Second Annual Fight Hunger 5K

September 11, 2016

Second annual Fight Hunger 5K

Race - Fun Run - Walkathon

At the Remington Trail in Canton

Registration at 12:30 PM, Walkers leave at 1:00, Runners leave at 1:30

Run, walk, pull the kids in a wagon or push a stroller - whatever works for you!  Join us to raise awareness of the issue of hunger and funds for GardenShare.

How to get started:

Either fly solo or gather a team from work, school, or your place of worship!

Download the registration form and/or make a page on this website and start asking friends, family, classmates, and co-workers to make a donation to sponsor you.

Bring your signed registration form and any cash or checks you have collected to the registration booth on September 11.

Dress for the weather!

Thank you to these companies who have already signed up as sponsors:

Presenting Sponsors:

and

Friend Sponsors:

     Curran Renewable Energy

     North Country Savings Bank

     Save-a-Lot

     St. Lawrence Federal Credit Union

     Tupper Lake Supply

MANY ELIGIBLE FOR WIC DON’T ENROLL

WIC provides access to high-nutrition foods for kids, mothers, and pregnant women with incomes of 185% or less of poverty. But a study from the University of New Hampshire's Carsey School of Public Policy finds only about 43% of those eligible for WIC benefits receive them. Among eligible families, receipt of WIC benefits was more likely among families in which the head of household was poorer, less educated, non-white, unmarried, or unemployed. About half of eligible families living at less than 50% of the poverty line and one-third living between 100% and 185% of poverty received WIC benefits. Participation in WIC was greater in rural than urban areas (46 versus 42%) with rural foreign-born families reported higher rates of WIC receipt than their urban counterparts (54% versus 44%).

Source: Carsey School of Public Policy, 7/20/16, WIC Enrollment

Summer bounty: peppers

Peppers varying from green, red, orange, yellow, and even purple are now in season! Look for these colorful veggies at your local farmers’ market! Peppers are sweet and packed with vitamin C. Add to salads, pasta dishes, and sandwiches or eat raw with veggie dip. This standout summer vegetable can be used and prepared in so many ways. Best pick: Choose smooth, firm peppers. Store: Refrigerate peppers for up to five days. Prepare: Rinse and remove the stem, core, and seeds before eating. Eat: However you like them and give this JSY recipe a try!

Red Pepper and White Bean Salad Makes six servings  Ingredients 3 cups chopped arugula or spinach leaves 1 cup chopped red bell peppers 1/3 cup sliced red onion 1 1/2 cups cooked white beans or 1 can (16 oz.) rinsed and drained 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (or other vinegar flavor) 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 garlic clove, minced Salt and pepper to taste Directions Combine arugula (or spinach), red peppers, red onion, and white beans in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix vinegar, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad and mix well. Serve and enjoy! Refrigerate leftovers. Nutrition Information Nutrition Information per serving: 100 calories, 2.5g fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 110mg sodium, 15g carbohydrate, 6g dietary fiber, 2g sugars, 5g protein, 30% vitamin A, 40% vitamin C, 6% Calcium, 10% Iron

SUMMER MEALS HELP FAMILIES

USDA’s Summer Meals Program provides kids with the nutrition they need when school is out, and a safe haven where they can play and learn to keep their minds and bodies active during the summer months. The availability of these meals, which are served at no cost to children 18 and under, also reduces the financial burden on caretakers when school is out. In the summer of 2015, roughly 3.8 million children and teens were served nearly 191 million meals were served to children and teens at more than 66,000 sites across the country. Rural areas are particularly difficult to serve, but states are coming up with ways to meet the challenge. Some of these could work in urban areas, too.  A school district in Southeast Kansas retrofitted a bus with tables, booths, and bookshelves to create a Meals and Reading Vehicle, MARV, that will serve lunch on weekdays during the summer in three low-income neighborhoods to .The California Summer Meal Coalition and the California Library Association have joined to provide summer meal sites at libraries. Over the last three years the number of library meals sites has grown from 20 to more than 125.

Source: USDA, 7/26/16, Summer Meals

USING GARDENS TO TEACH

Summer Institute for Educators  USING GARDENS TO TEACH Poughkeepsie Farm Project's annual summer institute is designed to help educators integrate gardens into their teaching. We cover topics in literacy, social studies, science, math, and nutrition, as well as build knowledge about sustainable agriculture, food systems, social justice, and ecological gardening practices. Join us for three days of hands-on learning! At this year's institute, we are providing three days of professional development on garden-based instruction for educators of youth in the primary grades (pre-kindergarten through grade 3). DATES August 23 - 25, 2016 LOCATION Poughkeepsie Farm Project 51 Vassar Farm Lane, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 CONTACT Jamie Levato Phone: 845-516-1100 x 4 Email: jamie@farmproject.org FEE $200 (City of Poughkeepsie educators receive a discount of $100.)

Register Now

HUNGER TOUCHES EVERY COUNTY IN US

USDA reports that more than 48 million people in America—including 15 million children—are food-insecure. On average, the food-insecurity rate among the nation’s 3,142 counties is 14.7% (and even higher for children).  Food insecurity ranged from a high of 38% in Jefferson County, Mississippi to a low of 4% in Loudoun County, Virginia where median household income at nearly $124,000 per year. According to USDA 353 counties struggle with “persistent poverty,” where at least 20% of the population has been living in poverty for 30 years.  There is a significant overlap between these counties and those that fall into the top 10% percent for food insecurity nationwide: of the latter, nearly two-thirds suffer from persistent-poverty. Moreover, hunger doesn’t necessarily stop once someone is above the SNAP income eligibility threshold--185% of the poverty level. In fact, more than 25% of all food-insecure people live in such households. There are now 115 counties where the majority of food-insecure individuals are likely ineligible for most federal nutrition assistance programs based on their household income.

Source: Talk Poverty, 8/3/16, Widespread Hunger

New ag specialists in Northern New York

Cornell Cooperative Extension has made 7 unique specialists available to northern New York farmers over the past year. Their expertise covers everything from business planning to technical crop and livestock knowledge.

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