FACTSHEET:
NEW VISIONS AND THE HUNGER PROJECT OF ULSTER COUNTY
Map of Food Pantries, Supermarkets & UCAT Bus Routes - click for Interactive Version
Fact #1: There are nutritionally deprived, hungry people in our county, the number is increasing and there is reason to conclude this number will increase for the foreseeable future.
Fact #2: There are enough resources for every man, woman and child in the county to be adequately, nutritionally well fed.
If the resources are existent, then why is #1 still a fact?
UlsterCorps has been struggling with this problem. We have been engaged in addressing the problem with other wonderful, hardworking and creative partners. We believe we have discovered that the county lacks a comprehensive, systematic plan for addressing the problem of hunger in our area. We also think we have recently come up with a potential solution.
UlsterCorps has developed a reputation for being an organization that facilitates successful collaborations between and in conjunction with other organizations. We are now intent on turning our attention to the work of eliminating hunger in Ulster County.
To that end, we have asked for and received a commitment from the Ulster County BOCES New Visions Health Class to take on the task of developing a comprehensive “blueprint” illustrating there can be adequate, nutritious food accessible every day, for every man, woman and child in Ulster County.
The New Visions Students are a remarkable group of highly motivated, self-actualizing students in their senior year of high school. They are enrolled in a competitive program of intensive study in a particular career area. The students apply and are selected for this program from component school districts throughout Ulster County. Students in the New Visions Health class believe at this time in their lives their career choice is in the field of the health professions. Sixty percent of their school year is dedicated to hands-on, internship experiences in these professional areas. The class meets for both academic classes, planning and critical debriefing in Benedictine hospital, in Kingston, New York. Each year, they select a Participation in Government class project that directly impacts both their academic success and the benefit of their community.
Principally because they have already learned of the high correlation between health and nutrition, the New Visions classes of 2010-11 and 2011-12 committed to take on the issue of existing hunger in Ulster County.
We are enlisting other key individuals and organizations to partner with us. We intend to have in place a viable plan to eliminate Fact #1 and implement Fact #2.
Research Document 1 – Ulster County Soup Kitchens + Food Pantries
Research Document 2 – NV Hunger Project Logic Model
Research Document 3 – Interactive Map of Food Pantries, Supermarkets & UCAT Bus Routes
created by Ulster County BOCES New Visions Health Career Explorations students, 2011
Research Document 4 – Interactive Blueprint of Hunger Project
created by UlsterCorps, 2011
Research Document 5 – Map of Pantries and UCAT bus routes
Developed by UlsterCorps, Ulster BOCES New Visions Health Career Explorations Students and Ulster County Winter Watch, 2012.
Thanks to Bob DiBella of UCAT and our generous sponsors Lifebridge Foundation and PDQ Printing,
these will be displayed on all UCAT buses.
