FOOD STAMP OUTREACH. Improving Participation in Your Community. Oregon Hunger Relief

Transcription

1 FOOD STAMP OUTREACH Improving Participation in Your Community Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force 2007

2 Acknowledgements The Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force gives special thanks to MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger. MAZON was the first partner to step forward and fund a pilot food stamp outreach project in Oregon which in turn helped stimulate responses from many additional partners including staff from the Oregon Department of Human Services who helped this effort by requesting matching funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Our thanks go to the many groups and individuals across Oregon who provide food stamp outreach in their communities. We would also like to thank the members of the Statewide Food Stamp Outreach Steering Committee for their help in developing and testing the materials and outreach strategies included in this guide. Finally, our sincere appreciation goes to our client focus group participants who are the real experts on food stamp outreach. Design and layout by Jessica Chanay and Holly Wilkalis Printed on recycled paper.

3 Table of Contents Introduction...1 An Oregon Success Story...1 Successful Outreach Strategies:...2 Informational Materials and Resources...2 Referrals Tools...3 Including Client Perspectives...3 Collaborative Focus on Barriers and Solutions...4 Community Partners...4 Community Solutions...4 Food Stamp Office Collaborations...5 Food Stamps at Farmers Markets...5 Case Study: Collaborating with the Local Food Stamp Office...6 Effective and Progressive Administrative Policies...7 Food Stamp Focus Groups...8 Focus Group Results...9 Responding to Common Misperceptions about Food Stamps...10 Case Study: Community Fax Model...11 Forming Outreach Committees Categorical Eligibility: A Primer for Food Stamp Outreach Funding Outreach Activities...15 Resources for Outreach...16

4 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 1 Introduction This guide is a resource for those who are interested in improving food stamp participation in their communities. It is mainly targeted for Oregon but much of the information is relevant to localities across the U.S. A range of ideas support outreach strategies that can be tailored for specific communities and their unique resources. Much of this information comes from a focused outreach effort to raise food stamp participation by the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force and community partners beginning in An Oregon Success Story Oregon entered the new millennium with the dubious distinction of being the hungriest state in the nation according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture s (USDA) annual food security study. Determined to do something to decrease hunger, a group of concerned community members and organizations decided to focus on increasing the use of food stamps by eligible Oregonians. Led by the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force (OHRTF), the group raised private foundation dollars and persuaded the state food stamp agency to use funds to qualify for federal USDA matching dollars. Beginning as a pilot project, targeted outreach efforts began to have an impressive impact within six months with food stamp participation increasing by 22% in the pilot area. The Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) contributed state funds for additional USDA matching and implemented a categorical eligibility policy option. By the end of 2000 the food stamp outreach project expanded to a statewide focus. Over the next several years OHRTF and partners implemented outreach strategies that yielded impressive results: More eligible households received food stamps As of 2006, over 80% of eligible Oregon households are participating in the food stamp program compared to approximately 60% of eligible households nationwide. Fewer Oregonians were hungry Oregon dropped from #1 to #17 in the USDA s national food insecurity with hunger ranking, a statistically significant reduction. Note: in 2006 this category was re-named very low food security. More food stamp dollars for Oregon Increased participation led to over $450 million in federal dollars coming to Oregon each year.

5 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 2 SUCCESSFUL OUTREACH STRATEGIES A comprehensive outreach plan that includes the following components is helpful for reaching food stamp eligible households: 1. Informational materials and resources 2. A collaborative focus on barriers and solutions 3. Effective and progressive administrative policies Informational Materials and Resources Effective outreach materials are the cornerstone for successful outreach and are often the best way to reach a large audience. Outreach materials include fliers, brochures, posters and magnets, etc, which should have easy readability. Materials can be designed to reach a particular target audience such as seniors, working families, immigrants and students. Materials can include messaging to reduce the stigma of food stamp use. Materials should be available in alternate languages such as Spanish, Russian or Vietnamese, depending on community demographics. Current, former and potential food stamp clients are often overlooked as an important voice for helping to identify common misperceptions that can be addressed with outreach materials. Local service providers and program advocates can also be helpful in providing information that is accurate and sensitive to client perceptions. In Oregon, the Department of Human Services (DHS) prints and distributes outreach materials produced by OHRTF making it possible for community partners to order materials free of charge. This partnership has increased the likelihood that materials will be widely distributed. Since beginning the food stamp outreach project in 2000, DHS has distributed more than 600,000 individual outreach pieces through a statewide network of community partners. For more information on ordering food stamp outreach materials:

