Status Report on Hunger in Rhode Island 2009 2009 : Page 1

Status Report on Hunger in Rhode Island 2009 duces this Status Report each year to document the extent of food insecurity and hunger in the state. Food insecure households cannot afford adequate food and therefore are at high risk for hunger. The Status Report on Hunger, by using extensive re- search and reporting from the Food Bank and other sources, examines the economic causes of food insecurity and hunger, the soaring demand for food assistance, and the importance of good nutrition for long-term health and disease prevention. As more Rhode Islanders face hunger, the Report ur- gently recommends ways to strengthen the safety net to help everyone in need. T Major Findings of the Report • • The prevalence of hunger in Rhode Island has reached the highest level in ten years. With rising unemployment, more people than ever rely on emergency food pantries and soup kitchens. Between September 2008 and August 2009, emergency food programs in Rhode Island served 13 million meals – a 30 percent increase over the previous year. This demand stretched the capacity of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and its statewide network of member agencies. • An effective response to the state’s hunger crisis will involve all levels of government. The federal stimulus bill increased nutrition program benefits, but the state must make it easier for eligible households to receive these benefits. At the local level, boosting participation in school breakfast and summer meals can help protect more children from hunger. • Rhode Island is improving the quality of school meals and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) food packages based on nutrition science that demonstrates the link between the food we eat and our long-term health. By increasing funding for the child nutrition programs and WIC, Congress can ensure these programs reach even more hungry children and families. • Having a low-income does not mean individuals or families must compromise their health. Through its program, “Raising the Bar on Nutrition,” the Food Bank provides recipes and cooking instruction to make nutritious meals with affordable ingredients. For example, the program teaches how to feed a family of four healthy meals for a week using ingredients costing just $175. families, causing more to go hungry. The latest U.S. Census Bureau report places 11.7 percent of the state’s population below the official poverty level, meaning that 123,000 Rhode Islanders are living in pov- erty, including 35,000 children and 16,000 senior adults.2 T The Rhode Island economy shed jobs at a record rate over the past year with the steepest declines in manu- facturing and construction.3 2009 Poverty Guidelines1 Between September 2008 and August 2009, the number of unemployed Rhode Island residents increased by 24,891. Many laid-off workers found themselves suddenly unable to pay their bills or purchase food for their families. Persons in Family or Household 1 2 3 4 Unemployed Rhode Islanders 68,768 48,400 50,015 51,610 53,184 57,808 59,431 59,561 62,901 70,873 72,773 73,291 increase in unemployment 51% Annual Income $10,830 $14,570 $18,310 $22,050 The Impact of the Economic Recession he recession creates financial hardship for thousands of Rhode Island he Rhode Island Community Food Bank pro- Many Rhode Islanders have also been forced out of their homes by the subprime mortgage crisis. In 2008, an estimated 5,887 people were evicted following foreclosure.4 Renters received little or no notice to vacate their homes and were often given only a few days to leave. In the first six months of 2009, Rhode Island had the highest rate of foreclosure in New England.5 Sept '08 Oct '08 Nov '08 Dec '08 Jan '09 Feb '09 Mar '09 Apr '09 May '09 Jun '09 Jul '09 Aug '09

Status Report on Hunger in Rhode Island 2009

The Rhode Island Community Food Bank produces this Status Report each year to document the extent of food insecurity and hunger in the state.

Food insecure households cannot afford adequate food and therefore are at high risk for hunger. The Status Report on Hunger, by using extensive research and reporting from the Food Bank and other sources, examines the economic causes of food insecurity and hunger, the soaring demand for food assistance, and the importance of good nutrition for long-term health and disease prevention. As more Rhode Islanders face hunger, the Report urgently recommends ways to strengthen the safety net to help everyone in need.

The Impact Of The Economic Recession

He recession creates financial hardship for thousands of Rhode Island families, causing more to go hungry. The latest U.S. Census Bureau report places 11.7 percent of the state’s population below the official poverty level, meaning that 123,000 Rhode Islanders are living in poverty, including 35,000 children and 16,000 senior adults.2 The Rhode Island economy shed jobs at a record rate over the past year with the steepest declines in manufacturing and construction.3 Between September 2008 and August 2009, the number of unemployed Rhode Island residents increased by 24,891. Many laid-off workers found themselves suddenly unable to pay their bills or purchase food for their families. Many Rhode Islanders have also been forced out of their homes by the subprime mortgage crisis. In 2008, an estimated 5,887 people were evicted following foreclosure.4 Renters received little or no notice to vacate their homes and were often given only a few days to leave. In the first six months of 2009, Rhode Island had the highest rate of foreclosure in New England.5

Major Findings of the Report

The prevalence of hunger in Rhode Island has reached the highest level in ten years.

With rising unemployment, more people than ever rely on emergency food pantries and soup kitchens.

Between September 2008 and August 2009, emergency food programs in Rhode Island served 13 million meals – a 30 percent increase over the previous year. This demand stretched the capacity of the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and its statewide network of member agencies.

An effective response to the state’s hunger crisis will involve all levels of government. The federal stimulus bill increased nutrition program benefits, but the state must make it easier for eligible households to receive these benefits. At the local level, boosting participation in school breakfast and summer meals can help protect more children from hunger.

Rhode Island is improving the quality of school meals and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) food packages based on nutrition science that demonstrates the link between the food we eat and our long-term health. By increasing funding for the child nutrition programs and WIC, Congress can ensure these programs reach even more hungry children and families.

Having a low-income does not mean individuals or families must compromise their health. Through its program, “Raising the Bar on Nutrition,” the Food Bank provides recipes and cooking instruction to make nutritious meals with affordable ingredients. For example, the program teaches how to feed a family of four healthy meals for a week using ingredients costing just $175.

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