|
Mazon Foundation grant provided
for
Luzerne County Anti-Hunger Campaign Support
As 2008 starts, Jewish Family Service is pleased to announce that
the Mazon Foundation has provided a grant of $4000 to the agency
to enhance the anti-hunger message that is vital to the support
system that exists throughout the County. JFS intends to work with
as many partners as possible in spreading the message of anti-hunger
and has been in contact with key entities that have contributed
so much to this effort for many years. This includes, among others,
the Commission on Economic Opportunity (CEO), and the Pennsylvania
Hunger Action Center based in Harrisburg.
Steve Libenson, President of JFS stated that “we
are very pleased that the Mazon Foundation has honored us with this
grant to help enhance the message of anti-hunger across Luzerne
County. The Foundation, in the past, supported our food pantry,
Sara’s Table, and we recognize the growing role of the Mazon
Foundation in helping bring food where it is needed and expanding
the anti-hunger message.”
Howard J. Grossman, executive director of JFS stated
that “the program of anti hunger will continue over the next
several months with publicity in local media, information gathering
from organizations that collect statistics on hunger, and helping
to add mutual partnerships to the building of collaboratives that
are vital to improving the quality of life of all people in Luzerne
County.”
The specific work program for the Mazon Foundation
grant includes the following:
- Expand our current role of services to enhance and extend our
advocacy program for anti-hunger through this grant and tie that
into our designation by the federal government as noted previously
and our Health and Wellness Program.
- Expand the opportunity for clients to apply for governmental
food program benefits through the Benefits Update Program.
- As a member of the FEMA Advisory Board for Luzerne County and
though other connections with the anti-poverty agency and the
United Way and others, we can multiply the advocacy and education
techniques that will make the anti-hunger message much more effective.
This includes the use of our web site and the links that we are
connected to relative to the information that will be included
about this program.
- Creation of a special publication on anti-hunger that would
be made available to the twelve school districts in this County
and the various entities that reach out to the citizens in this
community. For example, the Elder Issues Coalition, previously
mentioned, would be one way to take this message broadly across
the community.
- Create a model that can be used by similar organizations across
the nation such as those associated with the Association of Jewish
Family and Children’s Agencies (AJFCA), an organization
that has over 140 members in the United States and Canada
The Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, in
their most recent newsletter called “ The Pennsylvania Advocate”,
provides the latest details regarding various aspects of hunger
and its impact on the Commonwealth and its citizens. Some of the
topics discussed are as follows:
- New agency executive director appointed. His name is Joseph
Quattrocchi, and most recently he was the Vice President for Community
Impact with the United Way of Lancaster County.
- Food Pantries Short of Food. The article notes an increase
in need for their services, by a decline in the supply of food.
There has been a decrease in the State Food Purchase Program,
and a decrease in federal commodities purchased by the USDA and
made available to states via the Emergency Food Assistance Program.
- School Breakfast report card Statistics provided.
- An article on the number of households on an average being served
by pantries in the Commonwealth
- Status of the Federal Farm Bill which impacts food availability
under federal programs.
For further information on the Mazon Foundation
grant, contact the JFS office.
|