6 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 3 Referral Tools Outreach materials are most effective when combined with referral tools that help applicants get more information about the food stamp program and learn about other services. Hotlines: Hotlines help people obtain more information about food stamps and other services. Outreach materials should include a phone number (toll-free if possible) for those living in rural areas. Oregonians may call SAFENET. Information & Referral Specialists are trained to answer basic food stamp questions, provide a brief screening for eligibility, refer callers to the nearest office and remind callers of documents needed for appointments. Applicants are encouraged to call back if they experience problems. SafeNet also provides monthly food stamp reports. Websites: Oregon has added an online referral tool for people preferring to access information via the Internet: Oregon Helps provides a format to anonymously enter basic household information so potential applicants can get a better idea if they might be eligible for food stamps and other services such as WIC and the Oregon Health Plan. The website explains it is an estimator and not the final word on eligibility. The website also provides information about how to apply for services and provides a link to a downloadable food stamp application. Note: As of 2006, SafeNet has responded to more than 40,000 calls for food stamp information. SafeNet was also able to provide more than 23,000 referrals to WIC, 19,000 referrals to the Oregon Health Plan and 6,000 referrals to other services. Including Client Perspectives Even the best outreach materials do little good if barriers to participation discourage access to program services. Client perspectives provide important information for identifying barriers and possible solutions, and can help refine outreach methods. Interactions with clients can also help with testing new messages and materials. Methods for gathering client feedback include surveys and focus groups. If you are interested in focus groups see page 8 for more information.

7 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 4 Collaborative Focus on Barriers and Solutions Community Partners Engaging your community in food stamp outreach will help stretch limited time and money, build community ownership of strategies and goals, and increase the likelihood that you will be effective. Many households eligible for food stamps are also eligible for other assistance such as school meals, WIC, health care, energy assistance, housing and Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC). Partnerships among community organizations can help maximize outreach efforts to make good use of available resources. Much of the success of the OHRTF food stamp outreach project was due to the creation of a strong network of community partners. Statewide food stamp outreach steering committee members, including DHS staff, met regularly to discuss problems and resolve barriers, exchange information and develop working relationships. Presentations from partners can be incorporated into outreach meetings to maximize cross-program outreach and encourage information sharing. For suggestions on forming an outreach committee see page 12. Community Solutions If you are just beginning to involve other community members in your outreach efforts, it can help to provide a variety of ways for their involvement. Community organizations can take on different tasks in support of outreach efforts: Outreach materials: Community partners may be able to stock one or more informational brochures to distribute to clients who are interested in food stamps. Partners do not need to be experts on food stamp eligibility since most questions can be answered by an informational phone number on the brochure. Onsite applications: Food stamp applications that are available on site help prospective clients get started and understand what will be required of them during the application process. Sites with volunteers or staff capacity can assist clients in completing application forms and answer basic questions. Submission of applications: Partners can help by faxing in the front page of food stamp applications to local branch offices on behalf of applicants. For more information see the fax process case study on page 11. Focus groups or surveys: Some partners may help facilitate client focus groups or gather client feedback through surveys to help identify access barriers. Grassroots outreach: Some partners may have staff or volunteers who can do street-level distribution of outreach materials in neighborhoods and community businesses such as grocery stores or laundromats.

8 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 5 Collaborating with the Food Stamp Office Collaborating with local food stamp offices is vital to successful outreach. Staying in touch with your local office can help address problems as they arise. Food stamp offices need feedback from consumers, advocates and other service providers to stay responsive to community needs. It is also important for community groups to partner with state level staff to ensure a similar understanding and agreement exists about standards and expectations at all levels. It does little good to get applicants in the front door if miscommunication sends them out again. Maneuvering through conflict Collaboration occurs when all parties are willing to explore areas of collective agreement. Since client advocates and agency staff may have differing perspectives regarding various policies and procedures, disagreements may result. However, criticizing a particular office worker or branch procedure often provokes a defensive response. OHRTF has found it is very effective to point out barriers while also offering ideas that may help resolve the issues. One of the best reasons for meeting regularly with local food stamp offices is to establish an ongoing relationship with office workers and management. When issues arise, advocates and community service providers have ready contacts for sharing feedback. When issues are put on the table for constructive discussion, advocates and providers are often able to find opportunities to collaborate. Good Idea: Food Stamps at Farmers Markets Encouraging the use of food stamps at local Farmers Markets can help promote nutritious eating habits and encourage food stamp shoppers to buy local produce, helping to support local growers. As of summer 2006 there were 9 Farmers Markets in Oregon accepting EBT food stamp debit cards with 2 markets pending. In February 2006, Oregon Department of Agriculture issued a Farmers Market Food Stamp/ Debit Access Grant to support Markets in implementing the program. Suzanne Briggs of the Oregon Farmers Market Association provided workshops teaching market managers and board members about the food stamp program and EBT accounting systems. For more information, please visit the Oregon Farmers Market Association webpage at

