Hunger in America 2006

A report on Emergency Food Distribution
in the United States and Rhode Island in 2005

Hunger in America 2006 is the largest, most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted. The study provides authoritative, comprehensive, and statistically valid data on the national and local charitable response to hunger and the people served by private hunger-relief agencies. Reports for both the nation’s network of food banks, America’s Second Harvest and for the Rhode Island Community Food Bank were prepared.  Rhode Island’s report is based on 372 client interviews and 276 agency surveys (representing 428 hunger relief programs) conducted in the spring of 2005, using the national study instrument.

Who seeks emergency food assistance? According to the study, the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and its network of member agencies serves 62,324 people in our community each year.  Hunger in America 2005 shows that hunger reaches into virtually all communities across the United States—and across the state of Rhode Island--affecting even the least likely of victims.

Low-Income Households

Clients seeking emergency food assistance from the Rhode Island Community Food Bank are typically low income families living below the federal poverty line and are forced to make choices between food and every day necessities.  

In Rhode Island, 56% of all households served by the Food Bank network are below the federal poverty level or less than $15,670 a year for a family of three in 2004 (the time period recorded). The average monthly income for a household served is $1,040.

Nationally, 66% of all households served by the Network have annual incomes below the federal poverty level, and an average monthly income of $860.

Food Insecure

In Rhode Island, 81% of all households served by the Food Bank network were food insecure and 37% were going hungry.  According to the Federal government’s own measure of hunger, nationally, 70% of all the people served by the America’s Second Harvest Network nationally are “food insecure.”  Since 1995, the U.S. Census Bureau and USDA Economic Research Service have collected information through the annual Current Population Survey on “food insecurity,” defined as “not always having access to enough food to meet basic needs.” The relatively higher level of food insecurity of Rhode Island food assistance recipients reflects the higher cost of living in the state and the widening gap between income and basic needs expenses.

Resource Poor

In addition to low incomes, recipients of emergency food typically do not have a lot of resources.

In Rhode Island, 52% do not have access to a working car compared to nationally, nearly 47%.  Additionally, clients are often faced with difficult choices no one should have to make: choices between food and other basic needs.

In Rhode Island:  49% choose between food and utilities; 46% choose between food and rent or mortgage; and, 34% choose between food and medicine or medical care. 

Nationally, 41% choose between food and utilities; 35% choose between food and rent or mortgage; and, 32% choose between food and medicine or medical care.

Children

Children are especially vulnerable to issues of hunger and poverty.  In Rhode Island, 50,000 children, or 21%, live in poverty.  Nationally, 13 million, or approximately 17.8% of children live in poverty. The rate of poverty for children nationally under 18 remains higher than those aged 18 to 64 and for those aged 65 and over. 

In Rhode Island, 31% (19,500) of all persons served by the Food Bank network are children under 18.  Nationally, 36% (9 million) of all persons served are children.  Hunger has long-lasting, devastating effects on the health and development of children. Research indicates that even mild under nutrition experienced by young children during critical periods of growth may lead to reductions in physical growth and affect brain development.

Seniors

Scientific evidence supports good nutrition as critical to the health and life quality of America’s seniors.  Because of issues that relate specifically to age, including decreased mobility and limited outside assistance, the elderly are especially vulnerable to hunger and malnutrition.

In Rhode Island, 14,990 seniors or 10.6%, live in poverty and 7.5%, (4,674) of all persons served by the Food Bank network are 65 years or older.

Nationally, 9.8% of the elderly live in poverty and 11.8% of all persons served by America’s Second Harvest are 65 years or older.

The Sick and Uninsured

Poor health not only affects seniors, but working-age adults as well. In fact, fair or poor health can lower job attendance or performance or restrict employment altogether.  Increasingly, many of the people we serve live in poor health.

In Rhode Island, 57% of the adults interviewed at emergency feeding sites state that their health is “fair” or “poor” compared to 46% of the adults nationally.

