by Mickey Smith

 

MORRISTOWN – Through the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, a new group has been formed in Vermont designed to help with hunger related issues around Lamoille County. The group will be patterned after similar organizations formed in Washington and Chittenden County. Among the areas where these two original groups have been working are: raising public awareness, increasing access to meal programs (including in schools, during the summer and at childcare settings) and advocacy and public policy.

About 30 people, who work or are some-how associated with food and eating, from around the county met Thursday, October 2, in the afternoon at Morristown's First Congregational Church in an effort to get something started in this area.

“I've always had a thing about people being hungry ... especially kids,” said Lamoille County Senator Susan Bartlett, who co-chairs the group along with Lamoille Family Center Executive Director Scott Johnson, “It's not alright.”

United Way of Lamoille County Executive Director Dawn Archbold said their research has shown the three biggest needs in Lamoille County to be the “three H's” – housing, heating and hunger.

Dorigen Keeney, of The Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, facilitated the meeting and explained the hunger issue goes further than the notion of a child or adult starving because they do not have enough food to eat. A second issue, called “food insecurity,” is also an issue. This applies to a percentage of the population that may be getting enough quantity of food but the quality is such they are left with poor diets and nutrient deficiencies. She estimated about 18% of Lamoille County's population fits into this category, which is about the state average, as well.  Lamoille Foodshare, one of the food shelves in Lamoille County, said they have doubled their numbers since 2007.

Rebecca Biedler, of Vermont Foodbank, said they have been working with food nutrition education to help people add better choices into their diet.

“Just because you have it, doesn't mean folks are going to eat it,” she said.

Schools were one area that was discussed as a possible place to introduce more healthy, and fresh and local, choices into the diets of children.

“We pay farmers to not plant, why can't we pay to plant more and get it to the kids,” said Jon Lussier, a farmer from Hardwick.

Children are not the only demographic at risk because of the issue. Members of the committee pointed out issues involving the older population of the community where diet/eating habits may not be as big a part of the issue as money.

“We know there are people who have to pick meals or meds,” said Lamoille Home Health and Hospice Executive Director Kathy Demars.

Elaine Willard, of Bradley's Food Shelf, said they are not seeing the elderly at the food shelf.  She said they are not stocked for the needs of the elderly.

Bartlett said a next meeting will be scheduled for sometime this winter, probably in January.  In the meantime, she said they will be working on helping each other with some individual projects. She said through email they will be able to keep each other posted on projects going on around the area. One of these projects, she noted, was food baskets and turkeys for the holidays.  She said the food shelves hope to give out 600 food baskets this year, an ambitious number they hope can be reached with assistance from connections made through this group.

Also on tap will be upcoming speakers/programs on specific areas of concern.  Bartlett said they are already planning discussions around special needs for elders and school meals.