I was wondering what the City of Orlando was doing with the old Amway Arena when the new event center opened up. Well on Friday Project Homeless Connect used the building for service organizations such as ourselves to provide assistance to individuals.

Our Benefits Connection food stamp outreach team was on center court prescreening and assisting individuals with their applications.

Last year our Benefits Connection team assisted clients in accessing more than $14 million in food stamp benefits. Looks like they’re going to have to find space in the new arena’s rafters to hang our jersey.

Brady Koch
Director of Agency Relations & Programs

Your support of Second Harvest Food Bank has made an impact in lives of thousands of Central Florida seniors, children, and families this past year.

Here’s a look at our accomplishments:

- Second Harvest distributed 24,764,248 pounds of food to more than 500 partner feeding programs in our 6 county-wide service area.

- Our Kids Cafe program served, prepared or catered meals to 164,155 children at 13 kids cafe’s in 3 counties.

- During the summer, we served 43,188 meals for school age children at 17 sites in Orange County through our Summer Feeding program. Through a grant from ConAgra we were also able to provide the kids with 15,773 take-home, shelf-stable food packs for the weekends.

- Our Hi-Five Kids packs program distributed 31,245 shelf-stable food packs to needy children at 18 elementary schools. These packs are designed to help bridge the nutritional gap that exists during weekends, when children lack access to school cafeterias.

- An amazing 1,227,100 pounds of non-perishable grocery products were collected in fiscal 2009/2010 through our Community Food Drives.

- Our Benefits Connection program secured over $14 million in food stamp benefits for Central Floridians. In addition to food stamp benefits, our specialists also signed clients up for Medicaid and Cash Assistance, and provided referrals to a network of collaborating agencies.

- Second Harvest Food Bank set up an online advocacy center and urged congressional leaders to fully fund and pass Child Nutrition Reauthorization. The Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill was passed last week in Congress!

Whether you volunteered, gave a special gift, contacted your elected officials, or simply were part of our online community, YOU helped thousands of Central Floridians this year. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Dave Krepcho
President & CEO

Recently, one of our Benefits Connection Outreach Specialists shared a story that puts a face on someone in need in Central Florida. It shatters the stereotype of who we think may be in need of something so basic as food.

There are so many reasons why people require food assistance. There are thousands of these stories.

Last year alone, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida reached 732,000 different  individuals (many of them multiple times) that were in need of food. People suffering from the poor economy, folks under-employed, kids who need proper nutrition, the disabled and senior citizens on fixed incomes.

If you have supported Second Harvest, thank you, we need your continued partnership. If you are checking us out for the first time and considering support, thank you.

It’s through the generosity of many folks that make our work possible. For every dollar donated, we distribute $9 worth of groceries. 96 cents of every dollar goes directly to feeding people…quite a “Return On Investment”. It’s amazing and it’s a fact.

Please join us in being part of the solution to hunger – it’s a rewarding experience. It’s always healthy to put things in perspective.

Dave Krepcho
President/CEO

This summer, we’ve provided Central Florida kids with over 42,000 meals at a variety of community programs through the Summer Food Service Program. Additionally we reach thousands of children through our Benefits Connection food stamp outreach program.

The USDA is considering a pilot program that will merge both programs into a benefit hybrid that is designed to provide children with food during the Summer when they don’t have access to the Free and Reduced Meal Program.

News Article: 16 Million Hungry Kids, 1 New Idea for Feeding Them

 What do you think of the idea? It could potentially reach many more children, but what about the accountability of the EBT cards? Hopefully Florida will participate in the pilot and we can provide even more meals to kids next summer.

Brady Koch
Director of Agency Relations & Programs

40.8 Million Americans are now participating in the food stamp program.

Here in Florida, it’s now called Food Assistance Program (FAP). We’re seeing the increased need in our Benefits Connection team. Last year we generated $14 million in annualized food stamps for Central Floridians. In July, we served more individuals than ever before and the demand is continuing to grow.

Article from The Boston Globe: Food stamp use hit record 40.8m in May

Want to see how our Benefits Connection program works? We were fortunate enough to be profiled on WFTV recently.

Watch WFTV’s Family Connection report: http://www.wftv.com/video/24443772/index.html

Brady Koch
Director of Agency Relations & Programs

Position Title: Benefits Connection Specialist
Submit resume by Friday, July 9 
Reports to: Benefits Connection Manager

Position Summary: Administers assistance to people at a variety of convenient locations and provides user-friendly advice and electronic, on-line benefit application aid. Provides guidance through understanding benefits as well as acts as a liaison for future client follow up and communication. Maintains an up-to-date knowledge and understanding of policy issues related to a broad range of human services, including Food Stamps, EITC, KidCare, WIC and Medicaid.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Provide detailed explanation of benefits.
2. Assist those eligible with online applications for:

a. Food Stamps
b. KidCare
c. Medicaid

3. Perform as liaison for future client follow up and communication.
4. Outreach to working poor, families and seniors as well as Hispanic and immigrant populations.
5. Ongoing monitoring of Federal and State policy to ensure barriers and/or opportunities are being communicated to the Manager.
6. Maintain and update records and reports for all applications produced.
7. Proper communication with such partners as ACCESS Florida and the Department of Children and Families (DCF).