In Rhode Island, the percentage of households with at least one member in poor health has increased from 26% in 2001 to 30% in 2005.  In Rhode Island, 20% of the Food Bank network’s adult clients had no health insurance, 43% had unpaid medical bills and 11% were refused health care.

The Working Poor

Despite a strong economy in the 1990’s and continued recovery from the 2001 recession, Americans are still finding it hard to make ends meet.

In Rhode Island, in 2005, almost one-third (32%) of the households served by the Food Bank network had one or more adults working.  This is up from 29% in 2001 and 25% in 1997.  Of the adults coming to food pantries, 18.6% were employed, 19% had been unemployed for less than a year and 59% had been unemployed for more than a year.  Only 3% had never worked.

Nationally, in 2005, more than one-third (36%) of all households served by the America’s Second Harvest Network had one or more adults working.  Nationally, one quarter (25.5%) of all households served by the America’s Second Harvest Network indicate that a job was their primary source of household income compared to one in five households (19%) served by the Food Bank network in Rhode Island.

Income from Social Security nationally was the primary source of income for 19.3% of the households, compared to 21% for Rhode Island.  A very small percentage of adults (4.2%) nationally,  and (5.6%) in Rhode Island reported that traditional “welfare” payments (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or TANF, and/or General Assistance) were the household’s primary source of income in the past month.

Half of all recipient households (51%) nationally, and 47.1% in Rhode Island, reported incomes of less than $10,000 in the previous year.

Nationally, the average household income among all client households was $11,250 with 75% of all client households with incomes at or below 130% of poverty and 66% of all households with incomes below the federal poverty level.

In Rhode Island, the average income was $12,400 with 71% of all client households with incomes at or below 130% of poverty and 56% of all households at or below the federal poverty level.

Housing Status

Nationally, an estimated 12% of client households – or 3 million persons– served by the America’s Second Harvest Network are homeless or without a place to live.   In Rhode Island, 2.7% -- or 1,682 persons -- are homeless.  

Nationally, of the emergency food recipients with a place to live, 66% rent their homes, and 6.6% live free with someone else. Of renters, 17% receive Section 8 or similar public housing assistance. Only 25% of client households with a residence own their homes.    20% are late in paying the previous month’s rent or mortgage. 

In Rhode Island, 72% rent their homes, and only 1.4% live free with someone else.  Of renters, 28.5% receive Section 8 or public housing assistance.  26% are late with their rent or mortgage payments.

All Races and Ethnicities

The faces of the clients we serve are as diverse as the faces of America, yet people of color continue to be disproportionately affected by poverty and hunger.

Nationally, while the African American population accounts for about 13% of the general population, it accounts for 38% of the emergency food recipient population.  

In Rhode Island, the African American population accounts for 5.3% of the general population but it accounts for 18% of the emergency food recipient population.

Nationally, while the Latino population comprises almost 14% of the total U.S. population, it comprises about 17% of the population served by the America’s Second Harvest Network. 

In Rhode Island, the Latino population comprises 9.7% of the population and 26% of the clients served by the Food Bank network.  Non-Hispanic Whites, comprise 39.2% of the total emergency food assistance clientele nationally and 51% of the clientele in Rhode Island.

Education, Poverty and Hunger

Attainment of a high school diploma or GED equivalent generally indicates acquisition of basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills necessary for function and advancement in modern American society. U.S. Department of Education and Census Bureau statistics indicate a link between education levels and future earnings. In the general U.S. population, less than 16% of adults have less than a high school diploma or equivalent.

In Rhode Island, one third (33%) of the Food Bank network’s adult clients have less than a high school education.  Another 30% have only a high school diploma or equivalent.

Nationally, 37% have not completed high school and another 37% have only a high school diploma or equivalent. This data strongly suggests a link between low educational attainment and the likelihood of being poor and needing emergency food assistance.

Federal Nutrition Programs

The Food Stamp Program is the nation’s largest Federal food assistance program and the largest non-categorical entitlement program for low-income people. Participation in food stamps is crucial to helping low-income families attain a nutritionally adequate diet and move toward self-sufficiency. Unlike welfare or TANF, food stamps are not time-limited.  Food stamps are targeted to reach low-income people who have the most difficulty affording an adequate diet.

