FOOD BANK OF CENTRAL NEW YORK STUDY SHOWS INCREASING DEMAND AT EMERGENCY FOOD PROGRAMS

STEADY PAYCHECK IS NO GUARANTEE AGAINST HUNGER FOR WORKING FAMILIES

(E. Syracuse, NY) March 23, 2006 – A newly released study shows that an increasing number of Central New York residents receive emergency food assistance from the Food Bank of Central New York’s network of food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters. This new information is part of the first comprehensive local study of hunger conducted since 2001 and gives a snapshot of clients served and the process in place for meeting their needs. Among the key findings, almost 40% of households have at least one employed family member, 36% of all recipients are children under age 18, and in the last four years, 75% of pantries have seen an increase in the number of people turning to their programs for assistance. The study was conducted at the Food Bank of Central New York’s 281 emergency programs, which includes 234 food pantries, 35 soup kitchens, and 12 shelters throughout eleven Counties.

“It is a tragedy to see more and more people relying on emergency food assistance in a country of such wealth and a state with such agricultural abundance,” said Thomas Slater, Executive Director of the Food Bank of Central New York. “The face of hunger doesn’t have a particular color, and it doesn’t come from a particular neighborhood. They are our neighbors, they are working Americans, they are senior citizens who have worked their entire lives, and they are children.”

Many Central New York residents are struggling with low and stagnant wages, rising energy, housing and childcare costs, and shrinking employer-based health insurance coverage. In the end, earnings just are not enough to meet basic needs. 39% of client households have one or more adults employed, some of whom hold managerial or professional jobs. However, almost three-fourths of households have incomes below the federal poverty line ($16,090 for a family of three) and half make below $10,000 annually. The median monthly income of client households is a mere $750 and it is stretched to the limits; 42% of client households had to choose between food and necessities like utilities fuel, rent, or medical care.

“The fact that so many working people still have to go to a soup kitchen or a food pantry to make ends meet shows there’s something structurally wrong with the economy,” said Slater. “If you work, you should be able to provide enough for your family. But we see that the jobs being created do not provide salaries that keep families out of the food lines.”

Children are particularly vulnerable to hunger. More than a third of emergency food recipients in Central New York are children under 18, many of whom receive vital assistance through school lunch and breakfast programs. But in the summer months when school is not in session, almost half of emergency food programs see a significant increase in children, putting even more strain on the struggling network.

In the last two years, the Food Bank sponsored summer programs through the federally funded Summer Food Service Program at more than 25 sites in Onondaga and Oswego Counties that served over 53,000 meals. “We partner with many local agencies to help fill the summer feeding gap experienced by so many low-income children,” said Slater. “Hunger is a year-round reality for children and this is one small way we make sure all children have the nutritious food they need throughout the year.”

The Food Bank of Central New York is the primary source of food for 281 emergency feeding programs throughout Central New York. The equivalent of more than 7.4 million meals was distributed last year alone, yet the majority of emergency food providers reported an increase in the number of clients they served over the past four years.

The report is part of a national study of hunger undertaken in conjunction with Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest – The Nation’s Food Bank Network) and Mathematica Policy Research. Over 150 food banks participated nationwide. Based on 52,000 face-to-face interviews with people seeking emergency food assistance and more than 30,000 agency surveys nationwide, it is the largest, most comprehensive study ever conducted on domestic hunger.

The Food Bank of Central New York is a not-for-profit organization working to eliminate hunger through food distribution, education, and advocacy in cooperation with the community. The Food Bank serves as the primary food supplier for 281 emergency programs in 11 counties of New York State, distributing nearly 10 million pounds of food annually. Established in 1985, the organization is considered one of the most efficient food banks in the country, using 93½ cents of each dollar for program costs. The Food Bank of Central New York is a certified member of Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest, the Nation’s Food Bank Network).