Face of Hunger in East Texas Revealed by New Feeding America Report

TYLER � A new study by the East Texas Food Bank and Feeding America shows that 252,900 people in East Texas turn to food pantries and meal service programs to feed themselves and their families each year. According to a news release from the East Texas Food Bank, this includes 64,700 children and 68,800 older adults. You can go to http://EastTexasFoodBank.org/ETHungerStudy to view the Hunger in America 2014 local report. Go to http://FeedingAmerica.org/HungerinAmerica for the full national report.

Nationally, Hunger in America 2014 found that more than 46 million people turn to agencies and programs of the Feeding America network of food banks every year. The East Texas Food Bank has been a member of the Feeding America network since 1993. The study documents household demographics and offers a snapshot of the people served by the East Texas Food Bank � their circumstances, the challenges they face and the choices they are forced to make living on extremely limited household incomes.

�The results of this study show us that the face of hunger is one we might recognize,� said Dennis Cullinane, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. �Many of our neighbors who are seeking food assistance have jobs; raise families, work toward education and struggle with health problems, like all of us. Too often, our clients also have to make difficult choices in order to get enough food for their families. Looking ahead during Hunger Action Month, this September, please help us honor the critical work that our partner agencies do every day and how much more we can do together to Fight Hunger and Feed Hope in East Texas.�

�The Hunger in America 2014 findings demonstrates the urgent need for all of us to address hunger in our communities,� said Bob Aiken, CEO of Feeding America. �This data provides a factual basis for decisions about how we as a nation approach hunger relief and protect our most vulnerable citizens.�
Key statistics from the report include:
� We serve 252,900 people annually, including 64,700 children and 68,800 older adults.
� 40 percent are African American, 11 percent are Hispanic, and 46 percent are Caucasian.
� 54 percent of the households served had at least one employed adult.

Following are the choices client households reported making in the past 12 months:
� 76 percent report choosing between paying for food and paying for medicine/medical care.
� 75 percent report choosing between paying for food and paying for utilities.
� 72 percent report making choices between paying for food and paying for transportation.

Households reported using three or more coping strategies for getting enough food in the past 12 months.
� 89 percent report purchasing inexpensive, unhealthy food;
� 60 percent report eating food past the expiration date;
� 48 percent report receiving help from friends or family;
� 46 percent report watering down food or drinks;
� 25 percent report growing food in a garden.

Hunger in America 2014 was conducted using rigorous academic research standards and was peer reviewed by a technical advisory team including researchers from American University, University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and the Urban Institute. Nationally, confidential responses were collected on electronic tablets by 6,000 trained volunteer data collectors. The study was funded by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation.