By Lindsay Street, Statehouse correspondent | Combatting the state’s high obesity level and food insecurity could come from a surprising source: your local library.
That’s the hope of a new statewide initiative from the S.C. State Library, Read Eat Grow. It focuses on “food literacy,” a phrase that equates learning to read with learning about food from farm to table, including how its grown, nutritional information, how to cook and serve it, and what to do with leftovers.
“We know for a fact that hungry kids do not learn,” State Library youth services consultant Rebecca Antill of St. Matthews said. “If we as a public libraries are concerned about our educational outcomes … then we have to take a step back and address some of those basic needs. Give them the information and the knowledge to make healthy choices.”
In South Carolina, one in five children lives in poverty, according to the Annie E. Casey Foundation. And the live in food insecure homes, according to Feeding America. Another stat: The obesity rate is 34.3 percent of adults, according to national obesity reporting outlet the State of Obesity.
And the local library — known for its books and free wifi, but not necessarily eating-friendly policies — seemed a natural fit to Antill and others because it’s a meeting place for food-related service.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, for example, holds classes statewide for food stamp beneficiaries. Often, the classes are held at local libraries. DHEC policy systems and environmental change coordinator Quin Knox called libraries “no brainer” locations for nutrition programs.
“Community libraries are like cornerstones and hubs for communities. A lot of our low income participants frequent the library a lot for various services,” she said.
DHEC also has partnered with the State Library on Read Eat Grow’s programs, like SC Plants the Seed, which focuses on giving communities better access to locally grown food and understanding nutrition.
“(Libraries) felt more connected to their patrons,” Knox said. “And, from patrons’ perspective, they were so happy to have a one-stop shop.”
Antill called Read Eat Grow an “umbrella” that will house many programs dealing with food, growing and nutrition.
The Read Eat Grow initiative had its official kickoff this week, but perhaps you’ve seen food-focused programs at your library, such as Plants the Seed or the mobile kitchen.
Of the state’s 43 libraries, roughly half already have or are continuing some part of the Read Eat Grow initiative, Antill said. The Read Eat Grow initiative has been piloting programs in communities for the past year, including with its mobile kitchen, called Charlie Cart.
In other S.C. news:
More oversight needed. The state’s Medicaid agency has failed to have health care providers report and therefore verify qualifications for people approving child behavioral care in the state, according to a state legislative audit evaluating the S.C. Department of Health and Human Services’ child behavioral health released this week. The report looked at a number of objectives, including the effects of introducing managed care organizations to behavioral services for children on July 1, 2017. The report found, “Despite delegating responsibility for the care of children with behavioral health diagnoses to private, for-profit managed care companies, DHHS does not know the names and qualifications of every person who participates in the screening and authorization approval process … We have heard numerous accounts of children denied authorization for initial or continued treatment.”
Senate selects education funding committee. S.C. Senate Education Committee Chairman Greg Hembree, R-Horry, appointed this week a special committee to evaluate the state’s education funding formula. The committee is currently reviewing the House-passed education overhaul bill, which does not address the funding formulas. Hembree said the committee will review what revisions can be made to increase flexibility for district spending. The first meeting is slated for Oct. 23. Greenville Republican Sen. Ross Turner will chair. Members include: Senate Majority Leader Shane Massey, R-Edgefield; Senate Minority Leader Nikki Setzler, D-Lexington; Senators Tom Young, R-Aiken; Rex Rice, R-Pickens; Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw; and Gerald Malloy, D-Darlington.
Speaking of education funding analysis. The S.C. Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office is expected to report on its education funding analysis early next month. The report was delayed from the Sept. 12 meeting. The report was requested by Gov. Henry McMaster, Senate President Harvey Peeler and House Speaker Jay Lucas in January of this year. The top lawmakers sought for the report to be provided to them “no later than May 9.”
Funds for 205 SROs released. S.C. Department of Education released the $11.8 million in state-appropriated funding for 205 school resource officers — putting “us within reach of meeting our goal for having an SRO in every school,” state Superintendent Molly Spearman said in a press release. All 81 public school districts and the state’s two charter school district will have one to four officers paid for with the state money. See the list of SROs being funded by school district here.
S.C. taxes listed as ‘penalizing’ for marriage. The Tax Foundation listed South Carolina as one of 15 states with a so-called “marriage penalty,” which is defined as when a state’s income brackets for married taxpayers filing jointly are less than double the bracket widths that apply to single filers. According to the nonprofit, under a marriage penalty, married business owners are subject to higher effective tax rates on their business income than they would be otherwise.
2020 candidate calendar
Throughout the campaign season, we are working to keep South Carolina informed of candidate events in the state. Have an event you want us to know about? Email us at 2020news@statehousereport.com.
Warren comes to Rock Hill. Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren will speak at a Rock Hill Town Hall 3:45 p.m. Sept. 28 at Clinton College. RSVP here.
Booker plans two events in Midlands. Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker will be at two Midlands events on Sept. 29: 1 p.m. Booker Block Party at Cory 2020 SC HQ in Columbia, and 3 p.m. kickoff event for U.S. Senate Democratic challenger hopeful Jaime Harrison at Memorial Plaza in Orangeburg.
Blue Jamboree. Thousands are expected to attend the all-day Oct. 5 Blue Jamboree held by the Charleston County Democratic Party at The Bend, 3775 Azalea Drive, in North Charleston. Sponsors of the event include these presidential candidates: Joe Biden, Pete Buttigieg, Tulsi Gabbard and Bernie Sanders, as well as Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, Tom Steyer, Cory Booker, Andrew Yang, Michael Bennet and Julian Castro. Tickets are $20.
Bullock makes stop in Columbia. Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock will meet with Carol and Don Fowler of Columbia 1 p.m. Oct. 6. To RSVP, contact Mike Mendoza at Mendoza@SteveBullock.com or 949-735-7515.
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