An article about the Zero Hunger Project:
http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/food-for-everyone/the-city-that-ended-hunger
A wonderfully concise powerpoint of this comprehensive project, given by Adriana Aranhas:
http://www.smallplanet.org/images/uploads/fomezero.pdf
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Monday, May 25, 2009
Purpose of this Blog and How it can be used
This blog is meant to be used as an exchange of ideas on how we as a community can brainstorm and network to bring an end to hunger in Forsyth County.
The ideas come from Adriana Aranha of Brazil and the members of the Zero Hunger Project who have worked for years to reduce hunger in Belo Horizonte by about 80%. In her city, the food production was sufficient enough to feed every person, but many people did not earn enough money to be able to afford a healthy diet. The beauty of this program is that it enables the majority of the people to be able to afford a healthy diet without handouts.
The Fome Zero project of Belo Horizonte is a comprehensive program involving food programs in all schools and child care centers, subsidized "popular restaurants," "popular basket" buses that bring inexpensive staples into Belo's poorest neighborhoods, farmers' markets with controlled prices in areas where the hungry live, nutrition education classes, organic markets and support for sustainable, local food production, gardens in schools and a host of other ideas. The plan is comprehensive, yet costs only a small fraction of the city's budget.
Her website is: http://www.silentkillerfilm.org/interview_aranha.html
Here is a link to an objective overview and analysis of the program, with its advantages and shortcomings listed.
http://www.foodshare.net/newsletter_chutney_current02.htm
It is my hope that Knollwood Baptist Church members, Second Harvest Food Bank, local organizations and neighborhood associations and any other individuals unaffiliated with any particular group or religion will come together here to begin the journey of ending hunger in Forsyth County.
I have posted each of the ideas used in Brazil and have posed ideas and questions for how we might do the same sort of thing here in Forsyth County. My thoughts are only the beginning. With your thoughts, comments, questions and ideas, we can begin to envision how Brazil's zero hunger plan can be set in motion here in Forsyth County.
The ideas come from Adriana Aranha of Brazil and the members of the Zero Hunger Project who have worked for years to reduce hunger in Belo Horizonte by about 80%. In her city, the food production was sufficient enough to feed every person, but many people did not earn enough money to be able to afford a healthy diet. The beauty of this program is that it enables the majority of the people to be able to afford a healthy diet without handouts.
The Fome Zero project of Belo Horizonte is a comprehensive program involving food programs in all schools and child care centers, subsidized "popular restaurants," "popular basket" buses that bring inexpensive staples into Belo's poorest neighborhoods, farmers' markets with controlled prices in areas where the hungry live, nutrition education classes, organic markets and support for sustainable, local food production, gardens in schools and a host of other ideas. The plan is comprehensive, yet costs only a small fraction of the city's budget.
Her website is: http://www.silentkillerfilm.org/interview_aranha.html
Here is a link to an objective overview and analysis of the program, with its advantages and shortcomings listed.
http://www.foodshare.net/newsletter_chutney_current02.htm
It is my hope that Knollwood Baptist Church members, Second Harvest Food Bank, local organizations and neighborhood associations and any other individuals unaffiliated with any particular group or religion will come together here to begin the journey of ending hunger in Forsyth County.
I have posted each of the ideas used in Brazil and have posed ideas and questions for how we might do the same sort of thing here in Forsyth County. My thoughts are only the beginning. With your thoughts, comments, questions and ideas, we can begin to envision how Brazil's zero hunger plan can be set in motion here in Forsyth County.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Belief in Synchronisity
It is amazing to note the number of synchronistic sitings and connections that happened once I decided to create this blog as a way of changing the way we deal with hunger in Forsyth County.
It is my hope that everyone has or will have some synchronous connection in relation to this site, either by way of providing necessary information or contacts or by giving of their time and talents to help bring about a piece of the overall change in the fight against hunger here in Forsyth County.
It's been my experience that when everyone lets go of the seeeming impossibility of a situation and focuses on the positive energy of it vs. the obstacles, miracles always seem to show up here and there, in the most unexpected places.