9 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 6 Case Study: Collaborating with the Local Food Stamp Office In Oregon, the Department of Human Services (DHS) has a policy of branch autonomy which allows individual food stamp offices to establish their own practices and procedures. Though this independence can be helpful for local offices it can also result in a fairly wide range of practices across the state. Case Study: A rural Oregon food stamp office had a requirement of clients being present in the office to have their number called by 7:00 a.m. to make an appointment to see a worker. Due to travel distance and school start times, this often resulted in repeat visits and difficulties with transportation and childcare. OHRTF met with staff from the food stamp office to discuss the issues. Staff decided to retain the procedure; however, they also continued to discuss the access issues during staff meetings over the next several months. Eventually they switched to offering scheduled appointments throughout the day. Today local workers are proud of having made their services more responsive to clients and more efficient for their office. Additionally, because the change occurred through a collaborative process, the change is practiced by all branch staff. After this collaboration OHRTF joined a newly created statewide internal DHS food stamp steering committee comprised of agency management and policy staff. The group discussed consumer barriers and their collective efforts were published in a DHS report in 2005: Food Stamp Program Strategies of Accountability. This report outlines specific responsibilities at each level throughout the State agency and provides a baseline for both state agencies and advocacy groups to measure program access and customer service. These strategies are a good example of a successful collaboration between program advocates and DHS staff:

10 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 7 Effective & Progressive Administrative Policies The development of new policies can lead to sweeping changes in food stamp procedures implemented by case managers across the state. Below are examples of policies and practices that supported Oregonians in accessing more food stamps and helped improve family stability. In Oregon, the Department of Human Services (DHS) food stamp administration and policy staff members supported food stamp outreach efforts by continually streamlining the food stamp application process and brainstorming with advocates to improve client access. This led to a number of effective and progressive administrative policies that helped improve food stamp participation rates: Implementation of a statewide categorical eligibility option This option allowed food stamp offices to certify qualifying households at 185% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and disregard resources such as cars and savings accounts for most households. It also allowed outreach efforts directed at clients with higher monthly incomes and combined outreach messaging with WIC and child nutrition programs. This has been one of Oregon's most helpful policy changes. Creation of a simplified and more user-friendly application Changes to the application in Oregon allowed applicants to complete only the first 5 pages and they can now download the document online: A Simplified Reporting System This system replaced restrictive and time consuming monthly reporting. Most clients now complete an in-person interview every 12 months. Statewide Strategies of Accountability guidelines These strategies established standards for accuracy, access and customer service and ensured consistent access procedures at the branch level. To download a copy of the guidelines: administrator/documents/dhs_fs_strategies.pdf. Policy and program management staff at the state level have been active participants in ongoing food stamp outreach steering committee meetings and actively support outreach efforts. This participation has led to statewide program improvements

11 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 8 FOOD STAMP FOCUS GROUPS OHRTF strongly recommends that groups working on food stamp outreach efforts collaborate with community partners to host focus group meetings with community members who are receiving food stamps or who are potentially eligible. This is a good method for gathering information about barriers, opportunities and local needs. It also provides an opportunity to test outreach materials and messaging. Local agencies and organizations may be able to host meetings and help recruit participants. The following organizations may be able to host Focus Group meetings: Head Start centers Food stamp branch offices Food pantries Community centers Health clinics WIC offices Churches Senior and People with Disabilities offices Senior centers Focus Group Size For best results, focus groups should be limited to participants whenever possible. A smaller group allows everyone the opportunity to speak. It also creates a more intimate environment so participants are more likely to share their experiences. Incentives Incentives make it possible for some participants to attend focus group meetings. A small compensation also communicates that their time is valuable. OHRTF provided a $10 gift certificate to a local grocery store and refreshments for participants and their children. Presentation Format: The facilitator introduces him/herself and the goals of the meeting and then focuses the discussion around a set of pre-established questions or issues. Participants can be seated around a table or in a circle of chairs. The facilitator should provide an opportunity for each participant to speak. Questions to help you get started: 1. What works well about the Food Stamp Program in your community? 2. What does not work well? 3 What do you think prevents people in your community from using food stamps? 4. If you could re-design the program what changes would you make? 5. Other ideas: Discuss food stamp messages, myths, outreach ideas, materials or other access issues.

