March 20, 2017 at 5:16 p.m.
Income driven
Programs offer food and funding
Income driven
Non-profit organizations and churches offer help for those who struggle with food insecurity.
But they are far from the only options.
Government programs and schools also help make sure meals are on the table.
Free or reduced
According to Kids County Data Center, more than half of students in Jay County receive free or reduced lunches.
To be eligible for reduced-price lunches, a family has to be at 185 percent of federal poverty guidelines. For a single parent with one child, that equates to $29,637 of annual income according to the Indiana Department of Education. For a family of four, it’s $44,955 of yearly income.
In order to receive free school lunches, families must be at 130 percent of the poverty line. For the above scenarios, it is $20,826 and $31,590 of annual income respectively.
School pantries
Second Harvest Food Bank also has a School Pantry program, which directly targets schools with children in need.
Currently, there are no school pantries in Jay School Corporation.
But that may change.
Second Harvest Food Bank has identified Judge Haynes Elementary in Portland, Pennville Elementary and Westlawn Elementary in Dunkirk as schools with the highest rates of free or reduced lunches. Judge Haynes has 78.1 percent of its students receive free or reduced lunches, with Pennville and Westlawn coming in at 68.7 percent and 68.3 percent respectively.
“The program sites will ultimately depend on where we secure community support through volunteers and funds, but Judge Haynes, Pennville and Westlawn schools will be the initial focus for implementation,” according to the food bank’s grant application obtained by The Commercial Review.
With assistance of a United Way grant, the food bank has targeted those three schools as its first implementation of the school pantry program as early as April. Families will be able to pick and choose what food items to take home; similar to going to a grocery store.
Second Harvest hopes to serve a total of 200 families during its first year with one distribution a month, and perhaps increase to twice a month in September if funding and volunteer participation prohibits the change.
Women, Infants & Children
Women, Infants & Children focuses on nutrition education for those its name identifies.
The program, which has an income guideline of 185 percent above the poverty line ($24,036 for a family of four), serves women who are pregnant, women who are breastfeeding — up to a year after childbirth and six months if not breastfeeding — and children up to the age of 5.
“Typically they come in every three months for nutritional education,” said Amanda Slentz, the Jay County WIC director.
Those wishing to apply for WIC can contact the Jay County WIC office at (260) 726-9318. If approved, individuals visit with a registered dietician or registered nurse to log height, weight and other vitals, which get checked frequently throughout the program.
There is nutrition counseling and approved applicants are given a electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, which can be used to purchase food, including milk, cheeses, whole grain bread, fruits and vegetables.
“WIC program is all based on science at the USDA level,” Slentz said. “Foods that are on the package, there is a reason why they are on the package.”
Those accepted in to the program are qualified for one year, but they are required to check in roughly every three months. They can also receive assistance in subsequent years, as long as they continue to meet the criteria.
There are currently about 600 enrolled in the program in Jay County.
Other options
Additionally, the state of Indiana offers a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is a federally-funded aid program regulated by the Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA. The income threshold is the same as for free school lunch at 130 percent of the poverty line.
Also available is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which is a cash assistance program available to help families with children 18-and-younger become self-sufficient economically. In addition to income requirements, recipients must also meet a variety of criteria regarding parental involvement, school attendance, immunization and employment.
Both SNAP and TANF are available locally through the Jay County Division of Family Resources, 1042 W. Votaw St., Portland.
Next: Health care options
But they are far from the only options.
Government programs and schools also help make sure meals are on the table.
Free or reduced
According to Kids County Data Center, more than half of students in Jay County receive free or reduced lunches.
To be eligible for reduced-price lunches, a family has to be at 185 percent of federal poverty guidelines. For a single parent with one child, that equates to $29,637 of annual income according to the Indiana Department of Education. For a family of four, it’s $44,955 of yearly income.
In order to receive free school lunches, families must be at 130 percent of the poverty line. For the above scenarios, it is $20,826 and $31,590 of annual income respectively.
School pantries
Second Harvest Food Bank also has a School Pantry program, which directly targets schools with children in need.
Currently, there are no school pantries in Jay School Corporation.
But that may change.
Second Harvest Food Bank has identified Judge Haynes Elementary in Portland, Pennville Elementary and Westlawn Elementary in Dunkirk as schools with the highest rates of free or reduced lunches. Judge Haynes has 78.1 percent of its students receive free or reduced lunches, with Pennville and Westlawn coming in at 68.7 percent and 68.3 percent respectively.
“The program sites will ultimately depend on where we secure community support through volunteers and funds, but Judge Haynes, Pennville and Westlawn schools will be the initial focus for implementation,” according to the food bank’s grant application obtained by The Commercial Review.
With assistance of a United Way grant, the food bank has targeted those three schools as its first implementation of the school pantry program as early as April. Families will be able to pick and choose what food items to take home; similar to going to a grocery store.
Second Harvest hopes to serve a total of 200 families during its first year with one distribution a month, and perhaps increase to twice a month in September if funding and volunteer participation prohibits the change.
Women, Infants & Children
Women, Infants & Children focuses on nutrition education for those its name identifies.
The program, which has an income guideline of 185 percent above the poverty line ($24,036 for a family of four), serves women who are pregnant, women who are breastfeeding — up to a year after childbirth and six months if not breastfeeding — and children up to the age of 5.
“Typically they come in every three months for nutritional education,” said Amanda Slentz, the Jay County WIC director.
Those wishing to apply for WIC can contact the Jay County WIC office at (260) 726-9318. If approved, individuals visit with a registered dietician or registered nurse to log height, weight and other vitals, which get checked frequently throughout the program.
There is nutrition counseling and approved applicants are given a electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, which can be used to purchase food, including milk, cheeses, whole grain bread, fruits and vegetables.
“WIC program is all based on science at the USDA level,” Slentz said. “Foods that are on the package, there is a reason why they are on the package.”
Those accepted in to the program are qualified for one year, but they are required to check in roughly every three months. They can also receive assistance in subsequent years, as long as they continue to meet the criteria.
There are currently about 600 enrolled in the program in Jay County.
Other options
Additionally, the state of Indiana offers a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is a federally-funded aid program regulated by the Food and Nutrition Service of the USDA. The income threshold is the same as for free school lunch at 130 percent of the poverty line.
Also available is Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), which is a cash assistance program available to help families with children 18-and-younger become self-sufficient economically. In addition to income requirements, recipients must also meet a variety of criteria regarding parental involvement, school attendance, immunization and employment.
Both SNAP and TANF are available locally through the Jay County Division of Family Resources, 1042 W. Votaw St., Portland.
Next: Health care options
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD