Despite the status of a prosperous country and an economic superpower, America cannot boast that all, without exception, Americans warmed by the rays of this success. You are probably familiar with the official statistics at the end of 2012 the Ministry of Agriculture of the United States reported that in 2011 approximately 38. 200 million Americans suffered from the lack of food. This number includes 24,300 million adults (i.e. 11.3% of the total US adult population) and 13.9 million children (19% of all American children).
Government officials call this category of Americans food insecure. Of course, this is not about a lack of food in the shops, this all is about 13.5 million or 11.9% of all US households did not have enough money to feed themselves. Many of these families are friends to us personally and our organization with your help could and, as we hope would, help them in reality.
Being aware of the concerns of the Aetna-Grant Fund in support of nutrition education and exercise programs for children and families, I submit for your consideration the following grant application for financial assistance.
We are the non-profit Nutrition organization (fund) created for purposes other than making a profit, and thus no part of our income is distributed to the shareholders, directors or officers. There is a non-profit organization in the form of corporation fund, in accordance with the laws of the particular state of Pennsylvania. Direction of our project: nation’s most burdensome nutrition issues as a base element of health care. The level of funding: 70,000 USD - by the decision of the competition committee and from the other sources. Project implementation period (time bond): within 1 year. Applicant's ability to manage grant funds: has no experience in managing grants.
The realization of that in the richest country in the world people still suffer from hunger, brings us as many other Americans is a shame. This is reflected in many aspects of public life. For example, every year on June 6th in America’s National Day is held on the problem of hunger and on October, 24 – satiation (National Food Day). Is it not symbolic, is not up to us to help all these poor, starving these people?
Non-profit and nutrition organizations carry out activities that promote famine relief, and stepping up their efforts to collect donations for the families of malnourished. They also affect the US Congress, on which the financing of the fight against hunger across the country. In the context of enhancing economic cooperation are the common problem of foodborne illness has a significant impact on public health. Millions of people fall ill and many die as a result of eating unsafe food. You cannot even imagine what it's like when your friends are dying of hunger in the richest country in the world. Are we together with you could not help them in this difficult situation?
Inconsistency of community-based/governmental policy and strategy in the field of agriculture, food production and nutrition can cause damage to health, environment and economy. However, adverse effects can be reduced if all of the industry will act in accordance with the intended political and strategic objectives. The introduction of our course program for sure will qualitatively improve the lives of these families, our friends - the effect cannot be expressed in money, it will display by a happy, well-fed children smile.
Just think thoroughly that every year the US government spends more and more taxpayers’ money on programs aimed at the eradication of hunger among the poor. It is believed that if the poor to feed, he will be more healthy. Healthy people, first of all, do not burden the public health system and, secondly, are more likely to find work and overcome poverty.
In addition to special food stamps, the US federal budget is sponsoring supplementary feeding programs for low-income seniors, pregnant and lactating women and young children. For example, in many states requiring pensioners receive a monthly food parcel - a box of food valued at approximately $ 42. Pensioners fed cheese, peanut, canned fruit, instant milk, etc. This assistance is especially important for those who are already so old that are not able to bring the car to the grocery store or move generally.
Pregnant and lactating American, also don’t have enough money to buy food, get cards or vouchers, which they can buy in special stores participating in this program. Students from low-income families are offered free or discounted breakfasts and lunches at public expense.
Despite all these efforts, the army of hungry Americans continues to grow. If prior to 2000 we all observed the tendency to reduce hunger, since 2000 “hungry” statistics steadily creeping up. However, if in the 1960s, the country still existed chronic hunger that prompted, for example, President Lyndon Johnson launched a “war against poverty”, now considered obsolete chronic hunger. Modern American starving different from starving third world country so that the periods when he has to go without food, shorter and less likely to happen.
On the whole, balanced diet of children and adolescents is a necessary condition of their health, helps prevent diseases, improve the health and mental development, and creates conditions for the adaptation of the younger generation to the environment.
American starving can have my car, even a house, not to mention household appliances, and still occasionally go hungry. Sociologists point out that this is due to the increased vulnerability of the grocery budget. Americans cannot pay the bill for electricity or gas - it will disconnect them immediately. It also cannot sell the car because in the context of American life, this means a loss of connection with the world and with a grocery store, as well. Americans need to have a roof over their heads, which no one is free. It turns out that the money that is spent on food, more likely to be the only source for savings. More and more American families after payment of all invoices are stranded, interrupting payday free soup and food from charities.
However, as a result of personal interviews with the 52 survey participants, who needed and received help in the form of food, it was found that 40% of them lived in families where at least one adult had a job. This shows that the problem of hunger changed its demography, drawing into its trap of so-called “working, but the poor”, i.e. people receiving for their work so little that they do not have enough to eat.
A situation, where even with the work it is impossible to feed yourself and your family, is “eating away” the most fundamental principles of American society. First of all, it rejects the assertion that if a person in good faith work, his work will provide his basic needs and ensure progress in society. Modern Americans, unlike previous generations, can no longer rely on these once inspiring principles, even though it is based on the national idea of the “American dream”.
Another new aspect of the problem of hunger in the United States is the realization that people should have the opportunity not just to satisfy your hunger and eat healthful food. In today’s market food products in the United States from the "bad" categories such as chips, all kinds of pastries, sweets, pasta and "fast food" often are cheap, and vegetables, fruits and foods that are low in fat and sugar - much more expensive. Scientific evidence indicates that people who are malnourished due to lack of funds, still more prone to obesity because the products they cannot afford, do not meet current dietary standards. That is, when they eat, they overeat more than affluent population. Thus, hunger is spreading accomplice in the US obesity epidemic.