12 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 9 Focus groups can be a good opportunity to test outreach materials and media messages with people who are likely to use the program. If this is something you wish to do, bring sample materials and allow time for comments. Focus Group Results The following is a sample of results from focus groups in Oregon to give you an idea of what you might expect. The majority of OHRTF focus group participants identified food stamps as their household s primary resource for obtaining food. Some participants were able to feed their families on food stamps alone, although most could only stretch them for part of the month. Several population-specific issues emerged such as immigrant groups being concerned about information being shared with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Senior citizens most often equated food stamps negatively with being a form of "welfare" and were uncomfortable using the technology of the Oregon Trail card. Rural households had numerous transportation issues and scheduling barriers. Many said Oregon s simplified application and the Oregon Trail EBT card made the program easier to use. Barriers cited most often: Lack of Information: People often didn t know they were eligible or had received inaccurate information about their eligibility. Low Benefit Levels: Some were discouraged by low benefits offered to some households and didn t feel it was worth the trouble to apply. Stigma: Some were ashamed to receive food stamps or dreaded what they perceived to be the humiliation of the application process. Office Issues: Food stamp office requirements were sometimes difficult to negotiate, especially for working households, families with small children, non-english speakers and rural households with transportation challenges.

13 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 10 Responding to Common Misperceptions about Food Stamps "Other people need food stamps more than I do." There are enough food stamp dollars for everyone who needs them. When you get food stamps you are not taking them away from someone else. Food stamp dollars support grocers in your area and bring more money into your local economy. In fact, if every Oregonian who was eligible received food stamps, an additional $100 million federal dollars would enter the Oregon economy. "Food stamps are welfare and I would be ashamed to get welfare." The Food Stamp Program is a nutrition support program designed to help families stay healthy during tough times. Oregon brings in more than $450 million federal food stamp dollars each year. This represents our federal taxes being returned to Oregon communities to support households, local retailers and local economies. I can't get food stamps because I own a house and/or a car. You may be able to get food stamps regardless of the value of your resources. You may also be able to receive food stamps if you get unemployment insurance, if you are a student or if you are working full- or part-time. I make too much money to qualify for food stamps. Changes to policies and rules over the past several years have made thousands more Oregonians eligible including childless adults and people who are working. Most families who qualify for WIC or school meals also qualify for food stamps. I would be embarrassed to use food stamps at my local grocery store. Instead of getting paper food stamps you can now use the Oregon Trail card which operates likes a debit card. Every dollar you spend at the grocery store, whether it comes from your paycheck or food stamps, helps support that business. I only get a small amount and it's just not worth the hassle. It all adds up: A monthly benefit of $10 per month equals $120 per year. Eligibility for food stamps also qualifies most households for telephone assistance, deferment of student loans, and qualifies most children for free school meals. Most people only need to see a worker once per year. It is a sign of failure if I use food stamps. Many people are finding their jobs do not pay enough to cover basic expenses. According to research, 51% of all U.S. citizens will use food stamps at least once during their lifetime making food stamps a common experience in the U.S.

