-Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

I grew-up while teaching at a low-income urban school. At the time, I dreamed to make a difference in the lives of my students while making school time fun and developing lifelong learners. I had already received a degree and lived on my own, but I was still young and green behind the ears, full of ideals and opinions. Every day, I spent hours preparing for the lessons and anticipating the outcomes of activities. With the effort I put in, I had high expectations of my students and their families. This was a team effort, after all, and I knew that if I utilized every resource available, including my education and time, and the students and families did all they could, success would be imminent.

Before my first year teaching finished, I began to provide snacks to my students, student referrals to counseling, and parent referrals to meet basic needs. Summer break provided me with ample time to reflect on my first year teaching and determine what else I needed to do to ensure success in the classroom. While there had been many successes among every student, all of the students didn’t perform at grade level in every subject and I blamed myself. Maybe if I had put in more than the 60 hours a week I gave, or if my education and experience had been more extensive, maybe then my students would have fared better. Maybe it was the parent’s fault that the kids didn’t meet the standard. Maybe the school and school district should have provided my students and me with more support, training and supplies. All of these “maybe’s” ran through my mind over and over.

I began my second, then third, fourth, and subsequent years of teaching with more experience, knowledge, teaching tools and determination than the previous years. Each start of a school year brought excitement and anticipation of the growth my students would make. Even the students felt excited each new year. Parents, students and I felt that those who struggled in previous years would blossom and grow under our joint expectations and efforts. Sadly, this hope didn’t always last.

I learned alongside my students. I learned that their families struggled to keep food on their tables and that school meals were not optional, but necessary. Some of my students slept on the floor or on a couch because they didn’t have bedrooms. Others weren’t allowed to play outside when they went home because their apartment complexes were crawling with drugs and violence. Sometimes they stayed home from school because they didn’t have a way to clean their clothes and they were embarrassed to come to school dirty. At parent teacher conferences, I learned more when I watched stressed-out parents break-down because they had so much on their minds that they couldn’t spend half an hour doing homework with their children. We all felt more needed to be done, and that it had less to do with books and math pages and more to do with basic needs and the structures that enabled this loss of hope.

These parents worked and still struggled to provide for their children. They dreamed of white picket fences, trips to the beach and sending their children to college, but had no hope that those dreams would ever be fulfilled. In this world, effort doesn’t mean success. That was the last lesson I learned before I started thinking about supporting my students in a different way. I could be the best teacher in the world and provide everything my students and their families needed to be successful in second grade, but that would change one year of school, not the debilitating system.

I am not a “burned-out” teacher, but for now I spend my effort ensuring children have access to healthy food so that families have one less need to cause strain. My work is not about my dream to influence lives, but about changing a system that is leaving hard-working families stressed, limited and hopeless. There are programs in place to meet the needs of children who don’t have enough nutritious food to live healthy and productive lives. Our collaborative efforts can change not only one classroom of children, but an entire system in Colorado.

“Crush humanity out of shape once more, under similar hammers, and it will twist itself into the same tortured forms. Sow the same seed of rapacious licence and oppression over again, and it will surely yield the same fruit according to its kind.”

-Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

The Hungry for Change 10,000 plate campaign was a great opportunity for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to partner with Hunger Free Colorado to help raise awareness about the issue of hunger, which impacted an estimated 900,000 individuals in our state in 2010.  CDPHE staff and visitors contributed nearly 200 plates, displayed in our lobby during all of February.

Our Prevention Services Division sees the impact of hunger on communities and individuals in many of our programs that focus on health promotion and disease prevention programs for children, youth and adults.  The health issues related to hunger, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and development delays for children, are challenges facing our communities and a focus of our work.  Raising awareness about the issue of hunger and its impact on Coloradans hopefully will bring more resources for solving the issue of hunger in our state.  Thanks to the CDPHE staff, clients and visitors that added their voices to the Hungry for Change campaign.

Christopher E. Urbina, MD, MPH

Chris Urbina, M.D., M.P.H. is the executive director and chief medical officer of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.  He is an associate professor of the Colorado School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine.

At the Department of Public Health and Environment, in addition to his role as the executive director, Dr. Urbina is also responsible for the supervision of the Director of Environmental Programs, Director of Public Health Programs, Director of Community Relations, and the Chief Operating Officer.

Outside of the department, Dr. Urbina is a member of the Association of Teachers of Preventive Medicine and the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Center for Public Health Practice Advisory Committee.

Dr. Urbina received his medical degree from the University of  Colorado School of Medicine, his bachelor’s in biology from Stanford University and his masters in public health from Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health.  In 2010, in 5280 Magazine, he was selected as one of the ”Best Doctors in Public Health and Preventive Medicine,” and he received “Excellence in Public Health Practice” from the Colorado School of Public Health in 2009-2010.  He is board certified in family practice and preventive medicine.

Starting the day without breakfast or coffee; how bad could it be right? By 9 am the headache started, and my desire to cheerfully greet co-workers was well below normal. And, despite having several items on my to-do list that require focused thought, I found myself drawn more to the short and fast items, and my mind was jumping from one task to another even within that list of short tasks.