It is my hope that everyone has or will have some synchronous connection in relation to this site, either by way of providing necessary information or contacts or by giving of their time and talents to help bring about a piece of the overall change in the fight against hunger here in Forsyth County.
It's been my experience that when everyone lets go of the seeeming impossibility of a situation and focuses on the positive energy of it vs. the obstacles, miracles always seem to show up here and there, in the most unexpected places.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Inspiration for this endeavor
Here are a few inspirational quotes that helped lead to the creation of this website. Please add any others that work for you.
Margaret Mead: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Christian theologian Walter Rauschenbusch said that the Kingdom of God "...is not a matter of getting individuals to heaven, but of transforming the life on earth into the harmony of heaven."
Jesus: "...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink...Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me...just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." Matthew 25:40-45
Harvard minister Howard Gomes (The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus): "...and every time the faithful pray, in the words ascribed to Jesus, 'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...' we invoke a confidence in the coming good news not only in heaven but right here on earth."
"Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8-9
"For if you truly ammend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow...then I will dwell with you in this place..." Jeremiah 7: 5-7
Budd Schulberg (O Magazine):
Isn't everyone a part of everyone else?
Margaret Mead: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
Christian theologian Walter Rauschenbusch said that the Kingdom of God "...is not a matter of getting individuals to heaven, but of transforming the life on earth into the harmony of heaven."
Jesus: "...for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink...Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me...just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me." Matthew 25:40-45
Harvard minister Howard Gomes (The Scandalous Gospel of Jesus): "...and every time the faithful pray, in the words ascribed to Jesus, 'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...' we invoke a confidence in the coming good news not only in heaven but right here on earth."
"Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:8-9
"For if you truly ammend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow...then I will dwell with you in this place..." Jeremiah 7: 5-7
Budd Schulberg (O Magazine):
Isn't everyone a part of everyone else?
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
The Right to Food, Defined
Belo Horizonte declared that every citizen has a right to food, and everyone in the community seems to support this idea and to help make it happen. The government, the market and the people all have a responsibility of ensuring this right for all citizens. Aranhas argues that if you work with food as a basic right and not as a donation, then you can get the whole population involved in supporting this right for every citizen to have healthy food.
Their marketing efforts included a TV ad (shown in the "Silent Killer" documentary) and billboards (and maybe other things, too--that's all I know of so far).
They defined this right to food as having access to healthy food, and not just to any kind of food:
"Healthy food has to be nutritious, supplied sanitarily, not contaminated, and it has to guarantee people's survival--in all phases of their lives--and has to be produced in a sustainable manner; we can't be polluting the environment," says Aranhas.
Brazil really promotes the organic farmers' distribution of food to the impoverished. They are currently talking with farmers to encourage more of them to become organic farmers to help the environment and to help drive organic prices down.
Ideas of how we can get involved:
--Research how Brazil marketed the idea of food as a basic right to the population to find out how we can get people behind this idea in our community
--Talk to city officials and food bank people to get their feedback and support for carrying this out in our community
Questions:
--How long did it take for this idea to become fully supported by the Brazilian community?
--How can we contact Adriana Aranhas to find out if we can use the same TV spot in our community? It's a wonderfully done spot.
Their marketing efforts included a TV ad (shown in the "Silent Killer" documentary) and billboards (and maybe other things, too--that's all I know of so far).
They defined this right to food as having access to healthy food, and not just to any kind of food:
"Healthy food has to be nutritious, supplied sanitarily, not contaminated, and it has to guarantee people's survival--in all phases of their lives--and has to be produced in a sustainable manner; we can't be polluting the environment," says Aranhas.
Brazil really promotes the organic farmers' distribution of food to the impoverished. They are currently talking with farmers to encourage more of them to become organic farmers to help the environment and to help drive organic prices down.
Ideas of how we can get involved:
--Research how Brazil marketed the idea of food as a basic right to the population to find out how we can get people behind this idea in our community
--Talk to city officials and food bank people to get their feedback and support for carrying this out in our community
Questions:
--How long did it take for this idea to become fully supported by the Brazilian community?