Since obesity is associated with many serious illnesses, such as cardiovascular diseases, Americans are overweight more than others contribute to the growth of prices for medical services. Those who are unable to pay for medical insurance must be treated at the expense of taxpayers. This, of course, encourages the State to intensify the fight on short edge. The obesity epidemic in the country has contributed, for example, the growth of investments in low-income Americans learning the principles of healthy and economical food through cooking classes and educational lectures. Similar efforts are now regarded by the government as an integral part of programs to combat hunger.
The issue: lack of community-based nutrition education and exercise programs for children and families; lack of practical experience in such program providing and in the work of production of such work in the city
2. spreading of project’s experience in the media, throughout the conference and the publications, releasing of brochure on the results.
Project goals and objectives: - rendering targeted assistance to families in difficult situations; - provide training to children and families about: - Food availability and accessibility to the public; - Food safety; - Good nutrition.
Food/nutrition plays a crucial role on the one hand, the provoking and the other - on the contrary - preventing many diseases. Eating an inadequate range of food can lead to diseases caused by malnutrition, and food contamination can cause infectious diseases and poisoning.
Expected results and their impact/ Target population: Thus, a healthy diet of the population is considered as a strategic political task of public authorities. Our policy objectives in the field of healthy eating are: the preservation and strengthening of health, prevention of diseases, including those caused by inadequate and unbalanced nutrition. To ensure awareness of families and children (target population of our State), we concerned to provide special nutrition education and exercise elements after/during implementation of the project.
In this case, the basic elements of a healthy diet are: - Food safety (biological, chemical, radiological); - Usefulness, calorie and balanced nutrition; - Adherence to diet.
The consequences of violations of healthy nutrition are: - mass infectious diseases; - mass non-communicable diseases; - loss in the form of disability days and years of early death; - shortfall in gross national product; - additional costs of health and social insurance; - overall decline in quality of life.
List the main activities of the project: - conducting of educational courses on the project; - carrying out a sociological survey among families; - implementation of reporting conference on the results of the robots on the project; - preparation and production of a brochure describing the project, the results of work on it and the results of the conference; - distribution of brochures; - spreading of the educational programs/project on the television, in Internet, publishing articles.
Participants of the project:
Coverage:
Sociological survey participants - 3000 people; Conference participants - 1000 people; the audience covered by the media - more than 30, 000 people.
The uniqueness of the project: Just our project provides an unique opportunity to solve the problem of illiteracy of the population on nutrition, also provides an opportunity to resolve the problem of food groups with the lowest income - for these categories of the population requires the introduction of targeted food assistance, including for medical reasons, to prevent violations of the available supply. The studies revealed a significant differentiation in terms of nutritional status, depending on material wealth.
Describe the interaction with other partners and sponsors, their contribution: Will also be held with the overall operation of the municipal institutions on related state programs: - concludes with the organizations - executors agreements (contracts) for the provision of program activities; - approve acts performed work on the implementation of the program/project; - provide control over the provision of catering services for students; - represents the Department of Finance, Department of Health and Human Services: • municipal agreements (contracts) for the provision of implementation of the project as a part of the governmental nutrition programs and project’s partial financial discussing; • estimated cost of work performed and costs; • account for the advances of service, • acts of works on implementation of the project.
Finance Department, the US Department of Health and Human Services in the prescribed manner provides similar funding programs within the budget allocations for this purpose in the city budget for the next fiscal year.
Actions implementing project activities are governed by the applicable law and contract with them (contracts) for the performance of services aimed at the implementation of these measures.
Estimate of the project and its rationale:
Requested grant: $ 50,000 (salaries, travel, administrative issues)
Contribution of the applicant: $2000 (our organization can cover)
Other contributions: $18000 (donated)
Total project cost: $70000
Funding Request: -salary; -equipment and materials; -funds for activities; -banking costs; - training. Our organization is committed to provide the necessary material resources and specialized staff, as well as a training staff may require to perform their functions. Persons involved will be: head of the organization, an accountant, and 10 volunteers. Expenditures on printing, equipment, supplies, and office space undertakes our organization. Evaluation of the Project’s target and aim: Evaluation of the Project and impact of its activities is carried out by comparing the current actual figures with their target values. If necessary, the values of the targets specified.
Final statements: Despite the progress made, the existing problems in the field of healthy eating, new political conditions changed and newly emerging interstate and international requirements put before the authorities, business and civil society following priorities in the area of healthy nutrition: - improvement of the legislative, regulatory and methodological framework for quality control and food safety; - active participation in the work of national and international organizations on the rationing of food security; - improvement of the organization of food safety control, including the exchange of information at the international level between national authorities on products, dangerous to human life and health; development of fundamental and applied research in the field of food safety and healthy eating; - provide targeted assistance aimed at optimizing the diet of various segments of the population.
Our last point, dear sir/madam, is for you to realize that today we all face a clear understanding of the complex nature of malnutrition and measures to address the many related problems. Global problems of nutrition require global solutions, and the food deserves much more attention on the international agenda for development. When implementing our Project it is to cause population increase, quality and quantity of life is also to increase. Is not this the future we all want and expect for yourself and your friends?
You can also see the Additional materials, which are attached in Appendix:
- A copy of charter/constitution of organization
- A copy of the certificate of registration of organization
- A copy of the certificate of 509(a)©(3) tax-exempt organization, secretarial notation after your signature line
- A copy of the balance spreadsheet for the last reporting period, proven
- Biography (CV) of director, accountant and other key players in the project
- The names, titles and telephone numbers of two recommenders
- Letters of support (if any)
- Report of the audit (if any)
References
Habenicht, H. (2012) Crafting Convincing Funding Proposals. The Eight Commandments of a Funding Proposal. [Journal Article]. Retrieved from: http://EzineArticles.com/6858689
