The Interfaith Voices Against Hunger (IVAH)/Feed the Solution program engages religious and civic leaders, people facing food insecurity, and community members interested in advocating for intensified government action to alleviate hunger.

IVAH works to expand and simplify access to food stamps and other government nutrition assistance programs; support the passage of living wage and minimum-wage legislation; increase government support for food pantries and soup kitchens; and support the ability of low-income people to move towards economic self-sufficiency. IVAH provides a forum to empower people living in food insecure communities to find solutions to food access and hunger issues.

At the state and city level, IVAH has worked to oppose state budget cuts in the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), to oppose city cuts to the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP), and continues to fight against the finger-imaging requirement that allows New York City to be one of only four localities nation-wide that forces families to be finger-printed for food stamps.

To help the Coalition Against Hunger's advocacy efforts, call Kerry Birnbach at 212-825-0028 x212 or kbirnbach@nyccah.org and sign up below to receive our action alerts.

Partnerships: As a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Faith Based Coalition to End Childhood Obesity, the IVAH Coordinator also leads Faith Leaders for Food Justice, a collaborative working group with representatives from Cathedral Community Cares, the Church of the Holy Trinity, Faith House Manhattan, Hazon, New York Faith and Justice, WE ACT for Environmental Justice, and the West Harlem Action Network Against Poverty (WHANAP). This group works to pro-actively engage faith leaders in improving access to healthy food for the Harlem community. In particular, our goals are:

• Support quality food standards in the New York City FRESH Initiative
• Advocate for a strong federal Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act which includes guidelines and funding for WIC, school breakfast, school lunches, and school snacks.
• Advocate for new supermarkets above 125th Street on the West side and 96th Street on the East side;
• Increase outreach to help families in Harlem receive the food stamps benefits for which they are entitled;
• Engage more faith based communities in advocacy to support policies that can end hunger; and
• Encourage community supported agriculture projects and urban agriculture to increase the availability of locally produced food in New York City.

Goals:
As a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's Faith Based Coalition to End Childhood Obesity, IVAH has worked to support the economic stimulus package that would provide $20 billion to SNAP and to build a campaign for a strong Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act.

At the state and city level, IVAH has worked to oppose state budget cuts in the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), to oppose city cuts to the Emergency Food Assistance Program (EFAP), and continues to fight against the finger-imaging requirement that allows New York City to be one of only four localities nation-wide that forces families to be finger-printed for food stamps.

IVAH also works directly in Emergency Food Programs in Community Action Boards (CABs) throughout the City, including: Yorkville Common Pantry, Broadway Community, Inc., Part of the Solution, and St. John's Bread and Life, Project Hospitality, Child Development Support Corporation and Hour Children. The CABs are comprised of current EFP guests and work to improve the internal operations of agencies and to engage guests - who are often food-insecure - in policy debates.

Through bimonthly meeting, CAB members have become involved in local, state, and federal food policy debates. They have met with elected officials and community leaders, including USDA Under Secretary Kevin Concannon and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz. Earlier this year, a group CAB members attended 2009 National Anti-Hunger Policy Conference, sponsored by Food Research and Action Center, Feeding America, and the national Child and Adult Care Food Program Forum in Washington D.C.

Get involved in your local Community Action Board. Contact Michael Paone at 212-825-0028 x 215 or mpaone@nyccah.org

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