New Study Reveals Large Number of Central Illinoisans Seeking Emergency Food Assistance
Largest, Most Comprehensive Report Ever Conducted On Emergency Food Distribution Reports 105,600 Clients Served Annually; Nearly 37% are Children and 8% are Seniors in Need
Springfield, IL – February 3, 2010
A landmark study just released by Central Illinois Foodbank and Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hungerrelief organization, reports that more than 105,600 different people, including 39,000 children, receive emergency food each year through Central Illinois Foodbank.
Hunger in America 2010
In Central Illinois Foodbank’s 21 county service area more than 37% of client households are experiencing very low food insecurity—or hunger.
An estimated 17,600 people receive emergency food assistance each week from a food pantry, soup kitchen, or other agency served by the Central Illinois Foodbank. Nationally, more than one in three client households are experiencing very low food security—or hunger—a 54 percent increase in the number of households compared to four years ago. An estimated 5.7 million people receive emergency food assistance each week from a food pantry, soupkitchen, or other agency served by one of Feeding America’s more than 200 food banks, including
Central Illinois Foodbank. This is a 27 percent increase over numbers reported in
2006
“We’ve known for some time that there is an increase in need for food assistance,” Pam Molitoris,Central Illinois Foodbank Executive Director commented. “This study confirms the challenges facingcentral Illinoisans and our commitment to continue addressing the face of hunger, 365 days a year.”
Local findings include:
is the first research study to capture the significant connection between the recent economic downturn and an increased need for emergency food assistance. The number of children and adults in need of food as a result of experiencing food insecurity has significantly increased.Hunger in Americawhich reported that 4.5 million people were served each week.
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32% of households have at least one employed adult.
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The methodology incorporated into the 2010 study includes data collected from February through June, 2009. The Central Illinois Foodbank conducted face 300 people seeking emergency food at food pantries, soup kitchens and other emergency feeding programs, as well 141 food assistance agencies completed hunger study surveys. Nationally, Feeding America collected quantitative and qualitative feedback from 61,000 facetoface in
USDA reported in November 2009 that an estimated 49 million people, including 17 million children,are at risk of hunger in this country. need for food assistance in the United States.
The full national report is available on Central Illinois Foodbank’s website at
www.centralilfoodbank.org Illinois Foodbank
Central
31% of households served have at least one household member in poor health.depth interviews with people seeking emergency food assistance and more than 37,000 agency surveys, making this study the largest, mostcomprehensive ever conducted on domestic hunger..
Central Illinois Foodbank was established in 1982 by a coalition of churches and nonprofit organizations concerned about hunger and poverty. Central Illinois Foodbank is an affiliate of Feeding America the nation’s largest hunger relief organization. The mission of the Foodbank is to collect donated food and grocery items from growers, manufacturers, processors, wholesalers and retailers for distribution to charitable agencies serving people in need.
Central Illinois Foodbank distributes nearly 6 million pounds of food annually to over 160 food pantries, soup kitchens, residential programs and after school programs.
Feeding America
Feeding America provides low
income individuals and families with the fuel to survive and even thrive. As the nation's leading domestic hungerrelief charity, our network members supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors. Serving the entire United States, more than 200 member food banks support 61,068 agencies that address hunger in all of its forms. Feeding America is based in Chicago. For more information on how you can fight hunger in your community and across the country, visit http://www.feedingamerica.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Feeding America or follow our news on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Feedingamerica.
