Feature:

Chapter 15 expands a subset of tables presented in chapters 5 through 14 to examine how client and agency characteristics have changed between 2005 and 2009. From 2005 to 2009 there were notable changes in many factors that traditionally have been associated with food security and hunger.

Key Findings:

• The percentage of adult clients living in suburban or rural areas increased from 42.6% to 47.8%.
  
• The percentage of households receiving unemployment compensation increased from 3.2% to 7.4%.
  
• The percentage of client households that had low food security increased from 36.9% to 39.2%.
  
• The percentage of client households with children that had low food security increased from 41.8% to 44.3%. The corresponding increase for those with very low food security was from 31.3% to 34.2%.
  
• The percentage of client households with very low food security that had to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities increased from 63.1% to 66.5%. For food secure households, the increase was from 13.8% to 16.6%.
  
• The percentage of clients that had unpaid medical bills increased from 41.4% to 46.5%. The magnitude of the increase was similar for pantries, kitchens, and shelters.
  
• The percentage of clients that were either very satisfied or somewhat satisfied with the amount of the food they received at the programs remained about the same (92.1%).
  
• The percentage of pantries, kitchens, or shelters run by government-affiliated agencies decreased from 2.4% to 2.1%.
  
• The percentage of pantries providing budget and credit counseling increased from 10.7% to 11.0%. For kitchens, the percentage increased from 7.2% to 8.7%. For shelters, the percentage increased from 37.7% to 40.8%.
  
• The percentage of food distributed that comes from local food drives increased for all types of programs. The percentage increased from 49.9% to 54.5% for pantries, from 27.2% to 31.9% for kitchens, and from 40.3% to 40.7% for shelters.
  
• The average number of volunteer hours increased from 35 hours to 39 hours for pantries and from 58 to 60 hours for kitchens. It decreased from 51 hours to 12 hours for shelters.

(Excerpted from Hunger in America 2010.) Complete listing and access info »

Feature:

Feeding America seeks not only to immediately alleviate hunger through distribution of food and grocery products to people in need, but also to address the problem of hunger in the long-term by increasing awareness among the public, connecting clients seeking emergency food assistance with federal benefits, and advocating for changes to programs and policies that support low-income Americans and ultimately end hunger. This is our fifth extensive study of hunger, which we have conducted quadrennially since 1993. Through more than 61,000 face-to-face client interviews and more than 37,000 surveys of local charitable agencies, Hunger in America 2010 captures detailed information about who is in need of emergency food assistance and their circumstances, which, in turn, helps charitable feeding organizations develop programs that best support hungry Americans. The results also better inform the public policy discourse so that federal nutrition programs can better serve those in need. Complete listing and access info »

Feature:

Chapter 1 presents highlights of findings from Hunger in America 2010, a study conducted in 2009 for Feeding America (FA) (formerly America's Second Harvest), the nation's largest organization of emergency food providers. The study is based on completed in-person interviews with more than 62,000 clients served by the FA national network, as well as on completed questionnaires from more than 37,000 FA agencies. The study focuses on emergency food providers and their clients who are supplied with food by food banks in the FA network.

Highlighted Findings Include:

• Estimates of the number of Feeding America clients served.
• Key demographic characteristics of clients.
• Levels of food insecurity among clients.
• Forms of government assistance that clients also receive.
• The health status of Feeding America clients.
• The number of food pantries, emergency shelters, and soup kitchens that the Feeding America national network includes.
• Where these agencies obtain their food.
• The number of volunteers who contribute their time to the Feeding America network.

(Excerpted from Hunger in America 2010.) Complete listing and access info »

Feature:

Chapter 2 provides an introduction to Hunger in America 2010, giving readers an overview of:

• The study's objectives;
• How the Feeding America network is organized;
• The groups and organizations involved in the study.

(Excerpted from Hunger in America 2010.) Complete listing and access info »

Feature:

Chapter 3 explains the methods used to collect and analyze the data for Hunger in America 2010, including:

• The development of the survey instrument;
• The training of coordinators;
• Response rates;
• Analysis methods and;
• Reporting convention for local reports.

(Excerpted from Hunger in America 2010.) Complete listing and access info »

Feature:

This report presents the result of a study conducted in 2009 for Feeding America (FA) (formerly America's Second Harvest), the nation's largest organization of emergency food providers. The study is based on completed in-person interviews with more than 62,000 clients served by the FA national network, as well as on completed questionnaires from more than 37,000 FA agencies. The study focuses on emergency food providers and their clients who are supplied with food by food banks in the FA network. Emergency food programs are defined to include food pantries, soup kitchens, and emergency shelters serving short-term residents. It should be recognized that many other types of providers served by food banks are, for the most part, not described in this study, including such programs as Congregate Meals for seniors, day care facilities, and after school programs. Complete listing and access info »