I know that I would not want to start every day like this. Unfortunately, it is the reality for thousands of Colorado’s kids each day. When a child does not get an adequate breakfast, attention problems, moodiness, headaches, and a lack of interest in learning are the result. I hear about these outcomes frequently as a staff member at Hunger Free Colorado, but to experience them myself brings a new level of desire in seeing universal breakfast in every school in the state.

If you are still unsure of the impact school breakfast has, spend a day in the same situation and see how you feel.

Fired up about hunger in your community? We suggest that you write a letter to your local paper. The goal of getting the newspaper to print your letter is so that your important point will be effectively communicated to the readers.

When you sit down to write your letter, ask yourself: Are you writing on behalf of your school, business, or community, or as an individual? If you are writing in your capacity as representative of another group, you should identify yourself as such. Remember, anyone can write a letter to the editor as an individual, so why shouldn’t you?

Top Ten Tips for Letter Writing

1. Know Your Audience
   When writing to a local newspaper, you can touch on issues specific to your community.
2. Make Reference to a Specific Article
   While some papers print general commentary, many will only print letters that refer to a specific article, opinion piece or editorial. Here are some examples of easy ways to refer to articles in your opening sentence:

-          The Post‘s May 18 editorial “Title of Article” omitted some of the key facts in the debate.

-          I strongly agree with [author's name]‘s view on hunger issues

-          The efforts to roll back nutrition programs ["Title of the Article," date] will harm families and children in Colorado

3. Follow the Guidelines (and be Brief!)
   Different publications prefer different lengths, if you send a letter that is too long, either it won’t be printed, or edits will be made without your input.
4. Keep it Simple
   Be conversational, clear and concise. Settle on one main point and state it up front. Explain the thinking behind your point as simply as possible. If you have facts to back-up your opinion, include them.
5. Personalize Your Message
   The more unique your letter is, the better. It is always best to share a personal story that shows how this issue affects you, your family, or community.
6. Be Passionate and Polite
   The best letters are written by people who care deeply about the subject matter. While your letter can be critical, it should always be written in a civil tone. Avoid language that is insulting or offensive.
7. Proofread, Proofread, Proofread
   Don’t forget to perform spell check on your letter. If you are not completely confident about the tone or content of your letter, or just want another set of eyes to proof for grammar and typos, send it to me at kmoos@hungerfreecolorado.org to read it and make suggestions. I will be happy to help.
8. Include Your Contact Information
   When you send in your letter to the editor, you must include your name, address and daytime phone number. Anonymous letters are not as credible as those that are signed, and the large majority of newspapers will not publish them.
9. Watch for Your Letter
   If your letter is going to be published it will be within the next week (unless you are writing to a news magazine, in which case it should run two or three issues later). Watch for your letter and if it runs, let us know right away. Save the original for yourself and send us a copy by mail or send us a link to it via email.

1. 10.  Post it to Hunger Free Colorado’s Blog

Was Your Letter posted? Congratulations! We will be sure to post links to it on our social media outlets. It wasn’t included in the paper? No big deal. We still care about your opinion and would love to have you submit it to Hunger Free Colorado’s blog as a guest blogger. Not sure what that means? Feel free to contact me for more information.

Adapted from resources from the National Organization for Women and Bread for the World.

Did you know that one of the most important things you can do to end hunger can be completed in about ten minutes? Believe it or not, a simple phone call can change how a Senator or Member of Congress votes, thus impacting the lives of millions of people.

There are a few things to keep in mind when you call your Senator or Representative.

1. Know Why You Are Calling

When you meet a Member of Congress or congressional staffer, it is perfectly appropriate to say, “My name is Jane Doe, I am a constituent, and I care about hunger in our district and in Colorado.” This is a great way to raise general awareness and does not need to be tied to a specific legislative ask.

However, when you call a Member’s office, it is most effective to have a specific ask, such as “Please pass this important piece of legislation that will help thousands of children in our district.”

As anti-hunger advocates, we care about a number of important things, particularly Child Nutrition Reauthorization and the Farm Bill. As the Farm Bill process gets started in the coming year, Hunger Free Colorado will send out action alerts. These will be great ways to practice the steps discussed in this blog post. I’ll be posting more about the Farm Bill in coming months.

2. Call the DC Office

Once you know why you are calling, it’s time to pick up the phone. You can dial the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 or the direct office line. The operator of the switchboard can direct you to both Senators as well as Representatives. Not sure who to call? Click here.

Once the operator answers, ask to be connected to the Member that you are trying to reach. They will send you to your Senator’s or Representative’s office line, and an assistant will answer the phone. They will likely ask your name and zip code, to verify that you live in their district. If you only have a minute, you can tell the receptionist exactly why you are calling. It is his or her job to record the number of calls about a particular issue. If you want to have an in depth conversation, you can ask to speak to the Member or the staffer who works on the particular issue.

