Good Morning,
The following contains news, information and links that may be of interest.
NYSCAA News and Updates
Congratulations to the Community Action Angel Network on reaching their goal of 1,000+ backpacks for school children in the areas affected by the June 2006 flooding. Please see this link for more information and pictures of the “Monster Rally” that engaged volunteers in stuffing the 1,200+ backpacks. Thanks to all for their efforts! http://www.nyscaaonline.org/AngelAction/AngelAction_20060831.htm
Just a reminder that James Norman, NYSCAA Board Member and Past President, is running for Secretary of the Community Action Partnership.
Denise Harlow will also be in Orlando next week attending the Community Action Partnership and will respond to emails and voicemails from there as the events allow. She is looking forward to seeing others who may be attending.
Reports and Articles of Potential Interest
Earlier this week, the US Census Bureau released its report on Income Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage as well as the results of the 2005 American Community Survey. Here is a link to these reports:
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/007419.html
Based on the Census Bureau’s reports, the Fiscal Policy Institute has issued the following Release entitled: Poverty in New York Fails to Decline Despite Four Years of Economic "Growth." New Data Suggests Need to Reinvigorate Efforts to Combat Poverty. An easier read than the Census Bureau Report and New York specific, here is the link: http://www.fiscalpolicy.org/FiscalPolicyInstitutePoverty2005DataAnalysis.pdf
In addition, the USAction Education Fund released a report recently entitled, We Must Invest in New York’s Future. While we could not find a link, a copy of the report is attached.
Center for Budget and Policy Priorities has issued a new report: Poverty Remains Higher, and Median Income For Non-Elderly Is Lower, Than When Recession Hit Bottom: Poor Performance Unprecedented for Four-Year Recovery Period Overall median household income rose modestly in 2005, while the poverty rate remained unchanged. For the first time on record, poverty was higher in the fourth year of an economic recovery, and median income no better, than when the last recession hit bottom and the recovery began. The poor also became poorer. The amount by which the average person who is poor fell below the poverty line ($3,236) in 2005 was the highest on record, as was the share of the poor who fell below half of the poverty line. Here is a link to the article.
http://www.cbpp.org/8-29-06pov.htm
Expanded Food Donation Tax Credit Enacted (From Foodlinks America)
Just before leaving town for its month-long August recess, Congress passed major portions of the Good Samaritan Hunger Relief Tax Incentive Act as part of a pension reform bill. The legislation allows farmers and small business owners to receive a tax deduction for food products contributed to food banks, food pantries, and homeless shelters. Until now, this deduction has been available only to large corporations.
The food donation law was included in the Pension Protection Act (H.R. 4) that passed the Senate on August 4. “I am excited that the Good Samaritan Act [has] finally become law,” said Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN), who had proposed similar legislation every year since 1999. President Bush signed the legislation on August 17, 2006 and it is now Public Law 109-280.
The tax incentive as enacted, however, will only be in effect for two years – for donations made between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2007. Under the new law, donors will be able to deduct from their taxes the value of donated food equal to the basis of donated items plus one-half the fair market value, or two times the basis, whichever is less.
The legislation could not have come at a better time for food banks and other emergency feeding organizations who are struggling to keep up with increasing need in the face of declining donations. America’s Second Harvest, the national food bank network, estimates that the law will generate more than $250 million in new private sector food donations during the next two years. http://www.secondharvest.org/news_room/2006_News_Releases/080406.html
Other Resources for Information
Check out the Food and Research Action Center for regular updates on information specific to food and nutrition. Their website is: http://www.frac.org. An example of the type of information available is an article written by FRAC’s President Jim Weill entitled The Federal Government – the Indispensable Player in Redressing Poverty for the May-June issue of the Clearinghouse Review – the publication of the Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law. Here is a link to the article: http://www.frac.org/html/news/weill_article06.html
Foodlinks America is the newsletter of the TEFAP Alliance. Foodlinks America is published bi-weekly (24 times a year) by California Emergency Foodlink in Sacramento, California. The newsletter is written and distributed by Weinberg & Vauthier Consulting, Burnet, Texas. Foodlinks America provides news and updates for emergency food providers and community nutrition projects on the following topics:
• Federal budget, appropriations, and legislation
• Federal and state nutrition assistance programs
• Program rules, regulations, and administrative actions
• Emergency food and food banking efforts at the national and local levels
• Community food and nutrition projects
• Hunger and efforts to address it from around the U.S. in “Reports from the Field”
• “Small Bites” – interesting and weird food and nutrition tidbits
Foodlinks America is available at no charge to public, private non-profit, and faith-based organizations. There is no copyright on Foodlinks America, so the information can be freely shared with colleagues and friends, though attribution for reprinted articles is appreciated. For more information go to: http://www.tefapalliance.org/TEFAPSite/Foodlinks%20America/Foodlinks%20America.html
Have a great holiday weekend!
Denise
Denise Harlow
Chief Executive Officer
New York State Community Action Association
2 Charles Blvd.
Guilderland, NY 12084
(518) 690-0491
Fax: (518) 690-0498
www.nyscaaonline.org
A Member of the Community Action Partnership-Helping People. Changing Lives.