere Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Nechama Maslianski So Others Might Eat (SOME) Jim Weill Food Research and Action CenterAgriculture Mike Tabor Community Harvest Regina Dyson Community HarvestBusiness, Industry and Financial Institutions Stephen J. Brady Sodexho USA

Kathy Etemad Hollinger Comcast of DC Barry Scher Giant Foods Mark Aron CSX Corp. (Retired) Abe Pollin Washington Sports & Entertainment Carolyn Berkowitz Capital OneChefs and Restaurateurs Todd Gray EquinoxCity Government Gregory McCarthy Exec. Office of the Mayor Deborah Gist State Education Office Kate Jesberg Dept. Human Services- IMA Gloria Clark District of Columbia Dept. of Health/WIC Gregg Pane District of Columbia Dept. Neil Rodgers District of Columbia Dept. of Parks and RecreationEducation Peggy Cooper Cafritz District of Columbia Board of Education Tommy Wells District of Columbia Board of Education Carrie Thornhill District of Columbia Board of Education Clifford Janey Superintendent Tom Brady District of Columbia Public Schools, Operations Mark Truax District of Columbia Public Schools, Food Services Thomas Willimas District of Columbia Public Schools, TVCity Council Phil Mendleson At-Large Vincent Gray Ward 7 Marion Barry Ward 8 Kwame Brown At-LargeFaith-Based Organizations and Communities Clark Lobenstine Interfaith Conf. of Metro Washington Jane Karas Hotel Furniture Sellout

Federal Government Courtney Christian Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton Jonathan Rhodes Office of Senator Blanche LincolnMedia Linda Douglass ABC NewsNonprofit Organizations Chuck Bean Nonprofit Roundtable Robert Egger DC Central Kitchen Lynn Brantley Capital Area Food Bank Dr. Gloria Braithwaite Children’s National Medical Center George Jones Bread for the City Greg Roberts Childrens Youth Investment Trust Corp. Mimi Castaldi AARP District of Columbia Maria Gomez Mary’s Center Chuck Anderson United Way National Capital AreaStudents Janice Williams YMCA of Greater WashingtonParents/Individuals Mai Abdul Rhaman Parent Alicia Rucker Empower DC/Parent Linda Thompson IndividualPhilanthropic Organizations Ben Binswanger The Case Foundation Pat Nicklin Share Our Strength Kae Dakin Washington Grantmakers Rubie Coles Moriah Fund Barbara Dyer Hitachi Foundation Margaret Siegel England Family Foundation Hope Gleicher Trellis Fund Mardell Moffett Cafritz Foundation Margaret O’Bryon Consumer Health Foundation Jill Rademacher The Case Foundation Liam Clarke UPS Foundation/APCO Worldwide Julie Rogers Meyer Foundation

ISSUE GROUP #1:INCREASING ACCESS TO INCOME SUPPORTSAND FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS Dr. Cynthia Bell State Education Office Ann Spaulding Mary’s Center Neil Rodgers Dept. of Parks and Recreation Ellen London Children’s Youth Investment Trust Corp. Mark Truax DCPS Food Services Reuben Gist Capital Area Food Bank Ellen Wells Dept. of Human Services – IMA Crystal FitzSimons Food Research and Action Center Janet McLaughlin Share Our Strength Kelly Gallagher Share Our Strength Janice Williams YMCA of Greater Washington Margaret Siegel England Family Foundation Rubie Coles Moriah Fund Scott Loretan Sodexho USA Nechama Masliansky So Others Might Eat (SOME) Ben Binswanger The Case Foundation Sam Dratch Hitachi Foundation Allan Johnson Howard University

Ending childhood hunger requires citywide commitment and involvement,and it will make the District a better place for everyone. The following are just a fewof the companies, organizations and individuals who’ve been part of developing this

plan and who are committed to seeing it succeed.

P A R T I C I P A N T S

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P A R T 1

It all starts with breakfast. Kids who start the day with a nutritious meal grow up healthier, do better in

school, and lead more productive lives. But on a typical school day, only 41 percent of eligible children take advantage

of the free school breakfast program that’s available in all District of Columbia public schools.

D.C. Hunger Solutions and the Food Research Action Center (FRAC) will increase the number of kids who eat breakfast by

focusing on public education to make sure that all students — and their parents — are aware of the benefits and availability

of school breakfast. We’ll expand access by encouraging the charter schools that serve an increasing percentage of eligible

kids to offer breakfast (if they don’t already). And we’ll explore ways to improve the quality and desirability of breakfasts

served, so that older kids who currently reject school breakfasts will want to eat them.

Provide all District childrena healthy breakfast

“If we want our children to be mentally ready to learn, then we must provide them with healthier choices to helpthem develop the physical & emotional muscle they need to be successful. A healthy diet is fundamental to that.”

Peggy Cooper Cafritz,President, D.C.

Board of Education

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CHILDREN WILL EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST.

All children in the D.C. Public

School System are eligible for a

free school breakfast. The school

system pays for the program, and

receives a payment (which varies

based on family income) from the

federal government for all of the

students who eat meals.

How It Works:Two-Year Action Plan:• Direct outreach to charter schools to offer free school breakfast programs.

• Engage PTAs and other community organizations as part of a community

outreach campaign to reach the maximum number of students.

• Recruit media partners for an aggressive public education/social marketing

effort to teach students the importance of breakfast.

• Conduct a survey to determine the causes of low participation among

older children.

• Encourage schools to make participation more convenient by serving

breakfast in the classroom (or from carts in the hallways) rather than the

cafeteria, when possible.

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10.$1.4 million = federal school breakfast assistance not collected in the District each year

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

P A R T 2

An increase in obesity and related health concerns makes nutrition education acritical issue for everyone in the District of Columbia. But better nutrition education doesn’t just

fight obesity, it helps end hunger as well — giving parents the tools they need to get the greatest nutritional value out of

their limited resources. Nutrition education classes that teach families the basics about healthy foods and how

to prepare them at home have been shown to help families with limited incomes make the most of what they’ve got.