--How can we contact Adriana Aranhas to find out if we can use the same TV spot in our community? It's a wonderfully done spot.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Profile of small size US and Brazilian Organic Farmers
Public TV aired a documentary called "To Market to Market to Buy a Fat Pig", in which a Santa Monica farmer said that organic farmers are showing that they can pay their workers, pay for the farm's upkeep and make a profit on just 30 acres of land.
LocalHarvest.org lists seven local organic farms, located in Mocksville, Yadkinville and Boonville. I've heard of others in Lexington and Pilot Mountain, too. There are a lot more farmers in our area who are organic, but who aren't certified. Right now, farmers in this area are selling off their land to developers and making lots of money.
On the other hand, the Durham area has been very successful in synergizing the organic farmers, the local restaurants, the community and the farmer's markets...see link: http://www.goldenbeltarts.com/documents/BonAppetitAmericasFoodiestSmallTownOct08.pdf
In eastern NC, a non-profit organization called the NC Farmworkers Project helps immigrant farmworkers to organize and solve their problems collectively as well as helping them to improve their living conditions (such as providing health services and transportation services). Here is their link:
http://www.ncproyecto.org/lang/en-us/
Most of the food in Brazil is grown by small farmers, yet the big farmers can get financial credit from banks easier than small farmers. Furthermore, vast amounts of land in Brazil are owned by a few people who don't produce anything. How can we research our area to see if the same kind of thing is happening here? Agricultural Extension Service?
Does anyone know if small farmers can get financial credit from banks in this area?
Here is a story which talks about the findings of US farmer trends in the 2007 agricultural census:
http://www.hereandnow.org/stand-alone-player/?fileUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bu.edu%2Fwbur%2Fstorage%2F2009%2F04%2Fhereandnow_0422_2.mp3&fileTitle=Farming
In this story, they mention the growth of small farms and the decline of the middle-sized farms.
Carolina Farm Stewards Association's (CFSA) Regional Director Diana Vossbrinck says that most farms in NC are small vs. the giant farms in California. If the new bill H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, passes Congress, it'll be devastating for most of NC's farmers. H.R. 2749 is sweeping legislation that is meant to clean up the corporate food processors that have been the source of recent widespread food contamination outbreaks. But the bill is “one-size-fits-all,” and treats small family farms and businesses just like multinational corporations. Without changes, H.R. 2749 will create extraordinary hardships for small businesses and farms, and force many to close.
I asked Tim Hambrick of the US Ag. Ext. Service if the farms in Forsyth and the surrounding counties produce enough food to feed everyone below the poverty line in our county (using numbers from the 2000 census): "11.2% (total # living below the poverty line) equals about 21,000 people so it would take a lot of farms to supply that. When you consider that we only produce part of the year, the answer would probably be no, not even in the best of years, if all we produced was pointed towards this 11.2%. We don't have a very well developed fruit and vegetable industry established in this area. If you include surrounding counties, then it's doable on an acreage basis. However, many of our acres are being used to produce crops that would have to be processed in order to be used (wheat, corn, soybeans, beef cattle, dairy).
It would seem that we do not have excessive quantities of fruits and vegetables grown in this area. However, I'd guess that there would be enough to have farmer's markets in impoverished areas to supplement their weekly diets.
Things to do:
--Diana Vossbrinck of CSFA says to talk to the zoning office to find out where the farmland is and how much of it is being used for farming
--Get more farmers in our area to hook up with CFSA for legislative support, educational training and for connections to sell their food to local restaurants
--Research Brazilian farmers to get more details on how the Fome Zero program works for them --Talk with Anna Jensen (Mark Jensen's daughter) of NC Farmworkers Project to see if she can give us insights as to how to most effectively relate to immigrants.
LocalHarvest.org lists seven local organic farms, located in Mocksville, Yadkinville and Boonville. I've heard of others in Lexington and Pilot Mountain, too. There are a lot more farmers in our area who are organic, but who aren't certified. Right now, farmers in this area are selling off their land to developers and making lots of money.
