For Immediate Release
July 14, 2003

Richmond - The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) announced today that Virginia has been awarded an $813,831 grant to increase participation in food stamp and other nutrition programs in the Commonwealth.

VDSS applied jointly with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks for the grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

"Providing nutrition assistance to eligible families is a top priority of the USDA," said USDA Food and Nutrition Service Mid-Atlantic Director Chris Martin. "Partnerships with state governments will help give families needed nutritional assistance."

Martin added, "Virginia was only one of five states in the country to receive this grant. Virginia and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks are to be commended for joining forces to help families in need of nutritional assistance in the Commonwealth."

"The ultimate goal is to improve the health of low-income citizens through greater access to nutrition assistance services," said Virginia Secretary of Health and Human Resources Jane Woods.

"Only 60 percent of eligible households in Virginia are taking advantage of food stamp benefits," said Virginia Department of Social Services Commissioner Maurice A. Jones. "That means 40 percent - another 109,000 households - aren’t receiving benefits that may help them stave off hunger and/or inadequate nutrition."

"We don’t want children going hungry. We don't want the elderly to have to choose between food and prescription drugs," Woods added. "We want households to know and use nutrition programs - particularly food stamp benefits if they are eligible."

Virginia Department of Aging Commissioner Jay W. DeBoer said groups that work with senior citizens also are concerned about adequate nutrition assistance. "State agencies and the private and non-profit sectors must band together to help the elderly and others who may require help. This is a tremendous step forward in that regard."

Central Virginia Food Bank Director Fay Lohr said, "Non-profits alone can't solve the problem of hunger. Government alone can't solve the problem of hunger. The private sector alone can't solve this problem. We must all work together, and this project will move us along the path to meeting the nutritional requirements of those who need assistance."

Food stamp benefits, now administered through a card similar to a "debit" card, are 100 percent federally funded, and states are being encouraged to increase participation among eligible households. In addition to combating hunger, food stamp benefits bring federal funding into the state and financial incentives are available to states that increase participation.

USDA allocated more than $5 million in grants to only five states - one-sixth of which was awarded to VDSS and the Federation of Virginia Food Banks to create the Virginia Nutrition Assistance Network (V-NAN).

"This partnership will increase participation in food stamp and other nutrition programs in the Commonwealth and improve the food stamp application process," Jones said. "Funds from this grant will be used to create a structure that includes data analysis, technology and training tools that will be available to other states at no cost and will be implementation ready."

Jones said the goals are:

• Increase participation in the Food Stamp Program from 58 percent to 80 percent and help low-income households become involved in other nutrition assistance programs.
• Promote awareness of nutrition assistance services through a targeted marketing campaign.
• Increase access to nutrition assistance services through creation of a Web-based Nutrition Resource Center and through Virginia’s Information and Referral network.
• Extend the V-NAN public-private partnership into local communities through community agencies, faith-based organizations and food vendors.
• Streamline the application process for nutrition assistance services to result in a 30 percent reduction in the time required to process applications.
• Increase the food stamp application acceptance rate from 67 percent to 80 percent.

Jones added, "This is the first time we’ve received this grant. It's particularly noteworthy that we won it in partnership with the Federation of Virginia Food Banks. We're very excited to employ this new public-private partnership to provide a full range of nutrition services to those in need in the Commonwealth."

Marcella Williamson
Public Affairs
(804) 692-1031
mkw900@dss.state.va.us

Charles Ingram
Public Affairs
(804) 692-1619
cij900@dss.state.va.us

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