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ENDING HUNGER

HUNGER RESEARCH

If you are interested in learning more about this problem of hunger, please refer to some of the resources and websites listed below.

To read each of the documents below, you need a PDF reader which is available for free by clicking here.

Hunger Research & Statistics

Hunger in America

Hunger in America is a nationwide study that provides data on who is accessing food banks and meal programs, as well as the needs and challenges of the programs themselves. The study is conducted every 4 years though the leadership of Feeding America. Food Lifeline is able to provide detailed data for Western Washington and Washington State.

2010 Study Results:

The 2010 Hunger in America study provides compelling data from emergency food providers supported by Food Lifeline, and the individuals and families they serve.

Western Washington Hunger in America 2010 Key Findings (504k .pdf file)
Western Washington Hunger in America 2010 Study (1.6Mb .pdf file)

Here is a short video about Hunger in Western Washington from Hunger in America.

Food Security in the United States (Washington Results)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released information on September 7, 2011 that more than 387,000 families in Washington State struggle with food insecurity and are unsure of the source of their next meal. This is 14.7% of Washington’s households, and means 1 in 7 families are financially stretched to the point where they can’t be certain that members of their family will not go hungry. These households include more than 160,000 families that actually skipped meals or were forced to cut back on food, experiencing “very low food security” or “hunger.” The number of Washington families experience hunger nearly doubled from 88,000 just prior to the recession’s onset in 2008 to 160,000 in December 2010.

The survey’s most recent data was gathered in December 2010, and the results represent an average of data from 2008-2010. The Children’s Alliance’s Hungry in Washington provides this data specific for Washington state. Click on the links below to learn more about Washington’s food insecurity rates.

Washington State Data 441KB .pdf file (as reported by Children’s Alliance)
National Data 230KB .pdf file (as reported by Food Research and Action Center)
USDA National Press Release

"Map the Meal Gap" Paints a Detailed Portrait of Food Insecurity in Western Washington

"Map the Meal Gap" shows key factors affecting hungry families in Western Washington, and provides the following data for every county and congressional district in Western Washington and in the United States in an interactive map format:

The percentage of the Western Washington population by county who is food insecure, meaning that they are unsure of where their next meal will come from.
The percentage of the food insecure population in Western Washington by county who do NOT qualify for federal nutrition programs and often must rely on assistance of organizations like Food Lifeline and who also need better wages and employment opportunities to help them meet their families’ basic needs.
The average price per meal in Western Washington by county based on new research by The Nielsen Company.

The findings of “Map the Meal Gap” are based on statistics collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Census Bureau, and food price data from The Nielsen Company. This study was conducted under the leadership of Feeding America.

Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011 Shows 23% of Children are at Risk of Hunger in Western Washington

Feeding America released a new study, “Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011”, which shows that while one in six Americans overall are food insecure, the rate for children is much higher: nearly one in four children are food insecure. This means that these individuals are unsure of the source of their next meal.

The study provides the following data for Western Washington in an interactive map format:

The percentage of the Western Washington population, both adults and children, who are food insecure.
The percentage of children in Western Washington that is eligible for assistance from federal nutrition programs like Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), free or reduced-price school meals, and others.
The percentage of children in Western Washington who are not eligible for assistance from federal nutrition programs like Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), free or reduced-price school meals, and others.

Food Hardship: A Closer Look at Hunger, for the Nation, States 180 SMAs and Congressional Districts

1 in 7 Washington households without children and 22.6 of those with children (or 2 in 9) couldn’t afford enough food in 2010. This information came from the recently released results of a public opinion poll named "Food Hardship in America 2010," conducted by The Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) by asking the simple question: "Have there been times in the past twelve months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?" This number represents the impact the current economic climate is having on local individuals and families, click on the link below to read more.

Food Hardship in America

Missing Meals

Food Lifeline’s Missing Meals is a research report that shows the number of meals needed to end hunger in Washington State. The results are available by County and region.

We are very proud of the work we have done with our research on the “missing meals” in Washington state. When referencing the Missing Meals Report compiled by Food Lifeline, please add a link back to our website so we can let everyone know what else we are doing to end hunger.

2008 Missing Meals Report (.pdf file)

(Please note that in an effort to continue to provide the most accurate data possible, the county level data was updated to reflect the average household size by county. The update caused minimal changes to the statewide and Western Washington data, and is not reflected in those documents.)

Missing Meals Methodology (2008)

Hunger Statistics Breakdown by County

(all files are .pdf)