14 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 11 Case Study: Community Fax Model In several areas in Oregon community partners have begun assisting clients with the food stamp application process using the following steps: 1. A partnering organization (food pantry, etc.) makes food stamp applications available on-site to clients who do not currently receive food stamps. 2. An organization with staff or volunteer capacity help clients complete the applications and discuss the documents they will need for verification purposes. 3. The completed front (filing) page of the food stamp application is photocopied and faxed to the appropriate local food stamp branch office. 4. The staff member or volunteer calls the food stamp office to verify the application has been received and helps the client schedule an intake appointment. 5. The appointment date is written down and given to the applicant. Local food stamp offices should be part of initial planning and ongoing discussions to make sure the process fits within branch procedures. For example, low-volume rural branches may see applicants on an asneeded basis and may be able to process faxes and phone calls throughout the day. Larger branches may prefer to set specific hours for partners to fax in the applications and schedule client appointments into blocks of available time. It works best when the branch office designates a point person to call to verify receipt of faxes and to schedule appointments. They can also help track applications. Community partners should receive training on food stamps from local office staff before beginning and if possible attend ongoing debriefing meetings to ensure information is shared and problems are addressed. Trainings should help identify clients with expedited food stamp eligibility issues. Partners with computers may offer clients access to online screening for food stamps and other services using Maintaining client confidentiality is an important concern. Organizations should provide space for privacy. In Oregon, partners copy only the front (filing) page of the application and return the original to the applicant. After verifying receipt of the fax, staff members return copies to applicants. Some sites maintain their own client contact information for follow-up. It can be helpful to provide envelopes for applications materials and other documentation. For information on envelopes: general.htm. The fax model helps address transportation barriers, particularly in rural areas, and helps reduce repeat office visits. Clients who show up for intake with completed paperwork and necessary documents are often able to access benefits with only one visit. Reduced office traffic and prepared clients support efficiency at local food stamp offices.

15 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 12 FORMING OUTREACH COMMITTEES An effective way of increasing food stamp participation is to ask community members, advocates and service providers to form a committee and develop outreach strategies together. Outreach committees may meet once or twice to discuss access barriers or implement a specific strategy; other committees may establish ongoing meetings. If meetings are held on a regular basis it helps to establish a point person to communicate with committee members. It can be most effective to focus initial outreach efforts in areas where there is already an established interest or awareness of need. By building on existing momentum good ideas can be developed for replication to other areas. OHRTF recommends the following steps in forming an outreach committee. Step 1 Gather interested community members The committee should include representatives from some or all of the following groups, depending on who is most active in your community: Food stamp recipients and/or community members with low incomes DHS Food Stamp and Senior and People with Disabilities offices Local Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), both administrative and eligibility workers Food banks and food pantries Legal Aid offices Commissions on Children and Families Community Action Agencies County and community health clinics Senior centers Head Start centers WIC offices Public health programs Faith based organizations and churches Community centers and neighborhood groups Schools and/or school districts Advocacy organizations Human service agencies serving families and individuals with low incomes County extension offices and Farm Service Agencies

16 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 13 Step 2 Identify Outreach Opportunities Ask the outreach committee to brainstorm a list of partners and community networks that can support outreach efforts and compile a list of sites for distributing materials. Be creative! Think about all the places within your community where people access food, but don t forget places where they access other human services. Examples: Head Start centers Churches Food pantries Community centers Libraries Schools Summer Food sites Senior centers Health clinics Social service agencies Laundromats Apartment complexes Grocery stores In-home worker opportunities such as Meals on Wheels, day care home monitors and in-home support services Step 3 Discuss Barriers and Solutions Ask the outreach committee to discuss barriers, both actual and perceived, to accessing food stamps in your community and identify strategies to address those barriers. If possible, work with partners to hold focus groups with food stamp participants and people living on low incomes. They know best about potential access issues. Encourage members of the committee to visit their local food stamp office to observe how things are done and provide recommendations, if needed. Step 4 Develop Outreach Strategies Ask committee members to brainstorm ways to share outreach materials. OHRTF has produced a number of materials groups can use. Some are intended for a general audience while others address stigma issues or target specific populations such as working households, college students, immigrants, senior citizens, and families with children. All materials can be obtained free of charge by organizations in Oregon. If your local outreach committee wants to develop materials specific to the needs of your community you may find it helpful to get advice from the OHRTF statewide outreach coordinator (see page 16 for contact info). Other states are welcome to adapt OHRTF materials for their use. Step 5 Evaluate your efforts Evaluating your outreach strategies periodically to adjust your efforts will keep your committee engaged in its work and producing good results.

