Largest, Most Comprehensive Analysis of Charitable Food Assistance in America Reports more than 215,000 Served by Kansas Food Bank AnnuallyWICHITA – August 18, 2014 – A new study by the Kansas Food Bank and Feeding America shows that 1 in 7 people, or an estimated 215,300 people, in the Kansas Food Bank’s service area turn to food pantries and meal service programs to feed themselves and their families. This includes 68,900 children and 19,900 seniors.
The Hunger in America 2014 local findings show that 22,100 people are served each week by agencies supported through the Kansas Food Bank. Accounting for multiple agency visits, 1,468,900 clients turned to Kansas Food Bank network agencies over the course of the year. This means clients are visiting Kansas Food Bank network agencies an average of 7 times a year.
The study documents household demographics and offers a snapshot of the people served by the Kansas Food Bank – their circumstances, the challenges they face and the choices they are forced to make living on extremely limited household incomes. It is also the first nationally-representative study that assesses the prevalence of past and current members of the U.S. Military and adult students receiving charitable food assistance.
Key statistics from the report for the Kansas Food Bank service area include:
WIDESPREAD USE OF FOOD ASSISTANCE
- Kansas Food Bank serves 215,300 people annually, including 68,900 children and 19,900 seniors.
- Among all clients, 14 percent are black, 37 percent are Latino, and 42 percent are white.
- 11 percent of adult clients are students.
- 14 percent of households include someone who is a veteran or who has ever served in the military.
- 82 percent of households report purchasing inexpensive, unhealthy food because they could not afford healthier options.
- 66 percent of households report having to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care.
- 27 percent of households include a member with diabetes.
- 48 percent households have a member with high blood pressure.
Following are the choices client households reported making in the past 12 months:- 71 percent report choosing between paying for food and paying for utilities.
- 35 percent of these households are making the choice every month.
- 73 percent report making choices between paying for food and paying for transportation.
- 35 percent of these households are making the choice every month.
- 66 percent report choosing between paying for food and paying for medicine/medical care.
- 30 percent of these households are making the choice every month.
- 60 percent report choosing between paying for food and paying for housing.
- 28 percent of these households are making the choice every month.
- 31 percent report choosing between paying for food and paying for education expenses.
- 15 percent are making the choice every month.
More than half of households reported using three or more coping strategies for getting enough food in the past 12 months. The frequency of these strategies among all households include:- 52 percent report eating food past the expiration date;
- 14 percent report growing food in a garden;
- 37 percent report pawning or selling personal property;
- 82 percent report purchasing inexpensive, unhealthy food;
- 33 percent report watering down food or drinks;
- 55 percent report receiving help from friends or family.
- 12 percent of respondents have faced foreclosure or eviction in the past five years.
- Among all households served by Kansas Food Bank agencies and programs, 60 percent have at least one member who has been employed in the past year.
- 47 percent of all households with an employed person, the person with the longest employment duration, is likely to only be employed part-time.
The study was funded by The Howard G. Buffett Foundation.
How to Help
Whether you are interested in providing money, food or time, the Kansas Food Bank can use your help!
 DONATE NOW | Money Financial donations make the largest impact. Every $1 you donate can allow us to provide up to $10 worth of food to hungry Kansans. Click on the Donate Now icon for a variety of ways to make cash donations. |
| Food The Kansas Food Bank welcomes gifts of food through canned food drives. Click on the Donate Food icon if you are interested in sponsoring a good drive or want to learn where to drop off food at existing drives. And if you’d rather not haul cans around, please consider donating to one of our Virtual Food Drives. | |
| Time The Kansas Food Bank depends on thousands of community volunteers to successfully distribute food to our 500+ hunger-relief partners around the state. Click on the Volunteer icon to learn how you and/or your organization can help by filling bags for the Food4Kids program and other ways. Contact Us
Kansas Food Bank – Cargill Cares Complex
1919 E. Douglas, Wichita, Kansas 67211 Tel: 316-265-3663 Fax: 316-265-9747 E-mail: info@kansasfoodbank.org |
