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FACT SHEET
HUNGER IN AMERICA 2010
Introduction
According to the new findings reported in Hunger in America 2010, 37 million people, one in eight
Americans, is receiving emergency food assistance through the Feeding America network.
This is an increase of 46 percent over the findings reported four years ago in Hunger in America 2006,
which was based on data collected in 2005.
Feeding America is feeding 1 million more people each week than in 2006.
Hunger in America 2010 is the first comprehensive research study that captures the connection
between a weak economy and increased needs for emergency food assistance. The data was collected
in the heart of the 2009 economic downturn (February-June 2009).
Top line Findings
The 37 million Americans served annually by Feeding America include nearly 14 million children and
nearly 3 million seniors.
Each week, approximately 5.7 million people receive emergency food assistance from an agency
served by a Feeding America member. This is a 27percent increase over numbers reported in
Hunger in America 2006, which reported that 4.5 million people were served each week.
These numbers are based on surveys conducted at emergency feeding centers, such as soup
kitchens and food pantries, but do not factor in many individuals also served at non-emergency
locations, such as Kids Cafe programs and senior centers.
Client Households
76 percent (10 million) of client households served are food insecure, meaning they do not always
know where they will find their next meal.
36 percent of these client households are experiencing food insecurity with hunger, meaning they
are sometimes completely without a source of food.
79 percent (11 million) of households with children served are also food insecure.
Of the 37 million people the Feeding America network serves:
o
70 percent of households have incomes below the federal poverty line.
o
The average monthly income for client households is $940.
o
36 percent of households have one or more adults who is working.
o
10 percent of client households are homeless.
Tough Choices
Many of the client households served by Feeding America food banks report that their household
incomes are inadequate to cover their basic household expenses.
46 percent of client households served report having to choose between paying for utilities or
heating fuel and food.
39 percent of client households said they had to choose between paying for rent or a mortgage and
food.
34 percent of client households report having to choose between paying for medical bills and food.
35 percent of client households must choose between transportation and food.
One in four client households (24 percent) do not have health insurance and nearly half of our adult
clients report that they have unpaid medical and hospital bills.
Thirty percent of households report having at least one member of their household in poor health.
Role of Federal Government
54.4percent of pantries, 33.5percent of kitchens, and 31.4percent of shelters receive food from
TEFAP.
41 percent of client households are receiving SNAP (formerly food stamps) benefits, an increase of
64 percent over 2006.
54 percent of client households with children ages 0 to 3 participate in the WIC program, compared
to 51 percent in 2006.
Among households with school-age children, 62 percent participate in the federal school lunch
program and 54 percent participate in the school breakfast program.
Agencies
Feeding America food banks provide food and groceries to 33,500 food pantries, 4,500 soup
kitchens and 3,600 emergency shelters.
68 percent of pantries, 42 percent of soup kitchens, and 15 percent of emergency shelters rely solely
on volunteers and have no paid staff.
55 percent, are faith-based agencies affiliated with churches, mosques, synagogues and other
religious organizations; 33 percent are other types of nonprofit organizations.
Methodology
Hunger in America 2010 is a scientific study conducted more than 62,000 face-to-face interviews with
people seeking emergency food assistance from one of the nearly 63,000 agencies served by a Feeding
America food bank.
More than 37,000 agencies also participated in Hunger in America 2010 by completing an agency
survey.
Background: The Economic Landscape
The economic recession of 2009, resulting in dramatically increasing unemployment and poverty
nationwide, has driven sharp increases in need for emergency food assistance and enrollment in federal
nutrition programs.
The 46 percent increase in need is likely being driven by the dramatically increasing rates of
unemployment and poverty.
During 2005, when the last Hunger in America data was collected, the national unemployment rate
averaged 5.1 percent.1
When the data collection for the 2010 study commenced in late winter and spring of 2009, the recession was in full swing and the unemployment rate was rising rapidly, jumping from 4.9percent at the start of recession2 in December 2007, to 9.5percent when client data collection was completed in June 2009.
In addition, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that when individuals with“marginal labor force
attachment” and those who were working part-time involuntarily were considered, more than 17
percent of the population was affected in late 2009 by the shifting employment trends.
Clients, Income and Eligibility for Federal Programs
More than 70percent of clients have household incomes below the federal poverty line, 88percent have
household monthly incomes at or below 130 percent of poverty and 96 percent have household
monthly incomes at or below 185 percent of poverty.
The majority of households seeking assistance from the Feeding America network are eligible for federal
nutrition programs. However, 21 percent of households are not income eligible for SNAP benefits.
While there is an obvious relationship between poverty and the ability of households to access food, USDA data indicates that 31percent of people who are food insecure in the United States live above 185percent of poverty and therefore not eligible for SNAP.
1 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Found on the web December 16, 2009 at
http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet?data_tool=latest_numbers&series_id=LNS14000000
2 The National Bureau of Economic Research dates the beginning of the 2008-2009 recession from December 2007.
NBER defines a recession as a significant decline in economic activity spread across the economy, lasting more than
a few months, normally visible in production, employment, real income, and other indicators (Found on the web
December 16, 2009 at http://www.nber.org/cycles/dec2008.html).
Hunger in America Fact Sheet
FACT SHEET HUNGER IN AMERICA 2010 Introduction According to the new findings reported in Hunger in America 2010, 37 million people, one in eight Am... (More)
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