Salinas Californian

Laird, others honored for food stamp support

Staff report

Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, actor Jeff Bridges, and four other Californians were honored Thursday with awards for their special accomplishments in strengthening the Food Stamp Program in California.

The Food Stamp Program is the nation’s best defense against poor nutrition; however, California ranks last in the country for reaching working families with food stamp benefits.

More than 2 million low-income Californians are eligible for food stamps but do not receive them. California loses out on more than $2 billion of federal help as a result of this poor participation.

The Stampy Awards acknowledge efforts to improve California’s food stamp performance and to attract more of these federal nutrition resources.

Laird received the state policymaker award for his efforts to remove paperwork and other hassles which prevent low-income Californians from accessing the nutrition benefits provided by the program. The award also acknowledged his successful legislation to establish a computer system ensuring that needy children receiving food stamps are also enrolled in free school meals without additional paperwork burdens.

Bridges, a Santa Barbara resident, is a leader in the effort to improve nutrition through the organization he founded, “End Hunger Network.” He lent his talents to a video commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Food Stamp Program, which was a valuable tool to educate policymakers on the importance of the program.

The “Stampy Awards” were made at the 9th Annual Food Stamp Forum, held this year in the historic Crest Theater in downtown Sacramento. Nominations for the awards were made by peers and were subject to a popular vote. Other winners included:

-Legislative Aide Liz Mooney from Assemblyman Mark Leno’s office won the Award for Best Performance by a State Employee, Non-Elected, particularly for her attempts to remove the finger imaging requirement from the Food Stamp Program and for her leadership on successful legislation to increase access to fresh produce for food stamp recipients.

-Mary Sawicki from Calaveras County won the Award for Best Performance by a County Employee or Official for her efforts to make the Food Stamp Program more accessible in a rural community.

-Tia Anzellotti of the San Diego Hunger Coalition shared the Award for Best Performance by an Advocate with Mr. Bridges. National reports have identified San Diego as having the lowest program access in the country; Ms. Anzellotti is leading the charge to turn things around.

-Casey McKeever won the Lifetime Achievement Award. Mr. McKeever has been an advocate for food stamps for over two decades, first with the Western Center on Law and Poverty and later with the Assembly Human Services Committee. Mr. McKeever was at the center of every major food stamp battle in recent history, most notably, the successful effort to allow low-income families the opportunity to own a reliable car and receive food stamps. Prior to Mr. McKeever’s efforts, needy people were denied help because they owned a car valued at more than $4,650.

Information: www.cfpa.net/2008stampyawardsofficialballot.htm