ISSUE
6: July 8, 2008
Hard
Times Kitchen
Alauna
Dowd Fizer arrived in Cleveland, Miss., in June of last year to serve
as a VISTA Summer Associate. She returned in February to serve a full-year
term with the Lower Mississippi Delta Service Corps, Inc. (a project
of the Mississippi Commission).
back
to top
“When I first got here in the Volunteer Center in Cleveland,
[the project] was a blank slate,” explained Alauna, whose supervisor
encouraged her to develop her VISTA assignment based on her skills
and interests. Then food prices went up.
Drawing on training in journalism, she began collecting information
about food budgeting from universities and other programs. She created
a 45-minute workshop on how to budget for food, plan weekly menus
and find coupons and other discounts when shopping.
“If you buy staple foods (like pastas and soups), you can turn
a meal into another meal,” said Alauna. “Buy in bulk,
and don’t shop hungry. By planning out your meals, you can go
to the grocery store to get what you need, not what you want. You’ll
save hundreds of dollars every month.”
With outreach to local newspapers, churches and community hubs, Alauna
has presented the workshop to about 200 community members, including
food stamps recipients. Another workshop targeted VISTAs and AmeriCorps
members. She plans to train community leaders as presenters to carry
on the workshop.
“I still get calls from people who were in the program over
the summer, saying, ‘I’ve saved so much money. It’s
really helped in these hard times,’” she said.
back to top
Local
Food Banks Feel Effects of
Struggling Economy
Dave
Hsia ended his VISTA service in January 2008 after a year and a half
at the New York City Coalition Against Hunger.
back
to top
An
increase in the amount of people in need of donated food, along with
fewer donations, and the high cost of transportation are having a
critical impact on the nation’s food banks.
America’s
Second Harvest—a national
food bank network, conducted a survey of its food banks from April
28 through May 2, 2008 to assess challenges facing the nation’s
charitable distribution system due to weakening economic conditions.
180 food banks provided estimates, based on feedback they have received
from their partner agencies (including food pantries and soup kitchens).
Researchers gathered information on the number of people in need of
emergency food assistance, the ability of food banks to secure sufficient
resources to meet the needs of hungry people in their communities,
and the ability of their agencies to meet the growing demand for food.
Survey Results can be found here
"If gas keeps going up, it's going to be catastrophic in every
possible way," said Ross Fraser, a spokesman for America's Second
Harvest. Food banks are typically run by nonprofit organizations and
sometimes have to truck items 150 miles to a pantry,” he said.
With summer upon us, demand for food will most likely increase. Both
pantries' officials worry about getting overwhelmed with the added
demand from families with children who currently get breakfast and
lunch at school. At the same time, donations go down in the summer
because fewer organizations and churches sponsor food drives and individual
donors go away on vacation.
How to…
Save money - http://www.couponmom.com/
Learn about nutrition - http://www.foodnews.org/
Make cheap and nutritious recipes - http://www.faqs.org/docs/consumer/recipes/
Find more information about Federal Hunger Programs:
http://www.hungertaskforce.org/ending_hunger/federal_
nutrition_programs/stockbox_csfp.php
back
to top
Cheap
Eats
Recipe
for Pasta Fagioli (Pasta and Beans)
You will need:
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce – $1.25
1 15 oz can of cannellini beans (white kidney beans) - $1.67
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, crushed - .95
1 lb box ditilini pasta -$1.55
salt and pepper to taste
In a medium saucepan,
combine tomato sauce, cannellini beans (with juice, do not strain),
garlic and salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes.
Continue cooking on low heat for another 10 minutes.
In large pot, boil water. Add ditilini and a dash of salt. Cook for
about 15 minutes or to desired texture. Strain pasta and add to sauce
and beans.
Serves 6 people. Total cost for this meal $5.42
2nd Not-Quite-Annual AmeriSpuds Low-Cost
Recipe Contest
Inspired by the
“Cheap Eats” recipe listed above? Create your own deliciously-cheap
recipe, and you might win Mr. Potato Head or one of many other great
prizes. AmeriSpuds is hosting a low-cost recipe contest again this
year! It is featured as a Facebook Event. To review all the details
and discuss the contest with other participants, log onto Facebook
and cut and paste the following link into your browser:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=20889626659
back
to top
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the Viewfinder?
A: VISTA means view-looking out on a broad expanse. The viewfinder, a toy that all generations of VISTAs recognize, was a kind of binocular that focused on points of interest, highlights, and snapshots in living color. The VISTA Viewfinder surveys in the landscape and zeroes in on service.
Q. Why the Viewfinder?
A. Here’s your direct link to connecting with other VISTAs, learning what they are doing, and helping to spread the message of VISTA and national service!
Q. How can I contribute?
A.
Have a story to tell? Submission ideas? Contact vistaoutreach@cns.gov.
Use the Viewfinder to highlight your VISTA service and share your
experiences with others across the country!
back to top
