Homelessness and Food Security

Food Security

NEW! Click here for data on recent trends in food bank usage and food stamp program

Having a dependable, safe source of food is a fundamental need. Most households are classified as “food secure” meaning they have the financial resources to feed their families throughout the month. For many of us, this primal necessity has become an abstract concept rather than a fundamental day-to-day struggle. Unfortunately 49.1 million people lived in households considered to be food insecure in 2008. This represented "32.4 million adults and 16.7 million children ^[6]  These households utilize the retail market for their food but periodically rely on the emergency food system to get by.  Read Definitions of Food Security, Food Insecurity

Sharp increases noted in Early 2008

In 2007, food insecurity and demand for food assistance had declined from previous years.  But in the early months of 2008, anecdotal word from local providers was showing a sharp increase in demand for service at the same time donations and costs were escalating. In late 2009, UWKC began tracing indicators of the effect of the recession on people's access to basic needs.  The charts below show three indicators of changes in demand for food during the recession.

Source: Food Lifeline | Download Data

Source: Washington State Department of Social and Health Services | Download Data

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Western Washington Publications

The following figures are based on the publication Hunger in America 2010 Local Report Prepared for Food Lifeline. This publication included agency and client surveys for Food Lifeline which is estimated to provide food items to 80% of the local emergency food system in western Washington including nearly every provider in King County as the local affiliate of America's Second Harvest (A2H).

Western Washington Region (including King County)

• Approximately 79,700 different people are served on any given week
• 28% of the members of households served by Food Lifeline are children under 18 years old
• 12% of the members of households are children age 0 to 5 years
• 6% of the members of households are elderly
• About 58% of clients are non-Hispanic white, 14% are non-Hispanic black, 19% are Hispanic
• 38% of households include at least one employed adult
• 65% have incomes below the official federal poverty level during the previous month
• 9% are homeless

A complete copy of Hunger in America 2010:  Local Report Prepared for Food Lifeline can be found at  http://www.foodlifeline.org/hunger/resources/index.html#HungerStudy2010

King County Data

• Total unduplicated number of King County food bank recipients for the period (July 1, 2006 - June 30, 2007): 241,524^[7]
• 34% of the above were infants and children
• 17% of the above were older adults.
• The average food bank recipient participates 7.4 times in a year. 

A survey of King County Adults Age 18+ were asked to respond to the following statement:
"The food that we bought just didn't last, and we didn't have money to get more.” The corresponding results include responses of “Sometimes” and Often”
 

 Download Data | Source:  Communities Count 2008

 Emergency Food Delivery System

Without attempting to be exhaustive, some of the key components of the emergency food system include:

• Food banks, which are regional organizations that obtain food in bulk and then distribute it to local providers
• Food rescue organizations play a key role similar to food banks, but they focus on obtaining perishable foods such as contributions and gleanings from farmers and surplus foods from restaurants and other commercial food service operations.
• Federal programs include such programs as the Department of Agriculture Emergency Food Program, which provides millions of tons of food, the Food Stamp Program, and the National School Lunch Program.
• Emergency kitchens provide cooked and sometimes sandwich only food at little or no cost, and often occupy a space next to other support services.
• Food pantries distribute groceries and other basic supplies for off-site use, usually for preparation in a recipient’s residence.

There are also organizations designated by states as official distributors for USDA commodities received by the state, and these are sometimes called emergency food organizations.

 Other programs like Meals on Wheels for seniors; WIC for women, infants and children; and free or low-cost school lunch programs, are also part of the food assistance system.

Free and Reduced Lunch

 The USDA Child Nutrition Program,  popularly known as the Free and Reduced Lunch Program distributes nutritious meals to eligibly school age children.  Using the 4 person household which is standard for many publications Free meal eligibility is for households with an annual income of no greater than $26,845 for the 2007-2008 academic term and 27,560 for the 2008-2009 term.  Reduced price meals are for families making no more than $38,203 in 2007 and 39,220 in 2009..  The following chart shows the October 2007 results at the regional level.  For further details review the Education subsection under Key Data and Demographics.

 Download Data | Source: OSPI (The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction)

The Consequences of Hunger:

The following consequences of hunger highlighted by America's Second Harvest in their publication, Hunger in America 2006.

*Undernourished pregnant women tend to have low birth weight babies. Low birth weight babies suffer from more physical illness, as well as impaired growth and development. Undernourished infants are at greater risk of dying within their first year of life.

 *Chronic hunger in adults weakens bones and muscles, increases the risk of illness, worsens existing health problems, and contributes to depression and lack of energy. Hunger in adults also produces nervousness, irritability, and difficulty in concentration.

*Children who are hungry may be less attentive, independent, and curious. Many hungry children have difficulty concentrating; therefore their reading ability and verbal and motor skills suffer. Children who are hungry also often experience headaches, fatigue, frequent colds, and other illnesses that may cause them to be less physically active.

*Hunger can have a devastating emotional impact; it may diminish self-confidence and self-esteem. In a culture that encourages self-reliance, individuals who need food assistance may hesitate to seek help. They may experience feelings of shame or embarrassment due to circumstances that are out of their control.

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