Job Specifications
1. High School Diploma or equivalent.
2. One year of equivalent outreach experience.
3. Computer and web application literacy (Word, Excel, Outlook, etc.)
4. Commitment to understanding and supporting SHFB’s mission; shows compassion and an appreciation for hunger issues.
5. Proper and effective communication skills to communicate with partner agencies as well as those in need of the Benefits Connection Program.
6. Excellent organization skills.
7. Detail oriented.
8. Bi-lingual is preferred. (Spanish, Creole)
9. Ability to utilize provided laptop for research and application processes.
10. Willingness to travel to various Central Florida locations.
11. Standing, walking and traveling as needed.
12. Reliable insured vehicle.
13. Successfully pass pre-employment drug test screening, Level II Background Check and driving record check.

Competencies

• Anticipation/Proactive Thinking
• Is able to analyze and anticipate changes at a worksite that could potentially affect his/her work goals, and plans how to deal with them
• Develops contingency plans and consults them with the supervisor
• Paces himself/herself to meet goals or deadlines
• Demonstrates and pursues knowledge, competency and expertise in work, as well as a proactive approach to problem solving
• Customer Focus
• Always seeks to achieve excellence in customer service, quickly responds to situations and returns phone calls
• Empathizes with people while maintaining clear boundaries and objectivity
• Treats clients and co-workers with respect and dignity regardless of race, color, creed and/or personal circumstances
• Always protects and maintains the client’s confidentiality
• Communication
• Consistently keeps clients, partner sites and agency management informed
• Follows the chain of command
• Develops and builds excellent working relations and collaboration with partner agencies and other groups
• Speaks positively of the Agency and refers concerns to next level of management
• Dependability / Attendance
• Can be relied on to show to up to their worksite on time
• Works independently with minimum coaching
• Can always be expected to follow through with commitments
• Manages personal and sick leave appropriately and provides reasonable notice of leave of absence whenever possible
•  Taking Initiative / Responsibility
• Goes the extra mile whenever necessary or appropriate
• Asks for help from others when a goal or a deadline is unlikely to be met alone
• Takes responsibility for their actions and uses criticism to improve and learn
• Teamwork Ability
• Listens to others, communicates effectively
• Anticipates the needs of coworkers and supports team members agency-wide
• Volunteers to assist or support fellow employees
• Has a positive “can do” attitude and encourages a strong, inclusive team spirit
• Work Production / Organization
• Consistently meets goals, targets and deadlines
• Consistently produces reliable reports that are free of errors
• Provides good record keeping and consistent maintenance to his/her caseload
• Consistently maintains a level of outreach activity that keeps his/her schedule full
• Results Focus
• Is quick to identify and put a stop to wasted effort that does not produce valuable results
• Challenges themselves to raise performance standards and aim for higher targets
• Is open and receptive to feedback and coaching, and follows through with recommendations
• Works positively and effectively in highly confusing or ambiguous circumstances

Working Conditions:
Primarily mobile, with meetings at convenient locations throughout the community. Occasional office environment.

Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills of personnel so classified.

Please send resume or questions to Nitza Colon at NColon@foodbankcentralflorida.org

Two weeks ago our Benefits Connection team participated in Project Homeless Connect at Discovery Church. Homeless Services Network of Central Florida organizes local nonprofits for these events so that the Homeless can receive a variety of services at one convenient stop. In addition to our food stamp outreach, guests were able to receive clothing, blankets, haircuts and more.

Our tables were busy for the entire day. I’m sure the cold and the rain helped encourage people to come inside for a few hours to learn about the public benefits they may qualify for. After seeing the impact this event has for the clients first hand, we will definitely continue to participate in Project Homeless Connect.

Brady Koch
Director of Agency Relations and Programs

Our Benefits Connection food stamp outreach program is making a positive difference for those in our community every day. The average monthly benefit from one of our food stamp applications is $223. Receiving food stamp assistance is the boost many families need while bouncing back from unemployment and other life-changing events.

Through the success of our program, we’ve found ourselves in the national spotlight. Last week the newly appointed Deputy Administrator for Food and Nutrition Service visited Second Harvest with other VIP officials from the USDA in addition to the food stamp team from local Department of Children and Families. They were thrilled with the stats we shared tracking the growth and impact of our food stamp program.

We love being able to share the success of our programs with all types of audiences.

Why don’t you come down to a Food for Thought and learn about all of the ways that we’re fighting hunger in Central Florida? We’ll give you the VIP tour.

Left to Right: Janet Foggs, Don Arnett, Sharron Washington, Lisa Pino, Dave Krepcho, Sandrene Stevens, Peggy Fouts, Nitza Colon, Yours Truly, Tom Sallette

Janet Foggs is a Government Operations Consultant, Don Arnett is the Regional Director for USDA Southeast, Sharron Washington is Circuit 9 ACCESS Operations Manager, Lisa Pino is USDA Deputy Administrator of Food and Nutrition Service, Sandrene Stevens is DCF Program Administrator for Orange County, Peggy Fouts is the Director for the Food and Nutrition Assistance Program for USDA Southeast Region and Tom Salette is Program Specialist for DCF.

Brady Koch
Director of Agency Relations & Programs