Issue Position: Food Security

Issue Position

I WILL FIGHT TO END FOOD INSECURITY

Hampshire County is better than most counties in the state when it comes to food security. However, 10% of individuals and between 12-15% of children do not have adequate access to food. We must continue to build on our strong network of food pantries and public health agencies until no one goes hungry.

Poor nutrition leads to many adverse effects, including chronic disease, depression, poor mental function, obesity, and general poor health. This impacts not only the lives of those who suffer directly, but the rest of society as we all live with the diminished capability of our community members and the expense of their care. Therefore, I support the recommendations of the Massachusetts Food System Collaborative, which includes, among other things:

Expansion of the Massachusetts Earned Income Tax Credit.
Supporting a living wage.
Supporting the Massachusetts Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) Healthy Incentives Program to provide SNAP doubling at farmers markets and CSAs statewide.
Expanding nutrition education.
Educating consumers about how to add healthy food to their diets, from shopping and budgeting to storage and preparation.

I WILL FIGHT FOR CHILDREN'S NUTRITION

Food insecurity is especially harmful to children. It can cause lifelong health consequences such as a compromised immune system, higher risk of frequent illness, higher hospitalization rates; iron deficiency anemia, higher numbers of chronic health conditions, mental health disorders, and poor health in general.

I will work to provide increased resources to the agencies that support people who are food insecure, including the Departments of Transitional Assistance, Public Health, and Education, with special attention to SNAP, WIC4 and school meal programs.

I SUPPORT THE BREAKFAST AFTER THE BELL PROGRAM

Breakfast After the Bell is a federally funded program. I support the legislation that has passed in the Senate and is pending a vote in the House that would require all public K-12 schools with 60% or more students eligible for free or reduced-price meals under the federal National School Lunch Program to offer breakfast after the instructional day begins. Benefits of the program include improved academic achievement, improved student health, increased attendance rate, and increased federal funding for high poverty schools.

One hundred Massachusetts schools have already implemented the Breakfast After the Bell model. In total, 600 schools and more than 260,000 children statewide could benefit from the program.

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