SNAP Outreach Steering Committee Minutes
December 4, 2012
Persons present included Jessica Gardner (211info), Jolene McGee (WIC), Rosanne Richard, (SNAP policy), Judith Auslander and Nancy Weed (PHFO).
Announcements
· Hidden in Plain Sight forum on hunger and Oregonians 50+, Tuesday December 11, 2012, 8am to Noon, West End Building, 4101 Kruse Way, Lake Oswego, register online at http://bit.ly/ORhunger50Dec11
211info updates
Jessica distributed copies of 211info SNAP reports for October 2012 and November 2012. Highlights from the October report included:
· 1,107 SNAP calls
· 824 food pantry calls
· 210 WIC calls
· 47 congregate meal calls
· 24 home delivered meal calls
· 44 Spanish-speaking calls
· 1 Vietnamese call
· 24 call notes from Multnomah, Clackamas, Crook, Deschutes, Klamath, Lane, Marion, Umatilla and Washington counties
Highlights from the November report included:
· 905 SNAP calls
· 974 food pantry calls
· 156 WIC calls
· 66 congregate meal calls
· 18 home delivered meal calls
· 39 Spanish-speaking calls
· 9 call notes from Clackamas, Deschutes, Multnomah, Umatilla and Washington counties
Jessica reported that Klamath Falls, Lake, Morrow and Umatilla counties were added to the 211info service area on December 1, 2012. 211info expects to add remaining county areas across the state by the end of December 2012.
Rosanne suggested including more information in 211 SNAP report call notes about resolution of various issues. Jessica agreed to consider collapsing notes by county and including resolution information when possible.
DHS updates
Rosanne distributed copies of DHS SNAP participation data statewide. In November 2012 there were:
· 807,271 SNAP recipients
· $104,702,451 in SNAP allotments
· 443,438 SNAP households
· 298,671 recipients under age 18
· 67,176 recipients age 60+
· 95,132 recipients under age 5
Rosanne reported that the annual SNAP utility standard deduction and shelter offset had increased October 1, 2012, raising benefits by between $1-$5 for some households. She also noted that the minimum wage in Oregon would increase to $8.95 per hour in January 2013.
The “no interview” SNAP demonstration project is up and running at 16 branch offices around the state. No client complaints have been received so far. The project will run through November 2013, with data on project error rates calculated by Mathematica. North Carolina and Utah are also participating in the demonstration project. Rosanne recommended that 211info callers with questions about the no interview process be advised to wait 1 week for an eligibility notification letter before calling their local office to check in on their status.
Outreach update
Nancy distributed copies of PHFO’s summary report on senior focus groups conducted in Fall 2012, and gave Rosanne a copy of the full report, which will be posted on the PHFO website. Highlights from the report and summary included:
Perceptions about SNAP
· Helps with food budget
· A big help during the recession
· New name for program unknown by many
· Funding for SNAP received mixed reviews
· Concerns about misuse
Barriers
· Pride, shame and stigma
· Asking for help
· Misinformation or lack of information
· Confusion about application process
· Technology issues
· Mobility issues
Recommendations
· More information needed about what SNAP is, who can qualify, and how they can apply
· More advertisement in print, radio and TV
· Outreach at community sites
· More effective messaging
PHFO will continue using several senior-specific strategies outlined in the focus group report and summary, and in 2013 will expand our work to collaborate with community partners on reaching seniors through media messaging and healthcare providers.
Nancy noted that PHFO would continue working with Univision in 2013 to get SNAP messaging into Spanish-speaking homes. Several SNAP outreach videos of various community partners being interviewed on the Cita con Nelly show and on KUNP news broadcasts have been posted to the PHFO website at http://oregonhunger.org/snap-videos-spanish.
PHFO expects to have a new SNAP 2011 participation report completed by January 2013. Nancy distributed copies of a draft data sheet for the report, including participation rates by county. The average participation rate statewide was 71%, with the average participation rate for seniors 65+ statewide was 38%. Articles for the report will focus on underserved Oregonians, including seniors, students, rural residents and Spanish-speakers.
WIC updates
Jolene reported that WIC would pilot a new “E-WIC” benefit card in Linn and Benton counties in September 2013, with a January 2014 statewide rollout of a new EBT card. While the WIC food package will remain the same, one of the expected consumer benefits of the card will be not having to buy all of the food items at one time, which consumers must do to get all of the food items on the current paper voucher. There may also be opportunity for additional WIC/SNAP outreach as the new EBT process is developed.
Jolene distributed copies of the (very popular) NWA 2013 WIC Calendar: A world of tastes on MyPlate. The calendar features simple and nutritious recipes from various countries of the world. Jolene also distributed copies of a fact sheet from Oregon Nutrition Policy Alliance on Healthy Food Options for a Healthier Workplace.
2013 meetings
The group agreed to continue meeting quarterly at various sites (TBA) for SNAP outreach steering committee meetings in 2013, including first Tuesdays from 9:30-11:30 on:
· March 5th
· June 4th
· September 3rd
· December 3rd