Hunger Facts

Taken from U.S. Conference of Mayors: A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities 2005 (http://www.usmayors.org/USCM/home.asp),

America’s Second Harvest (A2H) Hunger in America 2006 (http://www.hungerinamerica.org/)

The Center on Hunger and Poverty (http://centeronhunger.brandeis.edu/hunger/facts.html)

The US Census Bureau (http://www.census.gov)

Food Bank Council of Michigan (http://www.fbcmich.org)

National Hunger Facts

• The official poverty rate in 2002 was 12.1%

• 13 million children in the US live in poverty.

• In 2002, there were 34.6 million people living below the official poverty threshold (less than $15,670 for a family of three), 1.7 million more than the previous year.

• Hunger in the United States has increased by 18% since 1997.

• On average, Food Stamp benefits only last 2.5 weeks.

WHO RECEIVES EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE IN AMERICA?

Approximately 4.5 million different people receive emergency food assistance from the America's Second Harvest (A2H) system in any given week. A2H Network agencies serve a broad cross-section of households in America. Estimates of key characteristics include:

• 34% of the members of households served by the A2H National Network are children under 18 years old
• 8% of the members of households are children age 0-5 years
• 10% of the members of households are elderly
• About 40% of clients are non-Hispanic white; 38% are non-Hispanic black, and the rest are from other racial groups. 17% are Hispanic
• 36% of households include at least one employed adult
• 68% have incomes below the federal poverty level during the previous month
• 12% are homeless

TOUGH CHOICES

• 42% of clients served by the A2H National Network report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel.
• 35% had to choose between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage.
• 32% had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care.
• 29% of households served by the A2H National Network report having at least one household member in poor health.
  

CAUSES OF HUNGER

• The causes of hunger most frequently identified were high housing costs, low paying jobs, unemployment and other employment-related problems, economic downturn or weakening of the economy, medical or health costs, homelessness, poverty or lack of income, substance abuse, reduced public benefits, child care costs, mental health problems, and limited life skills.

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Statewide

• More than 1,083,100 different people use the Michigan food bank network annually:
  • 34% of those served by the Michigan food bank network are children under 18 years old
  • 11% of those served are children under 5 years old
  • 8% of those served are elderly
  • 96% of those served are U.S. Citizens
  • 64% of those served are Female
  • 67% of those served have at least a High School degree
  • 12% of those served are homeless

   

• 67% of the pantries, 63% of the soup kitchens and 60% of the shelters report an increase in the number of people requesting food since 2001.

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Locally (Washtenaw County)

Food Gatherers participated in its first national hunger study conducted for America's Second Harvest, the Nation's Food Bank Network. Food Gatherers staff and volunteers conducted 300 face-to-face interviews with clients receiving food from 84 of our partner non-profit agencies throughout Washtenaw County. Our agency participation rate was 95% (the national average was 75%).

• 5,569 different people receive assistance from Food Gatherers' network in any given week.
• 35% of the members of households served are children under 18 years old.
• 7% of the members of households are elderly
• 41% of households include at least one employed adult
• 66% have incomes below the federal poverty level (less than $15,670 for a family of three)
• 77% of the agencies Food Gatherers serves reported that more people need food assistance now than in 2001.
• As many as 50% more people sought food assistance from Food Gatherers' community partners in 2007 than in 2006.
• 93% of the clients served were satisfied with the quality of food they received.

TOUGH CHOICES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY:

• 33% of households served choose between food and utilities
• 28% choose between food and housing
• 25% choose between food and medicine
• 27% of households report having at least one member in poor health

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Hunger Related Links

Please check out the following links to find out more about hunger issues:

www.secondharvest.org
Statistics about hunger in America and information about America’s Second Harvest Network of Food Banks (of which Food Gatherers is an affiliate)

www.feedingminds.org
Lessons available on-line about world hunger for primary, secondary and intermediate levels

www.learningtogive.org
Teacher resource for educating children on the importance of voluntary action for the common good

www.kidscanmakeadifference.org
Educational program for middle and high school students, focusing on the root causes of hunger and poverty, the people most affected, solutions, and how students can help

www.worldfooddayusa.org
Links to other hunger education sites; information about World Food Day (October)

www.bread.org
Christian hunger advocacy website, with instructions on how to reach political representatives about hunger concerns, also good information for faith-based organizations

http://nutrition.tufts.edu/
Tufts University site for documents on hunger, poverty and nutrition

www.nutrition.gov
Information on food safety, food assistance and nutrition

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