16th Class, 2009-2010
Field Placement: California Association of Food Banks (Oakland, CA)
Tim researched SNAP/food stamps outreach, application assistance, and online application programs in California to document diverse and innovative strategies for increasing SNAP enrollment through the expansion of “out-of-office” application options. He also created a resource toolkit for new SNAP outreach providers and surveyed community-based organizations about the ways in which California’s finger imaging requirement for SNAP applicants impact outreach efforts.
Hunger Free Community Report:
Opening New Doors to Ending Hunger: Out-of-Office Food Stamp Applications in California documents how county agencies and community-based organizations around the state are partnering to increase application options for clients by offering application assistance, posting county workers in community centers, and developing online application systems.
Policy Placement: Migrant Legal Action Program (Washington, DC)
Tim worked in coalition with many organizations to address how federal nutrition policies and regulations affect program access for migrants, immigrants, and individuals with limited English proficiency. He also conducted a survey of Migrant Education Program and Community Health Center providers to assess poverty, hunger and access to health and nutrition programs among migrant children.
Pre-Fellowship Education and Experience:
Originally from Ashland, Oregon, Tim graduated from Whitman College in 2009 with a degree in politics. He organized a field study and conference on clean water access in rural India, led a project to strengthen networks among Oaxacan migrant hometown associations in the Pacific Northwest, and conducted quantitative research on Latino voting rights in eastern Washington. Tim also organized a student voter registration campaign and wrote his honors thesis on the emerging role of social entrepreneurship in addressing poverty in developing countries.