Get Involved - has information about a number of ways that you can learn about and join efforts to end hunger: through donations, volunteer work, advocacy, public education, or a unique community-based method of finding and linking the unique skills of local community residents (Asset-Based Community Development).

Executive Summary (continued)

What Can We Do About Hunger In The Next Year?

Individuals Can:

• (Continue to) Donate food, funds and time;
• Help start a breakfast or summer food program in local schools.

Churches And Synagogues Can:

• (Continue to) Provide emergency assistance, information, screening and referral services;
• Maintain current information on available services and participate in training volunteers to assist and refer people appropriately.

Emergency Food Providers Can:

• Convene emergency food providers to explore ways to coordinate food solicitation and purchase, transportation, storage, training, referral, and services; to share information; and to solve common problems;
• Establish a computer network to track and refer clients, to record and compile service information, and to track and coordinate food solicitation, purchase and distribution.

Business, Industry And Foundations Can:

• Help design, acquire and maintain a computer network for emergency food providers.

Local Government Can:

• Establish a Joint City/County Hunger Commission by July 1, 1989, to follow up on the recommendations of this study and develop a coordinated community approach to the hunger problem.
• Provide directories and offer training for local churches and emergency food programs to help them assist and refer people appropriately.
• Expand participation in child nutrition programs:
  • Provide start-up and administrative funding and request state and federal money to expand WIC to more of the eligible population.
  • Increase the number of schools participating in the School Breakfast Program.
  • Increase the number of sites where the Summer Food Program is available.

State And Federal Government Can:

• Expand participation in Federal Food Programs by eliminating infrastructure barriers to participation:
  • Make WIC an entitlement program, so that all those who are eligible can be served.
  • Increase the federal reimbursement rate and provide start-up funds for the School Breakfast Program.
  • Allow private non-profit groups to be sponsors in the Summer Food Program and allow areas with 1/3 or more low-income children to
    qualify as sites.
  • Shift from the "Thrifty Food Plan" to the "Low-Cost Food Plan" which provides more adequate long-term nutrition to families on the Food Stamp Program. Simplify the application process.
    

All quotes taken from series "Hunger in California" published in The Sacramento Bee in February and March of 1987.

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