There are approximately 19,500 low-income District residents currently receiving some nutrition education services...

but there are more than 50,000 other families who would benefit from them. We’ll work to expand the availability

of community-based education classes like those offered through Share Our Strength’s nutrition education program,

Operation Frontline®, and through the USDA’s Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), which focuses on

reaching target groups like pregnant women and parents of kids younger than five. Additionally, we will work with

D.C. Action for Healthy Kids schools to bring greater nutrition education into the school curriculum at every level.

Encourage healthyfood choices

“My family and I havebenefited greatly from the class — so much that every time we eat something,we try to figure out what nutritional benefit that food offers us. I eat more fruits and vegetables, insteadof fatty foods. After taking the class I have lost weight, and I feel much better.”

A Washington, D.C., resident who participated in an

Operation Frontline® class run by the Capital Area Food Bank

and Share Our Strength

Two-year action plan:• Expand the number of nutrition classes through community

service agencies.

• Work with the Board of Education, parents and school staff to integrate

nutrition education opportunities into the new wellness policy.

• Launch social marketing campaigns highlighting good nutrition.

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FAMILIES WILL HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS AND MOTIVATION TO MAKE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES.

16 5

The best way to end hunger is to help families help themselves. One of the most effective

tools to help parents put food on the table is the federal Food Stamp Program...but one in five District families who are

eligible for food stamps don’t receive them. A majority of that group never even applies for the help, mistakenly assuming

they aren’t eligible — either because they work or because they are immigrants. Many others are deterred from applying

because they can’t take time off work to complete the required in-person interview.

With leadership from D.C. Hunger Solutions and FRAC, working with the District’s Income Maintenance Administration,

we will conduct an outreach effort to correct the popular myths by providing information for low-wage employers to pass

on to their workers, and making sure program information is translated into languages spoken by many new immigrants to

the District. We’ll also spread the word that the government provides exemptions from the in-person interview for people

who work and cannot attend an interview.

P A R T 3

Help families meet needs athome with food stamps

“I work full time and never gave a thought to trying to get food stamps — I figured they were only for people on welfare. But it’s hard to afford food for my family on what I make, and some-times I have to get it from Bread for the City. Several months ago, someone there told me that food stamps are for working people, too. Ever since I got them, it’s been so much easier to feed my kids.”

J. Pringle,Southwest Washington resident

$2.5 million = amount of food stamps unclaimed by D.C. residents each year

10-YEAR GOAL: NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WILL

PARTICIPATE IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM, RECEIVING BENEFITS SUFFICIENT TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

Two-year action plan:• Provide translations of program materials into Amharic, Chinese,

French, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese to increase participation

among eligible immigrants.

• Promote availability of telephone interviews for working families.

• Conduct outreach through employers of low-wage workers

to maximize participation.

One theme rings clear throughout this plan: families need better information about all the assistance

that’s available to help them provide for their children. The Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation’s Capital

will work to provide information in a comprehensive way, and make sure the message gets through.

P A R T 1 0

Provide comprehensive public educationabout available assistance

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL ELIGIBLE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FAMILIES WILL KNOW ABOUT THE

FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

Two-year action plan:• Create and distribute compelling, targeted informational materials for students and parents.

• Develop and distribute public service announcements through popular media outlets.

• Recruit students as peer spokespeople, and promote breakfast and lunch through in-school programs.

• Launch community-wide social marketing efforts to spur volunteerism, donations and support for ending childhood hunger.

6 15

Hard times are a fact of life for many families. There will always be families and individuals who are

forced to rely on shelters or other emergency help, either for the short term or for a long stretch. Such periods are rough on

children in many ways, all of which can be compounded by hunger. We’ll work with the Capital Area Food Bank and others

to make sure the District maintains its impressive network of neighborhood food pantries, and work with shelters to ensure

that kids who use their services stay connected to the network of nutrition programs that can assure they continue to eat.

P A R T 9

Ensure access to nutritious food in sheltersand food pantries

10-YEAR GOAL: LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WILL HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN FAMILY SHELTERS

AND NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD PANTRIES, AS NECESSARY.

Two-year action plan:• Provide technical assistance to shelters to ensure that all eligible children are participating in federal nutrition programs.

• Work with the District government, food retailers and shelter operators to increase food and nutrition resources for

children in homeless, domestic violence and runaway shelters.

Economic self-sufficiency is the most effective antidote to childhood hunger. While

many of the steps for helping families achieve that goal are beyond the scope of this plan, we will support advocates who are

working to ensure the availability of jobs, improve wages, increase health care coverage for families, make child care more

affordable, and strengthen Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). We will support the work of the DC Campaign

to produce immediate results by helping more low-income families take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC),

which provides tax refunds to low-income workers — even if they don’t earn enough to have to pay federal income taxes.

Currently, about 52,000 District residents claim the federal EITC — infusing more than $80 million in federal money into the

local economy — and more than 44,000 taxpayers claim D.C.’s local version of the credit. But approximately 10,000 eligible

District residents are not obtaining refunds for which they qualify because they are not aware that they’re eligible, or don’t

know how to claim the benefit. We’ll support the work of the DC EITC Campaign to inform all District residents about how to

obtain this tax benefit, and we’ll make sure that the effort is sustained and broad enough to reach everyone who may qualify.

P A R T 4

Improve working families’economic security

“I don’t make enough money to owe any in-come taxes, so I never bothered to send in a return. But then I found out I can get money back from the govern-ment if I take the time to fill out the forms. That check makes a huge dif-ference.”

Philip McGreggor,Northeast Washington

resident

$8 million per year available to District families and the District economy

10-YEAR GOAL: LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

WILL ACHIEVE GREATER ECONOMIC SECURITY.

Individuals file income tax forms to claim the credit based on their income and work history during the year, and receive a direct refund check from the IRS.