On the other hand, the Durham area has been very successful in synergizing the organic farmers, the local restaurants, the community and the farmer's markets...see link: http://www.goldenbeltarts.com/documents/BonAppetitAmericasFoodiestSmallTownOct08.pdf
In eastern NC, a non-profit organization called the NC Farmworkers Project helps immigrant farmworkers to organize and solve their problems collectively as well as helping them to improve their living conditions (such as providing health services and transportation services). Here is their link:
http://www.ncproyecto.org/lang/en-us/
Most of the food in Brazil is grown by small farmers, yet the big farmers can get financial credit from banks easier than small farmers. Furthermore, vast amounts of land in Brazil are owned by a few people who don't produce anything. How can we research our area to see if the same kind of thing is happening here? Agricultural Extension Service?
Does anyone know if small farmers can get financial credit from banks in this area?
Here is a story which talks about the findings of US farmer trends in the 2007 agricultural census:
http://www.hereandnow.org/stand-alone-player/?fileUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bu.edu%2Fwbur%2Fstorage%2F2009%2F04%2Fhereandnow_0422_2.mp3&fileTitle=Farming
In this story, they mention the growth of small farms and the decline of the middle-sized farms.
Carolina Farm Stewards Association's (CFSA) Regional Director Diana Vossbrinck says that most farms in NC are small vs. the giant farms in California. If the new bill H.R. 2749, the Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009, passes Congress, it'll be devastating for most of NC's farmers. H.R. 2749 is sweeping legislation that is meant to clean up the corporate food processors that have been the source of recent widespread food contamination outbreaks. But the bill is “one-size-fits-all,” and treats small family farms and businesses just like multinational corporations. Without changes, H.R. 2749 will create extraordinary hardships for small businesses and farms, and force many to close.
I asked Tim Hambrick of the US Ag. Ext. Service if the farms in Forsyth and the surrounding counties produce enough food to feed everyone below the poverty line in our county (using numbers from the 2000 census): "11.2% (total # living below the poverty line) equals about 21,000 people so it would take a lot of farms to supply that. When you consider that we only produce part of the year, the answer would probably be no, not even in the best of years, if all we produced was pointed towards this 11.2%. We don't have a very well developed fruit and vegetable industry established in this area. If you include surrounding counties, then it's doable on an acreage basis. However, many of our acres are being used to produce crops that would have to be processed in order to be used (wheat, corn, soybeans, beef cattle, dairy).
It would seem that we do not have excessive quantities of fruits and vegetables grown in this area. However, I'd guess that there would be enough to have farmer's markets in impoverished areas to supplement their weekly diets.
Things to do:
--Diana Vossbrinck of CSFA says to talk to the zoning office to find out where the farmland is and how much of it is being used for farming
--Get more farmers in our area to hook up with CFSA for legislative support, educational training and for connections to sell their food to local restaurants
--Research Brazilian farmers to get more details on how the Fome Zero program works for them --Talk with Anna Jensen (Mark Jensen's daughter) of NC Farmworkers Project to see if she can give us insights as to how to most effectively relate to immigrants.
Monday, May 18, 2009
A Research Profile of the Hungry in Forsyth County
I don't have any details on the exact location of malnourished people live in Forsyth County, but WFU researchers have found high rates of hunger among Latino immigrants in Forsyth County (much higher than the national average). These immigrants have jobs and are often ashamed to let others know they are having trouble getting enough food. Plus, they don't have access to food stamps because of their immigrant status.
In Forsyth, 15.8 percent of those surveyed reported children had had to go all day without food in the past year and 21.8 percent reported that children were hungry because they couldn't afford more food. And yet the researchers also found that only 12.9 percent of those in forsyth reported receiving food from a food pantry compared to 25 percent of those in eastern North Carolina.
The immigrants in the mountain counties are better off because of the year-round nature of the Christmas tree industry. More than 60 percent of survey participants both in eastern North Carolina and Forsyth participated in the school lunch program.
The rates of hunger and food insecurity were considerably above nationally collected statistics among the general population, among Hispanics alone, and other low-income populations.