Food Stamps:  In Rhode Island, only 36% of the client households of the Food Bank network receive Food Stamps, down from 46% in 2001 and 49% in 1997.  Recipients stated that food stamp benefits lasted only 1.9 weeks.

Nationally, 35% of the clients are currently receiving food stamps. Recipients stated that food stamp benefits lasted an average of 2.5 weeks a month.

In Rhode Island, 72% of emergency food recipients had applied for Food Stamps, compared to 68% nationally.  For emergency food recipients in Rhode Island who did not apply for food stamps, 59% believed that they were not eligible due to income compared to 34% nationally. A review of clients’ self-reported household income indicates, however, that, nationally, two thirds of those households that believe

they are not income eligible for food stamps are in fact income eligible for the program.  In Rhode Island, 29% of those not applying for food stamps are income eligible. 

School Lunch, School Breakfast and Summer Food Programs:  The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) provides nutritious food, nutrition education and access to health care for low-income pregnant women, mothers, infants and young children to age 5 who are at nutritional risk because of their household income.

Nationally, 62% of households with children participate in school lunch, 51% in school breakfast programs and 13% in the Summer Food Program.

In Rhode Island, 73% of households with children participate in school lunch, 55% in school breakfast programs and 20% in the Summer Food Program.

Client Satisfaction

Clients of Rhode Island Community Food Bank’s member agencies, 150 emergency food pantries and soup kitchens were asked how satisfied they were with the amount, variety and overall quality of food provided by the emergency food providers.

Nationally, 92% of clients were satisfied with the amount of food provided; 90% were satisfied with the variety of the food; 93% were satisfied with the overall quality; and, 83% say they were treated with respect by the staff all the time.

 In Rhode Island, 92% were satisfied with the amount of food provided, 87% of the clients are satisfied with the variety of the food; 90% are satisfied with the overall quality; and, 90% say they were treated with respect by the staff all the time.

 

Critical Support -- Volunteers

The overwhelming majority of emergency food programs, especially pantries, rely on volunteers to provide food assistance benefits to recipients.

In Rhode Island, 53% of the pantries and 38% of the soup kitchens rely entirely on volunteers.  Nationally, 66% of pantries (two-thirds) and 40% of kitchens rely entirely on volunteers.

In Rhode Island, the median number of volunteers in a week was 5 for food pantries and 10 for soup kitchens.  The median number of volunteer hours during the week is 28 for pantries and 53 for soup kitchens.

Faith and Feeding the Hungry

The private, local hunger-relief charities served by the America’s Second Harvest Network food banks are predominantly faith-based organizations and represent the full and rich gamut of religious belief and practice in American society.

Nationally, 73% of all food pantries and 65% of soup kitchens are faith-based.

In Rhode Island, 59% of all food pantries and 63% of all soup kitchens are faith-based.  Community Action Programs comprise 7% of the food pantries and other private non-profits make up 28% of the food pantries.

Conclusion

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank emergency food assistance network provides critically important nutritional support for many Rhode Islanders.  The growth of hunger in Rhode Island and in America continues to outpace private charitable responses.  Most food recipients remain food insecure and more than one-third still experience hunger even though they receive assistance.

Similarly, federal nutrition programs are not reaching many of the hungry and for those reached, hunger and food security still persist.  Fortunately, Rhode Island clients utilize the food stamp and school meal programs more than the rest of the country, but many more are eligible for assistance.  Underlying the national and local hunger problem is an economy in which the long-term unemployed and the working poor are increasingly relying on emergency food assistance, are faced with basic needs tradeoffs and are increasingly in poor health—Rhode Islanders more than the rest of the country.”

Disproportionately, racial minorities and children are among the clientele assisted by the emergency food system, reflecting their relatively higher poverty rates as well.   While the data shows that service is largely provided via private charity and volunteer efforts, the overwhelming majority of pantry and kitchen clients are satisfied with the quantity, variety and quality of food assistance and the respect they are given by volunteers and staff.