How It Works:Two-year action plan:• Foster a public/private outreach program to promote greater public

awareness of EITC benefits.

• Reinforce the expansion of community-based tax preparation clinics to assist

residents in claiming the tax credit.

14 7

There are lots of ways for everyone in the D.C. community to participate in this historic challenge. Families, individuals, churches, synagogues and mosques, businesses and community groups who

want to be part of improving the District’s health, education and economic future can make an impact in a variety of ways.

What follows on these pages is just a sampling. For a full list of ways to get involved, bookmark the www.AskMeHowDC.

org Web site. For more information on how to take part in various activities, call the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger

in the Nation’s Capital at (202) 986-2200. ext. 3020

How families and individuals can help• Make sure you know about nutrition assistance — and how to get it.

• Talk to your kids about the importance of good nutrition and a healthy breakfast.

• Talk to your school officials about nutrition programs. Parents should push for greater public and charter school efforts to

expand universal school breakfast participation.

• Participate in fund-raising activities like Share Our Strength’s annual Great American Bake Sale® to fight childhood

hunger in D.C. and around the country. (www.GreatAmericanBakeSale.com)

• Host a neighborhood awareness-raising/fund-raising party.

• Write, call or visit City Council and Board of Education members to let them know you support policy changes needed to

fully implement this plan.

How businesses can help

• Make sure all your employees know about assistance they may be able to receive.

• Use your technical expertise in ways that make a difference:

• Contractors can help make needed improvements to after-school programs’ facilities.

• Restaurants can urge their chefs and other staff to teach nutrition education classes.

• Media outlets can donate public service announcements, or devote special programming to explaining nutrition assistance programs.

• Retail stores can display point-of-purchase information about hunger and nutrition.

• Start a relationship with an after-school or summer program, and feed children in that program. Organize employees to

raise funds and volunteer to help that group’s nutrition effort.

How churches and community groups can help

• Hold information sessions and provide nutrition information to members.

• Distribute program materials through bulletins or newsletters.

• Talk about good nutrition from the pulpit.

• Sponsor or host nutrition education classes.

• Organize fund-raising or volunteer activities to support ending childhood hunger.

• Start a relationship with a particular school, after-school or summer program, or community. Organize employees to

raise funds and volunteer to help that group’s nutrition effort.

• Coordinate efforts with neighborhood stores or co-ops to coordinate produce purchasing.

• Host or sponsor a farmers’ market.

A S K M E H O W . . .

to end childhood hunger

Good childhood nutrition starts with good prenatal nutrition, and continues through the

preschool years. Hunger can be devastating for children during the most important period of their physical and mental

development — from birth to age three. Help is available through the WIC Program and the lesser-known Child and Adult

Care Food Program (CACFP), which provides funds to Head Start programs, child-care centers, and family day-care homes

to serve meals to low-income children.

Unfortunately, these programs do not reach everyone in the District who needs them. Most significantly, very few family

day-care providers — the type of day care most relied on by low-income working parents of hungry kids — take advantage

of CACFP. Helping them to get enrolled could make a significant difference. A recent study showed children participating in

this program get more key nutrients, far more servings of milk and vegetables, fewer servings of fats and sweets, and have

fewer days of illness.

P A R T 8

Ensure access to balanced, nutritious diets forall pregnant women and preschool children

Every dollar spent on WIC saves the federal and District governments between $1.92 and $4.21in Medicaid costs that would otherwise be incurred caring for newborns and their mothers.

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL PREGNANT WOMEN AND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

WILL HAVE BALANCED, NUTRITIOUS DIETS.

Two-year action plan:• Launch a targeted outreach campaign to educate family day-care providers about funding to feed children in their care.

• Create incentive by making enrollment an indicator of quality in child-care rating system.

• Work with community groups to identify eligible women and children not accessing WIC.

8 13

Kids who get by when school’s in session thanks to breakfast and lunch programs can be left in the cold when the weather gets hot. With the support of D.C. Hunger Solutions, the

District has already taken an important step by improving the D.C. Free Summer Meals Program — but there are still more

children and youth to reach.

P A R T 7

Expand reach ofsummer meals programs

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE D.C. FREE SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM.

Two-year action plan:• Reach out to summer programs not currently participating.

• Provide technical guidance to improve the nutritional quality of summer meals.

• Explore avenues to lengthen the availability of the program to cover the entirety of summer break.

12 9

HOW TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER:

Surround children with access to good nutrition, everywhere they go . . .

It’s hard to provide kids with good nutrition when healthy food is hard to come by, and fresh produce is too expensive. But in neighborhoods where many of the District’s poor and working-class families

live, the only food available is from corner grocers that can’t afford to offer the fresh produce that full-service supermarkets

bring to other areas.

D.C. Hunger Solutions will work with the business community and District government to encourage more supermarket

growth where it’s needed — particularly east of the Anacostia River. We’ll focus as well on creative solutions to this

challenge, finding ways to make it easier for farmers from the region to get their produce to consumers, and for

neighborhood store owners to provide produce at reasonable prices.

Hunger can still be a problem even for kids who get a good breakfast and lunch in school. A number of children go from one school day to the next without enough to eat — and go hungry on weekends

or vacation days. The District has a strong network of community-based after-school programs, and most of these provide a

snack of some sort. But they cost money for the after-school programs to provide, and often lack nutritional value.

There is federal aid available to remedy this situation, but too few programs are even aware it exists, let alone know how

to take advantage of it. There’s also a new federal pilot program that would cover the costs of providing a full dinner; we’ll

help the District qualify for it. D.C. Hunger Solutions and FRAC will work to spread the word about the that’s available

— and get more after-school providers and the kids they serve into this vital program.

P A R T 5

Increase families’ accessto fresh produce

P A R T 6

Help after-school programs providehealthy meals and snacks

“Fresh fruit and vegetables sound good. But they don’t exist in my neighborhood. When I lived on the other side of town, fresh fruits and vegetables were easy to come by. Now that I live east of the river, accessibil-ity and variety are always an issue.”

