PHOTO ID FOR FOOD STAMPS DOESN’T WORK

Putting photos on SNAP EBT cards seems like a simple anti-fraud idea. But in Massachusetts, which started putting photos on Electronic Benefit Transfer cards in 2013, it hasn’t worked. The main reason is that, under federal law, you sometimes have a right to use a SNAP card that was issued to someone else.

Food stamps aren’t awarded to an individual; they go to a household, and anyone in the household is entitled by federal law to use the E.B.T. card the food stamps come on. If you don’t have to be the person in the photo to use the card, how is the photo supposed to stop misuse? Additionally, federal law prohibits retailers from subjecting SNAP shoppers to special scrutiny. So, if a retailer doesn’t ordinarily ask for a photo I.D. to verify credit card transactions, it’s not supposed to scrutinize the photos on E.B.T. cards either. This gives stores an additional reason to ignore the photos — and in supermarkets where the shopper swipes the card through a reader directly, the clerk may never even come in possession of the card to examine it in the first place.

Source: New York Times, 3/27/15, SNAP Photo ID; Urban Institute, 3/15, SNAP ID

"Nonprofit-like"

Thanks to that new "time hop" feature on Facebook, I saw what I was thinking and writing about six years ago today...

Seems to me that it still applies...

Social entrepreneurs and being "nonprofit-like"

Our lunchtime keynote address at the Feeding America national conference was delivered by Paul C. Light, Professor of Public Service at New York University.  He is the author of several books about the nonprofit and government sectors of our society.

Professor Light noted that nonprofit organizations make up a significant part of our economy in this country, with over 11 million people employed by nonprofits.  Unfortunately, he estimates that in the current economy, as many as 100,000 nonprofits may go under because in a recession, nonprofit organizations are hurt first and recover last.  He sees four possible futures for nonprofit organizations:

• "Miraculous rescue" -- These are the organizations with magical thinking awaiting the saving donor or contract.  It may happen and they may survive, but there is a good chance they will not.
• Withering -- These are the organizations that batten down the hatches, but slowly whither away because they are not doing anything new or different, just trying to hold on to the way things were.
• Winnowing -- While he believes winnowing will happen, he noted that the problem is that it won't be a deliberate winnowing.  The organizations that fail won't necessarily be the worst and the ones that survive won't necessarily be the best.
• Renewal -- In these times, organizations that make an aggressive recommitment to their missions may well renew and blossom.

These times present an opportunity to nonprofits, but we are often so down on ourselves that we don't talk about it!

In talking about nonprofit leaders as social entrepreneurs, Professor Light asked us why nonprofits so often have poor equipment -- old computers, poor work spaces, and so on.  He said that he thinks that demeans the best workforce in America and we need to honor the talent, passion, and commitment of the people who work in nonprofits by giving them the tools to do their jobs.

I agree 100%!  I have never been willing to accept the common axiom of "good enough for nonprofit work" -- not in the people we hire nor in the tools we give them to get their jobs done.  We have some of the best and brightest, most passionate and hard-working people anywhere!  I need to do my best as their leader to get them the tools to do their jobs in the best and most efficient ways possible.

He also talked about what it really means to be "nonprofit-like."  Sadly, surveys show that the American public has been losing its faith in nonprofits.  "Nonprofit-like" might have a negative connotation for many.

Professor light described "nonprofit-like" as having five traits:

• Laser-like focus on the mission of the organization
• Value added -- the work nonprofits do adds value to each dollar donated
• Innovative and entrepreneurial
• Capacity to succeed -- investing in the infrastructure to allow the organization to do its work efficiently and effectively
• Pride -- non profit organizations should be proud of all they accomplish

He closed his powerful remarks by talking about our power and strength in the world of nonprofits being our faith.  Not religious faith, but faith in the work we do, a belief that we are part of something bigger.  We do have faith in miracles, but we don't expect those miracles to come from the government or a donor, we know that the only place to find miracles is within ourselves.

I could not have said it better, and what a way to close out this conference!

Gloria

If you have interest and time (35 minutes), here's a video of the presentation:

Debate about school lunch nutrition standards - are the kids eating the healthier food?

Heard this story on school lunch standards on NCPR this morning.  The debate continues...

Gloria

PROPOSED SNAP CUTS COME ON TOP OF RECENT CUTS

Legislators considering SNAP cuts this year — the House budget calls for $125 billion in cuts over the next decade, for example — should bear in mind that any future cuts would come on top of other recent cuts.  About 1 million unemployed, childless adults are slated to lose SNAP during 2016 as a 3-month limit on benefits returns in many areas.  And nearly every SNAP recipient experienced a benefit cut averaging 7% in November 2013 when the benefit boost in the 2009 Recovery Act expired. That expiration slashed benefits by about $20 per household per month, on average — equivalent to 10 meals a month, reducing total SNAP benefits by about $5 billion in fiscal year 2014.

Source: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 3/31/15, New Cuts on Top of Old

St. Lawrence County ranked low in community health

"St. Lawrence County is ranked among the worst in the state when it comes to community health, and Jefferson County is not far behind," said a front page story in yesterday's Watertown Daily Times.

Green shaded areas are food deserts.

I found it interesting that, while obesity is discussed as an issue in the article, little is said about access to affordable, healthy food.  In fact, St. Lawrence County has eight census tracts that meet the definition of a "food desert" - a low-income community with limited access to affordable food sources like large supermarkets.

While our climate may constrain us, St. Lawrence County has rich farmland and we could produce more of our own food here.  This would be better for our health and indeed, better for the environment.

Join us at GardenShare as we work to build a strong local food system that reaches everyone in the County with healthy food!  

Gloria

Fifth Annual Community SEED SWAP

Our friends at the Local Living Venture invite you to join in the fun at Elliotts' Agway for their annual swapping event!

Saturday, April 4
10 am - noon
Elliott's Winthrop Agway
648 State Rt. 11C, Winthrop, NY 13697
315-389-5641

FREE and open to anyone -- whether you have seed to swap or not!  Lots of fun talking about garden plans -- and free seeds (while they last) for anyone who stops by, even if you have no seeds to share!  There's always a few clumps of something interesting that someone dug up from their yards to share, too...in the spirit of neighborly swappiness!

HOW DO YOU GET TO THE GROCERY STORE?

A new USDA study shows that only 68% of SNAP households use their own vehicle to get to the grocery stored compared to 95% of higher income, nonparticipating households (above 185% of the Federal poverty line). About 19% of SNAP households use someone else’s car or ride with someone else, compared with 2% of higher income households. Another 13% of SNAP households walk, bike, or take public transit or a shuttle to the store. More WIC participants drive their own car to do their grocery shopping (87%).

Despite differences in how they go, households do not necessarily shop at the closest store.  Overall, households are, on average, 2.1 miles from the nearest SNAP-authorized supermarket, but their usual store is 3.8 miles away. SNAP households are, on average, just under 2 miles from the nearest SNAP-authorized supermarket but travel 3.4 miles, on average, to the store where they do most of their shopping.

Source: USDA, 3/15, Grocery Shopping