Recently my job responsibilities expanded to include supervision of a few people around the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. One of those folks, Emily, is a HarvestCorps member and works in the Direct Service Office. Her primary goals for this year of service include enrollong individuals in the programs supported by the OBB, spreading the word about the program, and other activities to connect people with the help they need.
Supervising Emily is difficult because everytime I need to get in touch she is busy with a client. Helping them with the completion of applications, scanning documents to the local JFS office, reading through mail with clients, looking for other resources with clients... the list goes on. When Emily and I finally do have time to touch base I am always interested to hear about her work. Each and every client she works with presents a new story, a unique set of circumstances, and each situation demands some kind of reasonable deviation from the 'norm' to have their needs met. Emily's refusal to accept that every client will fit into standard format, and her insistence that everyone deserves thoughtful, individualized, service is part of what makes her so good at her job.
Earlier this week some interesting facts came across my Inbox. Characteristics of SNAP Households. Some of my preconceived notions were challenged by this data, look it over for yourself and think about the clients your OBB site is serving. Are you outreaching to the "right group of people"? Are you missing folks? Do your processes and procedures address the needs of those in need? Can your agency be a little more flexible in one way or another to help these families, with their unique situations, get the assistance they need. The full report can be found at
http://www.fns.usda.gov/ora/menu/Published/SNAP/SNAP.htm, a summary is below:
Of SNAP recipients in Ohio (see pages 71 to 83 of the attached):
• 41.3% had gross countable income below 50% of the FPL
• 46.9% had incomes between 51 and 100%
• 11.7% had incomes above 101%
• Their average monthly shelter expense was $618.00
• 49.7% were children (309,000)
• 14.4% were elderly (90,000)
• 25.9% were disabled, nonelderly (161,000)
• 32.1% were single adults with children (200,000)
• 9.7% were non-elderly, non-disabled childless adults (60,000)
• 10.9% received TANF (68,000)
• 2.1% received General Assistance (13,000)
• 26.6% received Social Security Insurance (166,000)
• 22.9% received Social Security (142,000)
• 26.5% received earned income (165,000; average gross earnings were $894.00 a month)
• 17.6% were preschool-age children (238,000)
• 28.5% were school-age children (385,000)
• 46.9% were non elderly adults (625,000)
• 7% were elderly adults (94,000)
• 4.7% were non-elderly, non-disabled, childless households (64,000)
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