Jennifer Muhammad,Southeast Washington resident

$1.4 million per year federal funding available and not used

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROVIDERS OF AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS WILL

PARTICIPATE IN THE FEDERAL SNACK AND SUPPER PROGRAMS AND WILL SERVE ALL DISTRICT CHILDREN IN NEED.

Two-year action plan:• Create outreach efforts to dispel myths about business challenges in low-

income neighborhoods.

• Work with District government to create incentives for new stores in

underserved communities.

• Work with District government to reduce regulatory barriers for new

farmers’ markets.

• Explore creative solutions like community-supported agriculture, and

cooperative purchasing for small grocers.

Two-year action plan:• Conduct an education campaign for after-school providers about the availability of funds for snacks and dinner.

• Work with District government to streamline application process.

• Leverage private funds and volunteer efforts to ensure adequate equipment for food storage and preparation.

10 11

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA RESIDENTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH,AFFORDABLE PRODUCE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

“My dad can’t pick me up until seven o’clock at night. Thank God the center gives us dinner!”Rashawn Little, Northwest Washington resident

Full-Service SupermarketDistribution

It’s hard to provide kids with good nutrition when healthy food is hard to come by, and fresh produce is too expensive. But in neighborhoods where many of the District’s poor and working-class families

live, the only food available is from corner grocers that can’t afford to offer the fresh produce that full-service supermarkets

bring to other areas.

D.C. Hunger Solutions will work with the business community and District government to encourage more supermarket

growth where it’s needed — particularly east of the Anacostia River. We’ll focus as well on creative solutions to this

challenge, finding ways to make it easier for farmers from the region to get their produce to consumers, and for

neighborhood store owners to provide produce at reasonable prices.

Hunger can still be a problem even for kids who get a good breakfast and lunch in school. A number of children go from one school day to the next without enough to eat — and go hungry on weekends

or vacation days. The District has a strong network of community-based after-school programs, and most of these provide a

snack of some sort. But they cost money for the after-school programs to provide, and often lack nutritional value.

There is federal aid available to remedy this situation, but too few programs are even aware it exists, let alone know how

to take advantage of it. There’s also a new federal pilot program that would cover the costs of providing a full dinner; we’ll

help the District qualify for it. D.C. Hunger Solutions and FRAC will work to spread the word about the that’s available

— and get more after-school providers and the kids they serve into this vital program.

P A R T 5

Increase families’ accessto fresh produce

P A R T 6

Help after-school programs providehealthy meals and snacks

“Fresh fruit and vegetables sound good. But they don’t exist in my neighborhood. When I lived on the other side of town, fresh fruits and vegetables were easy to come by. Now that I live east of the river, accessibil-ity and variety are always an issue.”

Jennifer Muhammad,Southeast Washington resident

$1.4 million per year federal funding available and not used

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PROVIDERS OF AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS WILL

PARTICIPATE IN THE FEDERAL SNACK AND SUPPER PROGRAMS AND WILL SERVE ALL DISTRICT CHILDREN IN NEED.

Two-year action plan:• Create outreach efforts to dispel myths about business challenges in low-

income neighborhoods.

• Work with District government to create incentives for new stores in

underserved communities.

• Work with District government to reduce regulatory barriers for new

farmers’ markets.

• Explore creative solutions like community-supported agriculture, and

cooperative purchasing for small grocers.

Two-year action plan:• Conduct an education campaign for after-school providers about the availability of funds for snacks and dinner.

• Work with District government to streamline application process.

• Leverage private funds and volunteer efforts to ensure adequate equipment for food storage and preparation.

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10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA RESIDENTS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO FRESH,AFFORDABLE PRODUCE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

“My dad can’t pick me up until seven o’clock at night. Thank God the center gives us dinner!”Rashawn Little, Northwest Washington resident

Full-Service SupermarketDistribution

Kids who get by when school’s in session thanks to breakfast and lunch programs can be left in the cold when the weather gets hot. With the support of D.C. Hunger Solutions, the

District has already taken an important step by improving the D.C. Free Summer Meals Program — but there are still more

children and youth to reach.

P A R T 7

Expand reach ofsummer meals programs

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA SUMMER PROGRAMS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH

WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE D.C. FREE SUMMER MEALS PROGRAM.

Two-year action plan:• Reach out to summer programs not currently participating.

• Provide technical guidance to improve the nutritional quality of summer meals.

• Explore avenues to lengthen the availability of the program to cover the entirety of summer break.

12 9

HOW TO END CHILDHOOD HUNGER:

Surround children with access to good nutrition, everywhere they go . . .

There are lots of ways for everyone in the D.C. community to participate in this historic challenge. Families, individuals, churches, synagogues and mosques, businesses and community groups who

want to be part of improving the District’s health, education and economic future can make an impact in a variety of ways.

What follows on these pages is just a sampling. For a full list of ways to get involved, bookmark the www.AskMeHowDC.

org Web site. For more information on how to take part in various activities, call the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger

in the Nation’s Capital at (202) 986-2200. ext. 3020

How families and individuals can help• Make sure you know about nutrition assistance — and how to get it.

• Talk to your kids about the importance of good nutrition and a healthy breakfast.

• Talk to your school officials about nutrition programs. Parents should push for greater public and charter school efforts to

expand universal school breakfast participation.

• Participate in fund-raising activities like Share Our Strength’s annual Great American Bake Sale® to fight childhood

hunger in D.C. and around the country. (www.GreatAmericanBakeSale.com)

• Host a neighborhood awareness-raising/fund-raising party.

• Write, call or visit City Council and Board of Education members to let them know you support policy changes needed to

fully implement this plan.

How businesses can help

• Make sure all your employees know about assistance they may be able to receive.