"Compared with the rest of the world, the United States enjoys relative freedom from food insecurity and hunger," said WFU researcher Sara Quandt, PhD. "National data showed that 82.4 percent of U.S. households with children were food secure, 13.3 percent were food insecure without hunger and 4.3 percent reported hunger."
She added, "Policy makers need to reconsider access to food programs..."
To read more about this, see: http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/523626/
There is a large community of Hispanics (about 600) that live just behind Forsyth Tech. There is also a large Hispanic population around NCSA and in Waughtown. I'm told there are many more areas where Hispanic immigrants live--does anyone know where these are?
According to the 2000 US census for Forsyth County, 11.2% of the population and 4.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.3% of those under the age of 18 and 7.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. These census figures do not include the Hispanic immigrants (who are afraid to be documented as aliens); so there are many others of different ethnic and racial origins who would likely benefit from a Zero Hunger program in our county.
From what's listed on Local Harvest.org, it seems that the food grown in our area is not near the areas where people are going hungry.
More demographic analysis needs to be made to determine how to adapt Brazil's plan to our county. We need to map out areas where access to healthy food is limited or non-existent. We need to determine what other difficulties stand in the way of healthy food: financial, education, inability to leave home (disabled, area not safe, etc.). This will help us more accurately address what needs to be done. WFU's Sara Quandt is currently working on research concerning the accessibility to fresh food in impoverished areas.
Research shows that many people who are malnourished in the U.S. have jobs, but can't afford to buy fresh food after they pay rent and utilities.
Questions/Things to Research:
--Does anyone know how find out where these immigrants are living and where others are living who are below the poverty line in our county?
--Find out how many of the women surveyed in our county know about and use the WIC program--about 40%.
In Forsyth, 15.8 percent of those surveyed reported children had had to go all day without food in the past year and 21.8 percent reported that children were hungry because they couldn't afford more food. And yet the researchers also found that only 12.9 percent of those in forsyth reported receiving food from a food pantry compared to 25 percent of those in eastern North Carolina.
The immigrants in the mountain counties are better off because of the year-round nature of the Christmas tree industry. More than 60 percent of survey participants both in eastern North Carolina and Forsyth participated in the school lunch program.
The rates of hunger and food insecurity were considerably above nationally collected statistics among the general population, among Hispanics alone, and other low-income populations.
"Compared with the rest of the world, the United States enjoys relative freedom from food insecurity and hunger," said WFU researcher Sara Quandt, PhD. "National data showed that 82.4 percent of U.S. households with children were food secure, 13.3 percent were food insecure without hunger and 4.3 percent reported hunger."
She added, "Policy makers need to reconsider access to food programs..."
To read more about this, see: http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/523626/
There is a large community of Hispanics (about 600) that live just behind Forsyth Tech. There is also a large Hispanic population around NCSA and in Waughtown. I'm told there are many more areas where Hispanic immigrants live--does anyone know where these are?
According to the 2000 US census for Forsyth County, 11.2% of the population and 4.3% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 8.3% of those under the age of 18 and 7.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line. These census figures do not include the Hispanic immigrants (who are afraid to be documented as aliens); so there are many others of different ethnic and racial origins who would likely benefit from a Zero Hunger program in our county.
From what's listed on Local Harvest.org, it seems that the food grown in our area is not near the areas where people are going hungry.
More demographic analysis needs to be made to determine how to adapt Brazil's plan to our county. We need to map out areas where access to healthy food is limited or non-existent. We need to determine what other difficulties stand in the way of healthy food: financial, education, inability to leave home (disabled, area not safe, etc.). This will help us more accurately address what needs to be done. WFU's Sara Quandt is currently working on research concerning the accessibility to fresh food in impoverished areas.
Research shows that many people who are malnourished in the U.S. have jobs, but can't afford to buy fresh food after they pay rent and utilities.
Questions/Things to Research:
--Does anyone know how find out where these immigrants are living and where others are living who are below the poverty line in our county?
--Find out how many of the women surveyed in our county know about and use the WIC program--about 40%.
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