3. Speaking to a Congressional Staffer

While occasionally you will have the opportunity to speak to the Senator or Representative directly, more often than not, you will speak to a congressional staffer. This may be the person who answered the phone, or if you request “I would like to speak to the staffer who works on agriculture and food issues,” then the call may be transferred. The staff range in experience and may know a lot or a little about the issue that is important to you.

Remember that it is their job to listen to you and to summarize what you and others have said, so that their boss (the Senators and Representatives) can make an informed decision when voting on legislation. That being said, congressional staffers tend to have very busy and stressful days, so be as respectful and cordial as you can. Do not be offended if they do not have much time to talk, but do be sure to say everything you want, or request a follow up call.

If they don’t answer, leave a voicemail. Be sure to include your name, phone number, and whether or not you want them to call you back.

4. Share Your Opinion – And Your Story

As important pieces of legislation arise, Hunger Free Colorado will provide “talking points” to help steer your message and make sure you cover all the essential points. While staying on message is important to being effective, it is also a good idea to share stories. How does this issue affect you or your family? Have you or someone you know experienced hunger? These stories can resonate with staffers and inspire them to reiterate the importance of hunger to the Member of Congress.

5. Write a Thank You Email

Emails to congressional staffers are a great way to reiterate what you’ve said and provide them with a record of the call. Be sure to include your name, number, city or town, and reference the conversation you had or message you left. Emails can be as simple as this sample below.

Dear Jane:

Thank you for taking the time to discuss the important piece of legislation that will help/harm hungry people in our district. As I mentioned on the phone, this issue is very important to me because as a school teacher I see hungry children every day. If you have any questions or would like to discuss this more, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you,

Joe Smith

6. Spread the Word

Did an email from Hunger Free Colorado inspire you to make this call? Please forward the email to five of your friends. On Facebook and Twitter? Please share or retweet our messages about this issue. Social media is an important advocacy tool. The more you engage your community, the bigger an impact you’ll make.

7. Pat Yourself on the Back

By calling your Senators and Representative, you did one of the most important things that a citizen can do to help others. You participated in the democratic process on behalf of the 900,000 people in Colorado who struggle with hunger. Your call counts – even if the Member ultimately doesn’t vote the way you asked. Your voice can and will make a difference. Thank you!

How can you fight hunger today? By going to our website and filling out a virtual plate.

We’ve already exceeded our goal for the Hungry for Change campaign. We are always ambitious and look forward to bringing in more than 10,000 – so if you have plates to return to us – please contact Bob at Bob@hungerfreecolorado.org or 303-228-7979.

We can’t wait to see your plates!

With just a few months left in our Hungry for Change 10,000 Plates Campaign, the plates are pouring in! Coloradans are fed up with people being hungry and they’re making their voices heard. Check out the amazing work being done in Brighton to get inspired!

We’re touched by the thousands of stories, pictures, statements and signatures. This campaign has energized businesses, restaurateurs, churches, schools and entire communities across Colorado – demonstrating clearly that Coloradans are hungry for change.

Every Plate Counts. Especially Yours! Click Here Now.

Haven’t had a chance to get your plate in yet? No problem. This is your ‘virtual’ chance to tell us what you think about the issue of hunger in Colorado. Tell us your own story or the story of someone you know.  Or tell us why you’re fed up with so many people being hungry in Colorado.  Not feeling wordy?  Just type in “I’m hungry for change” and sign your name.  Your plate will be added to the 10,000 we are collecting and will be unveiled in at a Hungry for Change spring event. Look for your invitation!

It’s not too late to host a plate drive! Order your plate kit today! Email Bob@hungerfreecolorado.org or call Hunger Free Colorado at (720)-328-1284 x250.

Thank you for helping us raise awareness of this issue, and for all you do to end hunger in Colorado.
 

  ]]> http://blog.hungerfreecolorado.org/news/7500-plates-and-counting/feed/ 1 http://blog.hungerfreecolorado.org/food-assistance-program/nutritious-delicious-and-out-of-reach-too-many-families-in-colorado-cannot-afford-fresh-produce/ http://blog.hungerfreecolorado.org/food-assistance-program/nutritious-delicious-and-out-of-reach-too-many-families-in-colorado-cannot-afford-fresh-produce/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:08:52 +0000 Katherine Moos http://blog.hungerfreecolorado.org/?p=434 DENVER – Most people know that fresh fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins and minerals. They are sweet, crunchy, juicy, and refreshing. Adults are generally advised to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily to ensure proper nutrition and a healthy weight. But have you ever noticed that fresh fruits and vegetables aren’t always available or are very expensive?

“A Half-Empty Plate” by the Food Research and Action Center reports that a disturbingly high percentage of Coloradan households – nearly one in 10 – have experienced difficulty obtaining fresh fruits and vegetables. The report contains an analysis of data collected by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index project. Every day since Jan. 2, 2008, interviewers have asked 1,000 households, “In the city or area where you live, is it easy or not easy to get affordable fresh fruits and vegetables?”

To read the full article, visit the 9New website.