• Use your technical expertise in ways that make a difference:

• Contractors can help make needed improvements to after-school programs’ facilities.

• Restaurants can urge their chefs and other staff to teach nutrition education classes.

• Media outlets can donate public service announcements, or devote special programming to explaining nutrition assistance programs.

• Retail stores can display point-of-purchase information about hunger and nutrition.

• Start a relationship with an after-school or summer program, and feed children in that program. Organize employees to

raise funds and volunteer to help that group’s nutrition effort.

How churches and community groups can help

• Hold information sessions and provide nutrition information to members.

• Distribute program materials through bulletins or newsletters.

• Talk about good nutrition from the pulpit.

• Sponsor or host nutrition education classes.

• Organize fund-raising or volunteer activities to support ending childhood hunger.

• Start a relationship with a particular school, after-school or summer program, or community. Organize employees to

raise funds and volunteer to help that group’s nutrition effort.

• Coordinate efforts with neighborhood stores or co-ops to coordinate produce purchasing.

• Host or sponsor a farmers’ market.

A S K M E H O W . . .

to end childhood hunger

Good childhood nutrition starts with good prenatal nutrition, and continues through the

preschool years. Hunger can be devastating for children during the most important period of their physical and mental

development — from birth to age three. Help is available through the WIC Program and the lesser-known Child and Adult

Care Food Program (CACFP), which provides funds to Head Start programs, child-care centers, and family day-care homes

to serve meals to low-income children.

Unfortunately, these programs do not reach everyone in the District who needs them. Most significantly, very few family

day-care providers — the type of day care most relied on by low-income working parents of hungry kids — take advantage

of CACFP. Helping them to get enrolled could make a significant difference. A recent study showed children participating in

this program get more key nutrients, far more servings of milk and vegetables, fewer servings of fats and sweets, and have

fewer days of illness.

P A R T 8

Ensure access to balanced, nutritious diets forall pregnant women and preschool children

Every dollar spent on WIC saves the federal and District governments between $1.92 and $4.21in Medicaid costs that would otherwise be incurred caring for newborns and their mothers.

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL PREGNANT WOMEN AND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

WILL HAVE BALANCED, NUTRITIOUS DIETS.

Two-year action plan:• Launch a targeted outreach campaign to educate family day-care providers about funding to feed children in their care.

• Create incentive by making enrollment an indicator of quality in child-care rating system.

• Work with community groups to identify eligible women and children not accessing WIC.

8 13

Hard times are a fact of life for many families. There will always be families and individuals who are

forced to rely on shelters or other emergency help, either for the short term or for a long stretch. Such periods are rough on

children in many ways, all of which can be compounded by hunger. We’ll work with the Capital Area Food Bank and others

to make sure the District maintains its impressive network of neighborhood food pantries, and work with shelters to ensure

that kids who use their services stay connected to the network of nutrition programs that can assure they continue to eat.

P A R T 9

Ensure access to nutritious food in sheltersand food pantries

10-YEAR GOAL: LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WILL HAVE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN FAMILY SHELTERS

AND NEIGHBORHOOD FOOD PANTRIES, AS NECESSARY.

Two-year action plan:• Provide technical assistance to shelters to ensure that all eligible children are participating in federal nutrition programs.

• Work with the District government, food retailers and shelter operators to increase food and nutrition resources for

children in homeless, domestic violence and runaway shelters.

Economic self-sufficiency is the most effective antidote to childhood hunger. While

many of the steps for helping families achieve that goal are beyond the scope of this plan, we will support advocates who are

working to ensure the availability of jobs, improve wages, increase health care coverage for families, make child care more

affordable, and strengthen Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF). We will support the work of the DC Campaign

to produce immediate results by helping more low-income families take advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC),

which provides tax refunds to low-income workers — even if they don’t earn enough to have to pay federal income taxes.

Currently, about 52,000 District residents claim the federal EITC — infusing more than $80 million in federal money into the

local economy — and more than 44,000 taxpayers claim D.C.’s local version of the credit. But approximately 10,000 eligible

District residents are not obtaining refunds for which they qualify because they are not aware that they’re eligible, or don’t

know how to claim the benefit. We’ll support the work of the DC EITC Campaign to inform all District residents about how to

obtain this tax benefit, and we’ll make sure that the effort is sustained and broad enough to reach everyone who may qualify.

P A R T 4

Improve working families’economic security

“I don’t make enough money to owe any in-come taxes, so I never bothered to send in a return. But then I found out I can get money back from the govern-ment if I take the time to fill out the forms. That check makes a huge dif-ference.”

Philip McGreggor,Northeast Washington

resident

$8 million per year available to District families and the District economy

10-YEAR GOAL: LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

WILL ACHIEVE GREATER ECONOMIC SECURITY.

Individuals file income tax forms to claim the credit based on their income and work history during the year, and receive a direct refund check from the IRS.

How It Works:Two-year action plan:• Foster a public/private outreach program to promote greater public

awareness of EITC benefits.

• Reinforce the expansion of community-based tax preparation clinics to assist

residents in claiming the tax credit.

14 7

The best way to end hunger is to help families help themselves. One of the most effective

tools to help parents put food on the table is the federal Food Stamp Program...but one in five District families who are

eligible for food stamps don’t receive them. A majority of that group never even applies for the help, mistakenly assuming

they aren’t eligible — either because they work or because they are immigrants. Many others are deterred from applying

because they can’t take time off work to complete the required in-person interview.

With leadership from D.C. Hunger Solutions and FRAC, working with the District’s Income Maintenance Administration,

we will conduct an outreach effort to correct the popular myths by providing information for low-wage employers to pass

on to their workers, and making sure program information is translated into languages spoken by many new immigrants to

the District. We’ll also spread the word that the government provides exemptions from the in-person interview for people

who work and cannot attend an interview.

