COMING SOON: USDA NATIONAL HUNGER CLEARINGHOUSE DATABASE

Hunger Free America is in the process of building a comprehensive national resource database that will be available to the public, free of charge. The database will include a list of private and public sites which provide subsidized food that is, by far, the most accurate in the country by utilizing a combination of data sharing partnerships, crowd-sourcing, and in-house validation to keep data fresh and accurate. Utilizing technology will make it easier for anyone to give help or get help to fight hunger. Nationwide, there are more than 40,000 food pantries and soup kitchens, thousands of government food assistance application sites, and 8,600 farmers markets, but there is no existing nationwide database of these entities that is comprehensive and up-to-date.

Our top goals for this database are:

• To efficiently connect hungry Americans and service providers to food resources and the pertinent details needed to effectively access those resources (such as hours of operation and eligibility requirements)
• To make federal nutrition assistance programs more accessible to the tens of millions of hungry Americans who are eligible for these programs, but fail to receive the aid they need. HFA has conducted extensive research on this topic and has identified technology as an effective way to increase access to and awareness of these programs.

The programs we’re looking to include are:

• Food Pantries
• Soup Kitchens
• Local WIC Clinics and SNAP Agencies 
• SNAP Eligibility and Application Assistance Partners (non-government entities that assist with eligibility screenings and application assistance)
• WIC Eligibility and Application Assistance Partners (non-government entities that assist with eligibility and application assistance)
• Farmers’ Markets that accept benefits
• Senior Feeding Programs
• CSFP Distribution Sites
• TEFAP Distribution Sites

Benefits of participating include:

• Helping people in your community and across the country access resources by providing accurate information that will be accessible by phone (USDA Hunger Hotline), text (97779), online (USDA Database), or via an app (GotFood?).
• Direct access to data for resources all over the country through the database and above-mentioned portals. 
• Access to data and updates in real-time through an API, where available, or through a log-in portal specifically designed for agencies to access, pull, and use data as needed, as well as to make updates directly to the database.
• Assistance in volunteer recruitment if desired. 

If you have any questions or would like to further discuss ways in which we can build a mutually beneficial partnership, please contact our Data Director, Angelica Gibson, at [email protected]. With your help, we can reach the 37.2 million Americans in need of food and connect those who wish to contribute to the fight against hunger with the information and resources they need to do so.

BEST PRACTICES FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Each month, Hunger Free America highlights anti-hunger best practices across the country. This month we will highlight the importance of SNAP and organizations that support SNAP outreach efforts. 

The Supplemental Food Nutrition Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, was initially created to strengthen the agricultural economy and improve levels of nutrition among low-income households. The first food stamp program ran from 1939-1943 and was later made permanent in 1964 Food Stamp Act. SNAP has since expanded and is now the largest nutrition program administered by the USDA FNS. Although it is a federal program, each state determines eligibility requirements. As of April 2020, 51 states (including Washington D.C.) have printable applications and online policy manuals available on their respective state's SNAP website. All states (including D.C.) except Wyoming have an option to apply for SNAP online as well.  

Many local and national organizations across the country assist their clients with their SNAP application. For example, Hunger Free Colorado has a SNAP Outreach Initiative that provides on-site application and case intervention assistance, statewide food resource hotline, and assistance for the county Department of Human Services. Similarly, Feeding Texas trains member food banks to regularly utilize Your Texas Benefits online portal to assist applicants enrolling in SNAP. 


(photo from GrowNYC's website)

Another great SNAP outreach initiative is GrowNYC. GrowNYC is a non-profit organization located in New York City that aims to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers through their environmental programs. The organization and has a number of programs, including the Greenmarkets, which is a network of farmers markets across the city. At the Greenmarkets, SNAP recipients can use their benefits, and the process is simple—SNAP recipients locate the GrowNYC tent where they will swipe the EBT card to purchase as many $1 or $5 wooden tokens (which act like cash) that can be used to purchase food at the market. This initiative not only connects SNAP recipients with a wider range of fresh, nutritious food, but it also supports local farmers. Furthermore, SNAP recipients get an additional $2 in Health Bucks (can only be used to buy fruits and vegetables) for every $5 they spend with SNAP. GrowNYC also accepts Fresh Connect Coupons, FMNP Checks, and most recently, P-EBT benefits at the Greenmarkets! Visit their website to learn more about their food access initiative and to find a Greenmarket near you! 

If you would like to nominate an organization for best practice, email [email protected].