ServiceDelivery_SNAP

							 First Step Access to
Community Resources
                         Itinerary

• What is Food Stamps/SNAP?

• Food Stamp Outreach Pilot

• Why do it?

• What is it?

• Next Steps
  What is SNAP?
• The Food Stamp Program, our nation’s first line of defense against hunger
  and malnutrition, can be an effective way to increase households’ ability
  to purchase healthy food.

• SNAP helps put food on the table for some 31 million people per month
  in FY 2009. SNAP is the cornerstone of the Federal food assistance
  programs, and provides crucial support to needy households and to those
  making the transition from welfare to work.

• The USDA administers SNAP at the Federal level through its Food and
  Nutrition Service (FNS). State agencies administer the program at State
  and local levels, including determination of eligibility and allotments, and
  distribution of benefits.


   Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
   Program
  What is SNAP?
Food Stamp Outreach:

• Funded through the United States
  Department of Agriculture (USDA),
  the FSO program is intended to help
  non-for-profit agencies inform low-
  income households about the
  availability, eligibility requirements,
  applications procedures and benefits
  of the program
       Local Impact
• For every $5 in food stamp
  benefits received by a participant
  – $9.20 goes back into the local
  economy.
• Sustainable food cycle:
   – Benefits can be used to purchased
     plant starts and seeds
   – Community gardens can sell at local
     Farmers Markets
   – Farmers Markets accept EBT
Why should we do it?
• A way to receive funding for a service
  that most of us are currently
  providing at some level
• By providing callers with friendly
  service and accurate information,
  you can help alleviate hunger in your
  state.
• The Food Stamp Program is a
  nutrition assistance entitlement
  program. Everyone who is eligible
  can receive food stamps; there is no
  maximum participation.
• Many people who are eligible for
  food stamps are not receiving them.
  By competently prescreening callers
  for potential food stamp eligibility,
  you encourage people who are
  likely eligible for food stamps to
  apply.
• In addition to benefiting individual
  households, increasing food stamp
  participation will help local
  economies by providing people with
  grocery money to spend at stores
  within their communities.
                                  Why are they calling?
                                                   1% 1%

                                              5%
                                   5%
                          7%                                     34%   Financial
                                                                       Food
               9%                                                      Community Development
                                                                       Physical Health
                                                                       Shelter
                  10%
                                                                       Behavioral Health
                                                                       Legal
                                                           15%
                                        13%                            Housing
                                                                       Employment
                                                                       Transportation




Community Development includes:
•Public Information
•Advocacy Assistance
•Senior/Youth Centers
•Recreation Centers
               211 Vision and Mission

• Vision:
  211 is San Diego’s primary source for
  community, health and disaster
  information.

• Mission:
  Helping people by connecting them
  efficiently to the service delivery
  system, and providing vital trend
  information for community planning.
             History of our involvement
• FY 07/08
     •211 San Diego was approached by the CA Assoc
     of Food Banks to become a contractor for Food
     Stamp Outreach, the statewide line is redirected
     to San Diego

• FY 08/09
     • CAFB wanted to bring in all of the other 211’s in
     CA but the funding model was not appropriate for
     phone based outreach
     • 211 San Diego worked with them and the USDA
     to come up with an appropriate funding model
             History of our involvement
• FY 08/09
    • 211 San Diego worked with the other 211’s in
    the state to add them to the contract

    • 211 San Diego expands our contract to
    include development of curriculum, materials
    and training

    • 211 San Diego Service Delivery Manager
    travels the state to provide training to all
    other participating 211’s
             History of our involvement
• FY 09/10
     • 211 San Diego administers the contract for all
     other CA 211’s

    • 211 San Diego expands the contract to pilot
    phone based application completion

    • Hired 3 Application & Enrollment staff to do
    Food Stamp / MediCal applications

• FY 10/11 & 11/12
     • 211 San Diego directly contracts with the state
     entity for the USDA and all other CA 211’s are
     subcontractors
          Deliverables
• Provide a basic training about food
  stamps; call answering protocol, and
  how to track calls to staff/volunteers.
• Cross promote food stamps when
  callers inquire about other programs
  for people with low incomes (e.g.,
  WIC, food banks, rent or energy
  assistance, Head Start, utility
  assistance Programs
• Nutrition education when
  appropriate
• Refer to application agency
        Next steps
• E-mail state contact to see
  how you can become part of
  the contract

• Educate yourself on the
  program details and process
  in your local area

• Determine your level of
  involvement
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