P A R T 3

Help families meet needs athome with food stamps

“I work full time and never gave a thought to trying to get food stamps — I figured they were only for people on welfare. But it’s hard to afford food for my family on what I make, and some-times I have to get it from Bread for the City. Several months ago, someone there told me that food stamps are for working people, too. Ever since I got them, it’s been so much easier to feed my kids.”

J. Pringle,Southwest Washington resident

$2.5 million = amount of food stamps unclaimed by D.C. residents each year

10-YEAR GOAL: NINETY-EIGHT PERCENT OF ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WILL

PARTICIPATE IN THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM, RECEIVING BENEFITS SUFFICIENT TO MEET THEIR NEEDS.

Two-year action plan:• Provide translations of program materials into Amharic, Chinese,

French, Korean, Spanish and Vietnamese to increase participation

among eligible immigrants.

• Promote availability of telephone interviews for working families.

• Conduct outreach through employers of low-wage workers

to maximize participation.

One theme rings clear throughout this plan: families need better information about all the assistance

that’s available to help them provide for their children. The Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation’s Capital

will work to provide information in a comprehensive way, and make sure the message gets through.

P A R T 1 0

Provide comprehensive public educationabout available assistance

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL ELIGIBLE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FAMILIES WILL KNOW ABOUT THE

FOOD AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO THEM.

Two-year action plan:• Create and distribute compelling, targeted informational materials for students and parents.

• Develop and distribute public service announcements through popular media outlets.

• Recruit students as peer spokespeople, and promote breakfast and lunch through in-school programs.

• Launch community-wide social marketing efforts to spur volunteerism, donations and support for ending childhood hunger.

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

P A R T 2

An increase in obesity and related health concerns makes nutrition education acritical issue for everyone in the District of Columbia. But better nutrition education doesn’t just

fight obesity, it helps end hunger as well — giving parents the tools they need to get the greatest nutritional value out of

their limited resources. Nutrition education classes that teach families the basics about healthy foods and how

to prepare them at home have been shown to help families with limited incomes make the most of what they’ve got.

There are approximately 19,500 low-income District residents currently receiving some nutrition education services...

but there are more than 50,000 other families who would benefit from them. We’ll work to expand the availability

of community-based education classes like those offered through Share Our Strength’s nutrition education program,

Operation Frontline®, and through the USDA’s Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), which focuses on

reaching target groups like pregnant women and parents of kids younger than five. Additionally, we will work with

D.C. Action for Healthy Kids schools to bring greater nutrition education into the school curriculum at every level.

Encourage healthyfood choices

“My family and I havebenefited greatly from the class — so much that every time we eat something,we try to figure out what nutritional benefit that food offers us. I eat more fruits and vegetables, insteadof fatty foods. After taking the class I have lost weight, and I feel much better.”

A Washington, D.C., resident who participated in an

Operation Frontline® class run by the Capital Area Food Bank

and Share Our Strength

Two-year action plan:• Expand the number of nutrition classes through community

service agencies.

• Work with the Board of Education, parents and school staff to integrate

nutrition education opportunities into the new wellness policy.

• Launch social marketing campaigns highlighting good nutrition.

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA FAMILIES WILL HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS AND MOTIVATION TO MAKE HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES.

16 5

P A R T 1

It all starts with breakfast. Kids who start the day with a nutritious meal grow up healthier, do better in

school, and lead more productive lives. But on a typical school day, only 41 percent of eligible children take advantage

of the free school breakfast program that’s available in all District of Columbia public schools.

D.C. Hunger Solutions and the Food Research Action Center (FRAC) will increase the number of kids who eat breakfast by

focusing on public education to make sure that all students — and their parents — are aware of the benefits and availability

of school breakfast. We’ll expand access by encouraging the charter schools that serve an increasing percentage of eligible

kids to offer breakfast (if they don’t already). And we’ll explore ways to improve the quality and desirability of breakfasts

served, so that older kids who currently reject school breakfasts will want to eat them.

Provide all District childrena healthy breakfast

“If we want our children to be mentally ready to learn, then we must provide them with healthier choices to helpthem develop the physical & emotional muscle they need to be successful. A healthy diet is fundamental to that.”

Peggy Cooper Cafritz,President, D.C.

Board of Education

10-YEAR GOAL: ALL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CHILDREN WILL EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST.

All children in the D.C. Public

School System are eligible for a

free school breakfast. The school

system pays for the program, and

receives a payment (which varies

based on family income) from the

federal government for all of the

students who eat meals.

How It Works:Two-Year Action Plan:• Direct outreach to charter schools to offer free school breakfast programs.

• Engage PTAs and other community organizations as part of a community

outreach campaign to reach the maximum number of students.

• Recruit media partners for an aggressive public education/social marketing

effort to teach students the importance of breakfast.

• Conduct a survey to determine the causes of low participation among

older children.

• Encourage schools to make participation more convenient by serving

breakfast in the classroom (or from carts in the hallways) rather than the

cafeteria, when possible.

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6. 7. 8. 9. 10.$1.4 million = federal school breakfast assistance not collected in the District each year

Working together, we will end child-hood hunger by surrounding all children in the District of Columbia with reliable access to good food and nutrition every place that touches their lives — in the family, at school and throughout the community.

Much of the work involves simply making sure people take advantage of the programs that are already available to them. The $1.4 million per year it will cost to implement this plan will

yield $14 million a year in federalassistance that currently goes unclaimed by local families, schools and community groups who are eligible for it. Extendingthe reach and effectiveness of food stamps, school breakfast, after-school and summer food programs, and the Earned Income Tax Credit will havea dramatic impact on childhoodhunger in the District.

But the most important ingredient for this plan’s success is the involvement of every District resident, community group, business and organization. Together, we will end childhood hunger.