17 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 14 CATEGORICAL ELIGIBILITY: A Primer for Food Stamp Outreach Categorical eligibility is a way of considering certain eligibility requirements of one program (e.g., TANF or SSI) to meet the same requirements for the Food Stamp program without a household having to be re-verified. If a household is categorically eligible they have met certain eligibility factors that allow them to also be eligible for other programs. This policy (implemented December 2000 in Oregon) has been an important outreach tool. Categorical eligibility has accomplished the following in Oregon: Allowed households to qualify if they have incomes below 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and have been given a copy of the Resource Guide for Low Income Families (AFS 3400) brochure: The higher income standard makes thousands of households eligible, even if they were previously disqualified due to income. For most households, income limits are now at 185% of FPL (instead of the program s previous income limit of 130% FPL) and eligibility standards are now the same as for WIC and school meal programs. Excludes the value of resources for a qualified household including vehicles and bank accounts: Under categorical eligibility Oregon no longer considers resources in determining eligibility for food stamps for most households. This policy recognizes that households need good working vehicles to stay employed and maintain family well being. It also means that households no longer have to exhaust life savings or sell personal resources to obtain assistance through food stamps, especially when their monthly income drops to qualifying levels due to a crisis. The bottom line No limit on vehicle value (was $4,650) or number of vehicles per household. No limit on bank account values including checking, savings, investments, etc. No limit on the value of other resources including homes and property. Note: Interest or income earned from investments will still be counted. Exceptions Categorical eligibility will not apply to 100% of food stamp applicants. Households are excluded from this policy if the following conditions apply: (see next page)

18 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 15 Exceptions, Cont. Categorical eligibility will not apply to 100% of food stamp applicants. Households are excluded from this policy if the following applies: They are ineligible for TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) because of an intentional program violation (IPV) or Food Stamp fraud. These households will be subject to the Food Stamp Program s previous income and resource limitations until the IPV has been rectified. The head of household has previously been disqualified for food stamps due to non-compliance with Food Stamp Program work requirements. Note: Although the value of an investment will not be counted against a household's resource limits, the interest earned from that investment will be used to decide whether the household meets income limits. $ FUNDING OUTREACH ACTIVITIES $ If your organization wants to assist your state or local offices with food stamp outreach you may be able to maximize your efforts by using matching funding from USDA. Main sources of funding include the following: Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) outreach grants awarded to nonprofits and other organizations to educate potentially eligible people about the Food Stamp program. FNS participation grants are usually awarded to state administering agencies to simplify the food stamp process or improve access but they re also available to partners collaborating with state agencies. 50/50 State Outreach Plan match funding for allowable outreach activities including media promotion, application assistance, and pre-screening, as well as focusing on access issues and retention of current recipients. Community foundations, city councils, local businesses, and non-profit groups can provide funding or in-kind support. Work with your state agency to leverage these funds as match for federal funds to double your investment. The USDA also provides states with High Performance Bonuses for best or most improved performance in accuracy, error rate, percentage of people served, and timeliness of case processing.

19 Food Stamp Outreach: Improving Participation in Your Community Page 16 Oregon Resources RESOURCES FOR OUTREACH The Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force has a variety of outreach materials which may be ordered free from the Oregon Department of Human Services. Outreach materials target a variety of audiences: Working families Immigrants Senior citizens College students Farmers Markets shoppers Outreach materials and forms: Although staff at OHRTF is happy to provide materials to organizations in other states, most are specific to Oregon rules and policies. Agencies and organizations in other states are welcome to adapt materials for their use. OHRTF Food Stamp Outreach Coordinator: Nancy Weed Contact: or nancy@oregonhunger.org OHRTF s food stamp outreach coordinator is available to: Assist with publication orders Provide food stamp outreach trainings and presentations Assist with the formation of local outreach committees Assist with the implementation of local strategies and materials development Facilitate improved communication between food stamp offices and consumers Provide advocacy and support for service providers and individuals Assist with identifying barriers to service and possible solutions Arrange or facilitate focus groups Additional Resources Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) recently published the Advocate s Guide to Food Stamp Outreach Collaborating to Fight Hunger which provides a comprehensive overview of outreach strategies. Website: A guide for outreach to elected officials (referenced in the FRAC Outreach Guide) will be posted at USDA offers an online toolkit to community groups interested in increasing food stamp participation including suggestions on media outreach efforts. Please see postings at

20 About the Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force The Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force (OHRTF) was created by the Oregon Legislature in 1989 to act as a resource within government and as a statewide advocate on issues of hunger and food insecurity in Oregon. OHRTF also serves as the policy advisory arm of the Interagency Coordinating Council on Hunger and Homelessness (ICHH) which in turn advises the Governor on policies related to hunger. Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force: Mail: Oregon Hunger Relief Task Force 4110 SE Hawthorne Blvd Portland, OR Fax: (503) Website: Executive Director: Patti Whitney-Wise Phone: (503) patti@oregonhunger.org To order Outreach Materials Contact: Nancy Weed Phone: (503) nancy@oregonhunger.org