On Monday, August 18, Feeding America released Hunger in
America 2014, the largest and most comprehensive look at charitable food
distribution in the U.S.
In 2012 and 2013, Good Shepherd Food Bank participated in
the data collection phase of this study. We visited food pantries and soup
kitchens throughout our network and administered the agency and client
survey. After many months of waiting, we
are now able to see the results of this data collection! Just before the HIA 2014 report was released
on Monday, we received our state report, and we are in the process of
distilling this long, academic-style report into a short, easy-to-read document
that highlights the most critical information provided by Feeding America. Good
Shepherd Food Bank is planning to release this state report, Hunger in Maine
2014, in September, so stay tuned!
A few of the more striking pieces of data from the study:
CONSUMERS
§
Good Shepherd Food Bank’s statewide hunger
relief network serves 178,000 Mainers each year.
§
These consumers make 1,985,000 visits to our
partner agencies each year. This means that, on average, a consumer is visiting
an agency 11 times per year.
§
55 percent of consumers served by our network
are children (under 18) or seniors (over age 60).
§
56 percent of households served by our network
are living in poverty; 94 percent have incomes under 150% of poverty.
HEALTH
§
11 percent of consumers report that a member of
the household has diabetes – this is much lower than the national average (33
percent), so we suspect this number is either underreported or underdiagnosed.
§
41 percent of consumers report that a member of
the household has high blood pressure.
§
26 percent of consumers have no health
insurance; 26 percent have unpaid medical bills.
TRADEOFFS
§
65 percent of households have to choose between
food and medicine/medical care.
§
71 percent have to choose between food and
heat/utilities.
§
52 percent have to choose between food and transportation.
§
These numbers are all higher than the national
averages.
(One note about the number of children served by our network
– this study underrepresents the number of children served by Good Shepherd
Food Bank. Data collection was not conducted at child hunger program sites such
as School Pantries and Summer Food Service sites, because the client survey
cannot be administered to children. So please keep in mind that, in addition to
what is reported in this research, we are also serving more than 200,000 meals
a year through our child hunger programs.)
Look for the public release of our state report, Hunger
in Maine 2014, next month!