There’s a role for everyone inending this problem, an opportunity for everyone to make a difference.

go to www.askmehowdc.org

1. PROVIDE ALL D.C. CHILDRENA HEALTHY BREAKFAST.

2. ENCOURAGE HEALTHYFOOD CHOICES.

3. HELP FAMILIES MEET NEEDSAT HOME WITH FOOD STAMPS.

4. IMPROVE WORKING FAMILIES’ ECONOMIC SECURITY.

5. INCREASE FAMILIES’ ACCESS TO FRESH, AFFORDABLE PRODUCEIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS.

6. HELP AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS PROVIDE HEALTHY MEALS AND SNACKS.

7. EXPAND REACH OF SUMMER MEALS PROGRAMS.

8. ENSURE ACCESS TO BALANCED, NUTRITIOUS DIETS FORALL PREGNANT WOMENAND PRESCHOOL CHILDREN.

9. ENSURE ACCESS TO NUTRITIOUS FOOD IN SHELTERS AND FOOD PANTRIES.

10. PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVEPUBLIC EDUCATION ABOUTAVAILABLE ASSISTANCE.

10 PART PLAN

We will build a stronger, healthier,

better educated and more pro-

ductive District of Columbia by

ensuring that all children have

access to the nutritious food they

need to learn, grow and thrive

in their families, at school and

throughout their communities.

By eradicating childhood hunger

in the nation’s capital, we will

create a new model that other

communities can follow.

Our Vision

IMPROVINGPUBLIC EDUCATION

about good nutrition and the help that’s already available

STRENGTHENINGTHE INFRASTRUCTURE

in the District for getting nutri-tious food to those who need it

HELPING FAMILIESHELP THEMSELVES

with better information andenhanced economic security

The 10-part plan is built on three key approaches:

“This isn’t a set of goals or principles. It isn’t a policy proposal or pie-in-the-sky ideal. It’s a concrete, com-mon sense 10-part plan that will be implemented.”

3

LEAD PARTNERS D.C. Hunger Solutions Share Our Strength Food Research and Action Center (FRAC)

FUNDERS OF THE PLAN The Case Foundation Sodexho Foundation

CORE ADVISORY GROUPAcademia Allan Johnson Howard University

Kathleen Maas Weigert Georgetown UniversityAdvocacy Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Angela Jones DC Action for Children Ed Lazere DC Fiscal Policy Institute Patty Mullahy Fugere Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless Nechama Maslianski So Others Might Eat (SOME) Jim Weill Food Research and Action CenterAgriculture Mike Tabor Community Harvest Regina Dyson Community HarvestBusiness, Industry and Financial Institutions Stephen J. Brady Sodexho USA

Kathy Etemad Hollinger Comcast of DC Barry Scher Giant Foods Mark Aron CSX Corp. (Retired) Abe Pollin Washington Sports & Entertainment Carolyn Berkowitz Capital OneChefs and Restaurateurs Todd Gray EquinoxCity Government Gregory McCarthy Exec. Office of the Mayor Deborah Gist State Education Office Kate Jesberg Dept. Human Services- IMA Gloria Clark District of Columbia Dept. of Health/WIC Gregg Pane District of Columbia Dept. Neil Rodgers District of Columbia Dept. of Parks and RecreationEducation Peggy Cooper Cafritz District of Columbia Board of Education Tommy Wells District of Columbia Board of Education Carrie Thornhill District of Columbia Board of Education Clifford Janey Superintendent Tom Brady District of Columbia Public Schools, Operations Mark Truax District of Columbia Public Schools, Food Services Thomas Willimas District of Columbia Public Schools, TVCity Council Phil Mendleson At-Large Vincent Gray Ward 7 Marion Barry Ward 8 Kwame Brown At-LargeFaith-Based Organizations and Communities Clark Lobenstine Interfaith Conf. of Metro Washington Jane Karas Hotel Furniture Sellout

Federal Government Courtney Christian Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton Jonathan Rhodes Office of Senator Blanche LincolnMedia Linda Douglass ABC NewsNonprofit Organizations Chuck Bean Nonprofit Roundtable Robert Egger DC Central Kitchen Lynn Brantley Capital Area Food Bank Dr. Gloria Braithwaite Children’s National Medical Center George Jones Bread for the City Greg Roberts Childrens Youth Investment Trust Corp. Mimi Castaldi AARP District of Columbia Maria Gomez Mary’s Center Chuck Anderson United Way National Capital AreaStudents Janice Williams YMCA of Greater WashingtonParents/Individuals Mai Abdul Rhaman Parent Alicia Rucker Empower DC/Parent Linda Thompson IndividualPhilanthropic Organizations Ben Binswanger The Case Foundation Pat Nicklin Share Our Strength Kae Dakin Washington Grantmakers Rubie Coles Moriah Fund Barbara Dyer Hitachi Foundation Margaret Siegel England Family Foundation Hope Gleicher Trellis Fund Mardell Moffett Cafritz Foundation Margaret O’Bryon Consumer Health Foundation Jill Rademacher The Case Foundation Liam Clarke UPS Foundation/APCO Worldwide Julie Rogers Meyer Foundation

ISSUE GROUP #1:INCREASING ACCESS TO INCOME SUPPORTSAND FEDERAL NUTRITION PROGRAMS Dr. Cynthia Bell State Education Office Ann Spaulding Mary’s Center Neil Rodgers Dept. of Parks and Recreation Ellen London Children’s Youth Investment Trust Corp. Mark Truax DCPS Food Services Reuben Gist Capital Area Food Bank Ellen Wells Dept. of Human Services – IMA Crystal FitzSimons Food Research and Action Center Janet McLaughlin Share Our Strength Kelly Gallagher Share Our Strength Janice Williams YMCA of Greater Washington Margaret Siegel England Family Foundation Rubie Coles Moriah Fund Scott Loretan Sodexho USA Nechama Masliansky So Others Might Eat (SOME) Ben Binswanger The Case Foundation Sam Dratch Hitachi Foundation Allan Johnson Howard University

Ending childhood hunger requires citywide commitment and involvement,and it will make the District a better place for everyone. The following are just a fewof the companies, organizations and individuals who’ve been part of developing this

plan and who are committed to seeing it succeed.

