About The Library
Welcome to the Hunger Free Communities Network’s online resource library! This ever growing database serves as a one-stop shop and home base for anti-hunger organizers featuring toolkits, case studies, research, online tools, community plans and other resources generated by the Alliance to End Hunger, our national partners and hunger free community coalitions across the country.
This is a user-driven tool, so feel free to rate resources and leave a comment! Also, please submit your own resources, so we can share your good ideas with others.
How To Search The Library
- Keyword Search: To run a keyword search, simply type the word(s) or phrase(s) you’re looking for into the box on the top right of the page (e.g. USDA, child hunger) and click “submit.”
- Category Search: To run a category search, use the drop-down menus to the right of the page under the heading “Resource Library Search” to select your desired search topic(s) and click “submit”. This search will yield more results if you limit your selections to one drop-down menu (e.g. “Content Type” or “Activity”). For an explanation of the categories, please click the orange “?” symbol next to the heading for each drop-down menu.
When the search results appear, click on the title of the resource for a more detailed description of that resource. There you’ll be able to directly access the resource.
Featured Resources
The Self-Assessment Workbook (SAW): The goal of the SAW is to assist a HFC coalition in determining for itself the critical elements for effective organizational management and network functioning and to identify those areas in need of strengthening or further development. The SAW is designed to enable organizational learning, foster team sharing, and encourage reflective self-assessment within an anti-hunger coalition. It can be used for strategic planning, evaluation and building group cohesion.
The Advocacy Playbook: The Advocacy Playbook is the Alliance to End Hunger’s signature advocacy toolkit and resource. It helps make the case for why advocacy a good idea and provides guidance on how your coalition or organization can help the cause.
Toolkit for Developing and Strengthening Hunger Free Community Coalitions: This provides a step-by-step guide for building coalitions, plus it gives best practices examples from the field, ideas for implementation, and practical tools. We hope it serves as a jumping off point for your local community’s efforts to find a solution to food insecurity.
Food Security in a Pandemic
By PAHO and WHO
This tool comes from the PAHO/WHO’s Leadership During a Pandemic: What Your Municipality Can Do. The full toolkit can be found at here. This tool will help you to: • Provide a thorough introduction to staff and volunteers about the key ways in which a pandemic may cause severe hunger and nutrition problems in your municipality...
Read MoreTake Action: SNAP Challenge Toolkit 2020
By FRAC
The SNAP Challenge (“Challenge”) gives participants a view of the struggle to obtain adequate food that is faced by millions of low-income Americans. By living on the average SNAP benefit, Challenge participants find themselves forced to make food shopping choices on a limited budget, and learn how difficult it is to avoid hunger, afford nutritious...
Read MoreThe Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger
By The Colorado Health Foundation
The Colorado Blueprint to End Hunger provides aspirational goals and strategies to ensure that all Coloradans are food secure and have access to healthy and nutritious foods to achieve optimal health outcomes, educational attainment, economic stability, and overall wellbeing. The Blueprint seeks to leverage current momentum and build on recent successes by coordinating efforts and...
Read MoreCall to Congress – 2018 Farm Bill: Congress Must Protect and Strengthen SNAP
By FRAC - Food Research & Action Plan
This fact sheet features graphics and information on “SNAP Action Needed:” 1. Congress should protect and strengthen SNAP — no cuts, block grants, or structural changes. 2. Congress should strengthen SNAP by passing H.R. 1276 — the “Closing the Meal Gap Act” of 2017 to: Base SNAP benefit allotments on the more adequate Low-Cost Food...
Read MoreIncreasing Breakfast Participation to Improve Student Outcomes
By FRAC Food Research & Action Center And School Social Work Association of America
The School Breakfast Program plays a vital role in supporting children’s health and academic achievement. Still, too many students miss out on school breakfast and the positive outcomes that stem from participation. School social workers can help increase school breakfast participation by encouraging schools in their district to implement a breakfast after the bell program...
Read MoreRural Hunger in America: Afterschool Meals
By FRAC Food Research & Action Center
The Afterschool Nutrition Programs fill the hunger gap that exists after school for millions of low-income children in rural communities. The programs, which include the Child and Adult Care Afterschool Meal Program and the National School Lunch Program Afterschool Snack Program, provide federal funding to afterschool programs operating in low-income areas to serve meals and...
Read MorePublic Charities Can Lobby
By Bolder Advocacy
Much advocacy work, including efforts to influence executive branch actions, does not constitute lobbying. Yet, contrary to popular misconception, 501(c)(3) public charities—including houses of worship and public foundations—can lobby under federal law. In fact, the Internal Revenue Service has stated that public charities “may lobby freely” so long as lobbying is within generous specified limits....
Read More#SocialCongress 2015
By Congressional Management Foundation
…the primary purpose of this research is to provide some practical insight into how congressional offices and citizens can use social media to build stronger relationships, a welcome secondary outcome might be to chip a few bricks from the wall of cynicism that separates people from politicians. To quote Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a...
Read MoreAdvocacy Tool Kit – Capital Region BOCES
By Capital Region BOCES Communications Service
This toolkit gives clear instructions on how to engage effectively with legislators. Various methods are discussed including developing “laser talks,” media engagement and community organizing. Although geared toward advocating for educational programs, these tools can be used across the board.
Read MoreFace-to-Face with Congress: Before, During, and After Meetings with Legislators
By Congressional Management Foundation
The purpose of this report is to provide research-based guidance for scheduling, conducting, and following up after office meetings with Members of Congress and staff. To develop this advice, CMF used information collected through its long history working with congressional offices and data from surveys conducted with congressional staffers, primarily from the House of Representatives,...
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