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United Way takes a stand against hunger
At this moment, 1 in 6 Southeast Michigan residents aren't sure where their next meal will come from. Not because they’re trying to decide what restaurant to go to for lunch, or what to cook for dinner, but because they don’t have the resources for more than one meal a day.
It’s known as food insecurity, and it’s affecting more and more people every day. In fact, it's anticipated that the number of food insecure residents in Southeast Michigan could grow to 1 in 3 by 2013.
In 2009, unemployment doubled in Southeastern Michigan, as the state and nation were hit with an increasingly bad economy. Calls to our 2-1-1 call center have quadrupled since its launch in 2005, and for the past few months, the top request has been for food assistance.
In response to these alarming statistics, United Way has formed an unprecedented public-private partnership with Bank of America and the Ford Motor Company Fund. Together, we are leading a regional effort to improve access to food through three strategies:
- Utilization – Increasing the utilization of federal benefits like food stamps and school-based nutrition programs that currently have only a small percentage of eligible individuals participating. With many individuals newly in need, there is a lack of awareness about the programs in addition to many barriers to access that we will work to overcome.
- Distribution – Doubling the amount of food provided through the formal distribution system by addressing issues of supply, quantity and access. This includes increasing the number of client choice and mobile pantries to better serve those in need.
- Expansion – Advocating for changes to food policy that allow for more individuals to get the help they need. Most food programs have eligibility limits, but many of the individuals who are recently unemployed and in need of help are still above them. In response to the new economic reality, policies must be changed to that ensure all individuals in need have access to food.
Successfully executing these strategies will bring an additional 300 million meals into the region over the next three years, meeting the anticipated increase of people in need of food.
The work is complex and it will take more than United Way to accomplish the mission. There are things you can do to help, from telling your neighbor about school-based nutrition programs, to advocating for changes to state and federal policy.
To learn more about this work and find out how you can make a difference, check out the rest of this newsletter or log on to www.unitedwaysem.org/food.
Together, we can end hunger in Southeast Michigan.
Tax time offers a new way to give to United Way
When filing your 2009 state tax return be sure to ask about Form 4642, which allows taxpayers to donate all or part of their 2009 tax return to the United Way Fund. The United Way Fund has been created to assist low to moderate income families in Michigan with basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter.
All donations made to the United Way Fund will be used to help local families. Donations made by taxpayers will go to their local United Way, benefiting families in their own community.
This policy was enacted in 2008 and advocated for by constituents like you who wanted an easy way to make an impact. The United Way Fund is a great way that you can Live United without digging too deeply into your wallet.
In the news
United Way's work, as featured in news articles and blogs.
Panera Bread Promotes Early Childhood. United Way Blog. Join United Way and Panera Bread at a Family Fun Day on Feb. 13, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Panera Bakery & Cafe on Adams Rd. in Rochester Hills.
Detroit and the office of the future. Detroit Free Press. Learn more about United Way's unique work environment and how it helps employees fulfill the organization's mission every day.
Will Teach for America come back? TIME Magazine. A discussion about Teach for America, and it's potential impact on Detroit Public Schools.
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