P A R T I C I P A N T S

18

How can we end childhood hunger? It starts with knowing

that we really can end this persistent social problem — in the District of Columbia,

and around the country. Not just make things a bit better, but make sure that

every child can get three nutritious meals every day. We can do it in as little as

10 years, if not sooner.

In Washington, D.C., today, there are more than 35,000 young people living in

homes where they don’t always know where their next meal will come from.

They start their day without breakfast, go hungry when school is closed, or lack

the good nutrition they need to learn, grow and thrive. Hunger hurts their early

mental and physical development, threatens their long-term health, makes it

hard to concentrate in school, limits their future prospects, and contributes to

behavioral and other problems that affect the entire community.

Childhood hunger hurts the District’s economy by limiting the productivity of

the workforce. It limits the effectiveness of our schools because hungry kids can’t

learn. It may also contribute to other social problems in every part of the city.

Ask Me How...

To close these gaps, the Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in the Nation’s Capital (D.C. Hunger Solutions, The Food Research and Action Center, and Share Our Strength) called together leaders and experts from every part of the District, who worked together to design a plan that addresses this complex issue. This isn’t a set of goals or principles. It isn’t a policy proposal or pie-in-the-sky ideal. It’s a concrete, common sense 10-part plan that will be implemented.

2

Kids go hungry because they lack three basic things.

ResourcesMost childhood hunger is a resultof family poverty — low incomes,combined with the high costs ofhousing, transportation, health care, energy and other necessities, leavetoo little to keep food on the table.

AccessEven when families have the resources, they often can’t get good food to their kids, as many of the poorest District neighborhoods have no access tosupermarkets selling fresh produce.

InformationMany families don’t know that helpis available to them through programs like food stamps or school breakfast. Parents don’t have the nutrition education they need to get the maximum value out of a limited budget.

P A R T I C I P A N T S Alicia Rucker Empower DC Greg Roberts Childrens Youth Investment Trust Corp. Frankeena Wright DC Action for Children Angela Jones DC Action for Children Ed Lazere DC Fiscal Policy Institute Patty Mullahy Fugere Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Ariele Foster Community Harvest

ISSUE GROUP #2:ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE, HEALTHY FOODS Judy Tiger Gardening Resources of Washington Ellen McCarthy D.C. Dept. of Planning and Economic Development Ann Caton Youth Education Alliance Susan Topping Capital Area Food Bank Lynn Parker Food Research and Action Center Ariele Foster Community Harvest Andy Hastings Share Our Strength

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Nechama Masliansky So Others Might Eat (SOME) Barry Scher Giant Foods George Jones Bread for the City Nick Karas Hotel Furniture Sellout Anne Spaulding Mary’s Center Ted Pringle Bread for the City Jill Rademacher The Case Foundation Lynn French Office of the Deputy Mayor for Children, Youth, Families and Elders Eboni Banks Fields of Dreams Dr. Eleanora Isles Howard University Lindsey Buss Martha’s Table Stan Jackson Deputy Mayor, Housing & Community Development Craig Schniderman Food & Friends Frances Reed D.C. Central Kitchen Todd Mann National Restaurant Association Rev. Willie Wilson Union Temple Baptist Church Sarah Borron Community Food Security Coalition Dan Tangherlini Dept. of Transportation Mike Jasso Dept. of Community Planning, Office of the Mayor Katie Simons GW Capstone Colleen Doyle George Washington University Capstone Christine Maulhardt George Washington University Capstone Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Sam Dratch Hitachi Foundation Barbara Lang D.C. Chamber of Commerce Janice Williams YMCA of Greater Washington Mardell Moffett Cafritz Foundation Mark Patwin Sodexho USA Robbie Chinsky Sodexho USA Rachel Wick Consumer Health Foundation David Glaser Adams Bank Jeannan Peterson Bank of America Scott Pannick Metropolis Development Merrick Malone Metropolis Development Chris Boyd SHARE Hanna Burton The Food Trust, Consultant

ISSUE GROUP #3:PUBLIC EDUCATION AND COMMUNICATION Angelo Ioffreda Sodexho USA Alison Volz GMMB Hannah Isles Share Our Strength John Stokes State Education Office Barbara Dyer Hitachi Foundation Linda Thompson LL Thompson & Assoc. Robert Egger D.C. Central Kitchen Marion Flores Mary’s Center Mark Miller The Case Foundation Reuben Gist Capital Area Food Bank Linda Douglass ABC News Chuck Bean Nonprofit Roundtable Tobi Printz-Platnick Cafritz Foundation Martin Gillis Fair Budget Coalition Polly Sherard Channel 9 Mary Dwight Spitfire Strategies Kendra Beach Spitfire Strategies Clark Lobenstine Interfaith Conference of Metro Washington Kae Dakin Washington Grantmakers Mai Abdul Rhaman Parent

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Ellen Vollinger Food Research and Action Center Denise Rolark-Barnes The Washington Informer

ISSUE GROUP #4:ANALYSIS OF NUTRITION EDUCATION Lisa Fleige D.C. Dept. of Health/WIC/FSNEP Linda Thompson LL Thompson & Assoc. Amanda Pike Operation Frontline Hadley Boyd Share Our Strength Joy Boyle The Case Foundation Cheryl Focht, M.D. Mary’s Center Mildred Brooks Nutritionist Lynn Parker FRAC Elizabeth Fish DC Central Kitchen Sue Kincaid Capital Area Food Bank Sarah Latterner State Education Office Pamela Watson Sodexho USA Laura Otolski Food & Friends Mai Abdul Rhaman Parent Barbara Rockwood D.C. Public Schools Robert Templin Northern Virginia Community College

Shana McDavis-Conway D.C. Hunger Solutions Kimberly Perry D.C. Hunger Solutions Phillip Good Sodexho USA Linda Marmer Sodexho USA Beth Olson Sodexho USA

19