Hunger in America 2006

FREDERICKSBURG—February 23, 2006—More than 17,000 Fredericksburg area residents—including nearly 4,000 children and 3,400 seniors—receive emergency food assistance each year from the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank, a member of America's Second Harvest — The Nation’s Food Bank Network, according to a report released today.  Hunger in America 2006 , based on 52,000 face-to-face interviews with people seeking emergency food assistance and more than 30,000 agency surveys in 2005, is the largest, most-comprehensive study ever conducted on domestic hunger. The study was commissioned by the America's Second Harvest Network and sponsored by Altria.

“It is tragic that so many people are relying on emergency food assistance in the United States, where we produce enough food to feed every hungry person in the world,” said Oya Oliver, Executive Director.

About 58 percent of the clients seeking emergency food assistance from the 70 agencies the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank serves are living below the federal poverty line, and nearly 39 percent have at least one adult working in their household.  Nearly 40 percent of clients seeking emergency food assistance nationwide have at least one adult working.

 Many of the clients who participated in face-to-face interviews for Hunger in America 2006 reported having to make choices between food and everyday necessities.  Locally, more than 26 percent of the clients served report having to choose between paying for utilities or heating fuel and food; 24 percent had to choose between paying for rent or a mortgage and food; 36 percent report having to choose between paying for medical bills and food.

Of the 17,000 people the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank serves, 66 percent are white, 29 percent are black; and 2 percent are Hispanic.

Volunteers and faith-based organizations are the lifeline of America’s emergency food distribution system.  Nationally, more than 65 percent of food pantries and 40 percent of soup kitchens rely entirely on volunteers and have no paid staff.  Additionally, nearly 75 percent of pantries, 65 percent of soup kitchens, and 45 percent of emergency shelters around the U.S. are run by faith-based agencies affiliated with churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious organizations.

In the Fredericksburg area, more than 67 food pantries and all soup kitchens are completely run by volunteers. Nearly 76 percent of pantries, 62 percent of soup kitchens, and 38 percent of emergency shelters are run by faith-based agencies affiliated with churches, mosques, synagogues and other religious organizations.

“More than 500 volunteers support the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank each year. They are critical to the work we do, and ultimately to improving the lives of the 17,000 area residents the Fredericksburg Area Food Bank serves each year,” said Oya Oliver.

The Fredericksburg Area Food Bank distributes more than 1,000,000 pounds of food to nearly 70 local charitable agencies each year including, 67 food pantries or emergency food providers.

An America's Second Harvest Network Member food bank or food-rescue organization provides 74 percent of the food distributed by food pantries, 49 percent of the food distributed by soup kitchens and 42 percent of the food distributed by emergency shelters.  Ninety-percent of the 52,000 clients interviewed for Hunger in America 2006 reported that they are satisfied with the quality and quantity of food they receive from the America's Second Harvest Network agency they visit.

For more information on Hunger in America 2006, please visit www.hungerinamerica.org.