Fiscal Year 2008 - Outreach Grants
Summary of Funded Projects

The following organizations received outreach grants from the Food and Nutrition Service in fiscal year 2008. A brief summary of each grant project is provided.

  Archdiocese of Philadelphia, $73,162

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Target Area: Four zip code areas of West Philadelphia, PA
Target Population: Seniors

Project Summary: Our Mother of Sorrows (OMS) and St. Ignatius (SI) Churches will use its volunteers to do peer-to-peer outreach to seniors who are part of the religious community, receive assistance from OMS/SI programs, attend a local religious center, live at a local senor apartment complex, attend a local community center, or hear about the outreach program in the media or from a friend. They will be offering “one-stop” registration for supplemental nutrition assistance benefits as well as submitting applications online for clients and helping applicants eradicate potential barriers in the process.

  Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Arlington, Inc., $75,000

Location: Alexandria, VA
Target Area: 8 cities and 21 counties in the Commonwealth of Virginia
Target Population: Seniors

Project Summary: Volunteers from St. Martin de Porres’ nutrition and outreach programs will work with local human service agencies to educate seniors about supplemental nutrition assistance benefits, conduct eligibility pre-screening, and remove barriers to participation. Through the project, other organizations will be trained to provide these services to sustain the outreach work after the end of the grant.

  Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, $75,000

Location: New Orleans, LA
Target Area: Orleans and Jefferson Parishes, LA
Target Population: Hispanics

Project Summary: Through the use of their Hispanic Apostolate Health Promoters Program, Catholic Charities will address education and outreach together. Their outreach, an adaptation of the Kingsley House model, will be done door to door by community health workers trained by the Louisiana Office of Family Support and by establishing “enrollment clinics” at various gathering places in the community.

  Catholic Charities of Portland, OR, $73,316

Location: Portland, OR
Target Area: Multnomah, Clackamas and Washington Counties, Oregon
Target Population: Hispanic Seniors

Project Summary: Catholic Charities will embed their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance outreach project in their existing social service programs which have been addressing the needs of the Hispanic community in the Portland area for 25 years. In addition, they will partner with Loaves and Fishes - the local Meals on Wheels provider – and Providence Health Systems’ church-based Spanish-language Promotores de Salud as well as address low literacy by using fotonovelas in conjunction with FNS outreach materials.

  Community Action Committee of Cape Cod and Islands, Inc., $74,306

Location: Hyannis, MA
Target Area: Barnstable County, MA
Target Population: Seniors

Project Summary: Using a peer-to-peer outreach model, volunteers will pre-screen potential clients at outreach events or local food pantries or senior centers. Volunteers will then follow up with applicants to assure that verifications are being gathered, appointments are scheduled and attended, and education is provided on using benefit cards. Essentially, seniors will be supported through the entire application process.

  Community Services and Employment Training (CSET), $75,000

Location: Visalia, CA
Target Area: Tulare, Madera, Fresno and Kings Counties, CA
Target Population: Hispanics

Project Summary: Working through its 12 offices in Tulare County, CSET will refer potential applicants from its other assistance programs, such as health fairs, community meetings, and lunch programs. They will hold weekly application assistance workshops and provide personal assistance completing forms in English and Spanish. In addition, CSET will promote Supplemental Nutrition Assistance benefits on popular local radio and television programs in Spanish.

  Desert Mission, Inc., $29,673

Location: Phoenix, AZ
Target Area: 15 zip codes in north Phoenix, AZ
Target Population: Hispanics

Project Summary: Desert Mission will offer pre-screening of potentially eligible individuals at their food bank and assist them with enrolling in the program. In addition, “awareness education” will be provided by bilingual staff at strategic locations in the community, such as, schools, Head Start programs, low-income apartment complexes, businesses that hire or cater to the local Hispanic population, and an annual community festival.

  Genesee County Community Action Resource Department, $75,000

Location: Flint, MI
Target Area: Genesee County, MI
Target Population: Seniors

Project Summary: Genesee County Community Action Resource Department, a large community action agency established in 1964, will utilize its network of program services to increase awareness of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, conduct prescreening activities and facilitate enrollment. They will coordinate with seven existing programs utilized by seniors, outreach at a county-wide annual event called Senior Power Day, and coordinate with other senior advocacy organizations in the county.

  Highland County Community Action Organization, Inc., $55,945

Location: Hillsboro, OH
Target Area: Highland County, OH
Target Population: Seniors

Project Summary: Highland County Community Action Organization will conduct an educational campaign through radio, newspapers and distribution of outreach material to businesses and organizations patronized by seniors. In addition, outreach workers will make presentations at churches, community events, and senior centers where they will offer eligibility pre-screening and application assistance.

  Hispanic Unity of Florida, Inc., $72,405

Location: Hollywood, FL
Target Area: Broward County, FL
Target Population: Hispanics

Project Summary: Culturally competent outreach specialists with “traveling offices” will provide direct access to prescreening and assistance with online applications at high traffic areas such as worship centers and supermarkets frequented by Hispanic populations. In addition, Hispanic Unity will conduct focused outreach in conjunction with an annual EITC initiative and will work with the Million Meals Committee of Broward County and other organizations to establish a referral network.

  Lake County Board of County Commissioners, $67,020

Location: Tavares, FL
Target Area: Lake County, FL
Target Population: Seniors

Project Summary: Lake County will recruit, train and support volunteers to increase awareness among seniors of supplemental nutrition assistance benefits and assist low income seniors with online applications. In addition, they will develop collaborations with community-based organizations serving seniors in the county to develop “one-stop sites” to maintain access to benefits beyond the time frame of the grant project.

  Latin American Research and Service Agency (LARASA), $75,000

Location: Denver, CO
Target Area: Denver Metropolitan Area, CO
Target Population: Hispanics

Project Summary: LARASA will use a grassroots outreach approach supported by some paid and earned media targeted at Spanish-language outlets viewed as credible sources by their target population. Using the Promotora model, outreach workers will meet with potential enrollees in their own neighborhoods and gathering places to educate them about the benefits of the program, conduct pre-screening, and assist with the application process. Seven partner organizations have been enlisted to serve as distribution points for literature as well as points of contact for communicating with potential recipients.

  Laredo-Webb County Food Bank, Inc., $75,000

Location: Laredo, TX
Target Area: Webb County, TX
Target Population: Hispanic Seniors

Project Summary: GIS mapping of local poverty and demographic statistics is one of the methods that will be used to determine the most likely areas of the city for effective outreach. Application assistance will be provided at Food Bank member agencies, community centers, senior centers, Housing Authority sites, and distribution sites of the Commodity Supplemental Food Program. Outreach efforts will be supplemented by a public education campaign using broadcast, direct appeal and promotional strategies.

  New York City Department for the Aging, $74,882

Location: New York, NY
Target Area: 6 Community Districts spanning Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn, NY
Target Population: Hispanic Seniors

Project Summary: The community-based education and outreach approach will include pre-screening, counseling and application assistance given to Hispanic seniors and their families. Outreach workers will be stationed at twelve EatWell outreach sites (also multi-service centers) in partnership with community-based organizations. In addition, the project intends to build the capacity of the local aging service delivery system for ongoing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program outreach by creating a learning network for service providers and developing a best practices manual.

Last modified: 11/21/2008