O U R S O L U T I O NENDING CHILDHOOD HUNGERWITH LEADERSHIP AND COLLABORATIONUnlike with other serious social ills, America has the resources, the know-howand the programs to end childhood hunger. Share Our Strength has a specificvision to achieve this goal by finding at-risk children and surrounding them withnutritious food wherever they are.Our Philosophy:CREATE LEADERS,LEVERAGE LEADERSHIPShare Our Strength hasearned a reputation as oneof America’s most effectivenonprofits by innovativelycreating long-term leadersin the fight against hungerand poverty, and then leveragingthat leadership at thelocal level for the benefit ofcommunities as well as thenation at large.It is this distinguishingstrength that wecontinue to harnessin meeting our goalto end childhoodhunger in America.This fiscal year, Share Our Strength appliedthis philosophy to generate and grantfunds to support 279 domestic organizationsin the following areas: food assistance,nutrition education, advocacy, economicself- sufficiency, Gulf Coast hurricanerelief, and summer and afterschool feedingprograms. All of these play an important rolein ending childhood hunger.Our Strategy:COLLABORATE TO SURROUNDEVERY CHILD, STATE BY STATEThis fiscal year, ShareOur Strength put inplay its national strategyand supporting plan toend childhood hungerin America.Ours is a state-by-state strategy designed tosurround every child with nutritious foodwhere they live, learn and play.In essence, our strategy is to literallyclose the gaps in the system by doingthree things:1. Increase access to the public andprivate programs that can providefood to those who need it2. Strengthen the communityinfrastructure for getting healthyfood to children3. Teach families how to get the mostnutrition out of a limited budgetFirst, we are focusing on the areas with thegreatest need: California, the District ofColumbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, NewYork, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texasand Washington state; in the Gulf Coast,the Rio Grande, and Appalachia; and onNative American reservations.In each state, we collaborate with thebest community organizations to createstate-specific plans; build state and localleadership in public and private sectorsto take ownership of the plan; convenestate and local officials, businesses, schooladministrations and nonprofits to takean active role in their state’s plan; and,importantly, build capacity of a singlestatewide organization to monitor andimplement the plan, for the long term.This fiscal year, we applied this strategyin Washington, D.C., by collaboratingwith D.C. Hunger Solutions and the FoodResearch and Action Center to launch ThePlan to End Childhood Hunger in theNation’s Capital, the first plan of its kind inAmerica. This 10-point plan will serve as anational model for subsequent state plans.OUR FOCUS FIRST IS ONAdditionally, Share Our Strength continuedto apply this leadership philosophy to raisefunds that supported 13 international organizationsin their work to advance sustainabledevelopment in their communities.LAUNCH OF THE PLAN TOEND CHILDHOOD HUNGER IN THE NATION’S CAPITALS H A R E O U R S T R E N G T H A N N U A L R E P O R T F Y 2 0 0 6 6
O U R S O L U T I O NNEW ORLEANS’ LOWER NINTH WARDOur Plan:10 GOALS LEADING TOSELF-SUFFICIENCYIn every state that adoptsShare Our Strength’sstrategy to end childhoodhunger, we work withcommunity leaders andorganizations to developcustomized plans thatboth achieve the following10 goals and reflect thespecific needs andstrengths of each state.As each goal is met,families move closerto self-sufficiency, andtheir children fartheraway from a legacyof hunger.The 10 goals of our plan to endchildhood hunger in America:1. Provide all children with a healthybreakfast2. Encourage healthy food choices3. Help families meet needs at homewith food stamps4. Improve the economic security ofworking families5. Increase families’ access to fresh,affordable produce in their ownneighborhoods6. Help afterschool programs providehealthy meals and snacks7. Expand the reach of summer mealsprograms8. Ensure access to balanced,nutritious diets for all pregnantwomen and preschool children9. Ensure access to nutritious food inshelters and food pantries10. Provide comprehensive publiceducation about availableresources and assistanceRIO GRANDE VALLEY, N.M, HINGES OF HOPE TOURTHE STATES WITH THE GREATEST NEED.RIO GRANDE VALLEY, N.M, HINGES OF HOPE TOURLAUNCH OF THE PLAN TO END CHILDHOODHUNGER IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL7O U R S O L U T I O N