Hunger and Poverty in Georgia

• Feeding America’s Child Food Insecurity Study, released in August of 2011, revealed that 27.9% of Georgia’s children live in food insecure households – more than 700,000 children under age 18. This means only 72.1% of Georgia’s children live in households that are food secure. The USDA defines food insecurity as the lack of access to adequate food resulting from the lack of money and other resources. (Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011. Data released Aug. 2011)

• According to the latest US Census Bureau American Community Survey report released in September 2011, 24.8 % of Georgia’s children live in poverty – up from 22.3% last year. That’s more than 600,000 children under age 18. (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Profile. 2010.  Data released Sept. 2011)

• Nearly 1.7 million Georgians (17.9%) are living in poverty according to the latest US Census Bureau American Community Survey report released in September 2011. This is up from 1.6 million (16.5%) in 2009, and represents an increase of 100,000 people in poverty. (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Profile. 2010. Data released Sept. 2011)

• 15.6 percent of Georgia households experienced low food security from 2008-2009. Food Security is defined as access to enough food for an active, healthy life. (USDA Household Food Security in the United States, 2009. Data released November, 2010)

• An estimated 1.4 million different Georgians receive emergency food from partner agencies of Georgia food banks. (Feeding America “Hunger in America 2010” Study)

• Among households with school age children, 67% of children from client households surveyed in the Hunger in America Study participate in the federal school lunch program while only 14% participate in the federal summer food program. (Feeding America “Hunger in America 2010” Study)

• Georgia’s unemployment rate has increased significantly over the past three years. As of November, 2011, the Georgia Department of Labor’s website (http://www.dol.state.ga.us/) posted the Georgia Unemployment rate at 10.3% (from 6.2% in July of 2008) and the national unemployment rate at 9.1%.  You can check the Georgia DOL website regularly to see updated numbers.

(Georgia Dept. of Labor, November 2011)

• 10.7 percent - more than one in every ten senior citizens in Georgia - are living in poverty. (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Profile, 2010. Data released Sept. 2011)

• The number of Georgia households receiving food stamps jumped from 581,709 total households in July of 2009 to 716,749 households in July of 2010 – an increase of 23.2% in just one year.  (USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Data and Statistics Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – Number of Households Participating, released Oct. 2010)

• The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Food Stamps (now SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) are the two most effective tools to pull a household out of poverty.  However: 
• IRS estimates that between 20-25% of EITC-eligible GA households are not claiming the credit - average EITC amount received is $2,300. (IRS. 2009)
• USDA estimates that 35% of food stamp-eligible GA households do not receive them - average food stamp amount received is $300 per month. (USDA. 2009)

• When the Federal minimum wage rate went from $6.55 to $7.25/hour in July of 2009, Georgia once again did not increase its minimum wage rate. (It remains at $5.15/hour.) Georgia is currently one of only five states with minimum wage rates lower than the Federal minimum wage rate. (U.S. Dept. of Labor, Employment Standards Admin. 2009)

Atlanta Community Food Bank’s Response to Hunger and Poverty:

• Year-to-Year: The need for food assistance continues to be high. In our last fiscal year (July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011), ACFB distributed 34% more food and grocery products to our partner agencies than in the prior fiscal year - nearly 30 million pounds. When you add in product shared with other food banks and school supplies distributed by ACFB’s Kids In Need project, nearly 34 million pounds of product was distributed by ACFB in Fiscal Year 2010-2011.   (Atlanta Community Food Bank. July 2011)

• Shorter way to say it:  The need continues to grow. The Atlanta Community Food Bank distributed an overall total of nearly 34 million pounds of food and products in Fiscal Year 2010-11 compared to nearly 26 million pounds in the prior year.  (Atlanta Community Food Bank. July 2011)

• Month-to-Month:  In October of 2011 ACFB distributed 2,826,477 pounds, 3% more food, grocery products and supplies than we distributed in October of 2010.  The vast majority went to our network of 700 partner agencies, but product was also shared with other food banks and our Kids In Need school supply project. (Atlanta Community Food Bank. November 2011)

• This year, the Atlanta Community Food Bank is able to distribute $8.47 worth of grocery products back into the community for every $1.00 donated. (Atlanta Community Food Bank. November 2011)

• 94 cents of every dollar donated to the Atlanta Community Food Bank (including the value of all donated food) goes directly to services in the community to help fight hunger. (Atlanta Community Food Bank. 2011)

• The Atlanta Community Food Bank is one of more than 200 food banks that are members of Feeding America (formerly named America’s Second Harvest), the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization. (Atlanta Community Food Bank. 2011)

• In fiscal year 2010-2011, volunteers served 98,711 hours in support of the ACFB mission. The hours served by volunteers from July 2010 – June 2011 equates to the number of hours served by 45 full time staff members in a year.  (Atlanta Community Food Bank. 2011)

• 58,900 different people are now receiving emergency food each week through a network of more than 700 nonprofit partner agencies served by the Atlanta Community Food Bank – a 39% increase over the last four years. (*Feeding America “Hunger in America 2010” Study)

• 72 percent of client households served by Atlanta Community Food Bank partner agencies are food insecure – meaning they do not always know where they will find their next meal. 39 percent of these food insecure households experience very low food security – meaning they are sometimes completely without a source of food. (*Feeding America “Hunger in America 2010” Study)

• 39 percent of client households served by Atlanta Community Food Bank partner agencies reported having to choose between paying their rent or mortgage and food, and 32 percent reported having to choose between paying for medicine or medical care and food. (*Feeding America “Hunger in America 2010” Study)

• The Atlanta Community Food Bank is a critical food resource for its partner agencies. We provided 72% of the food distributed by partner food pantries, 47% of the food served at partner soup kitchens and 31% of the food served at partner shelters in 2009. (*Feeding America “Hunger in America 2010” Study)

*Note:  The Atlanta Community Food Bank (ACFB) is one of 185 Feeding America member food banks that participated in the Hunger in America 2010 study. Data was collected from 400 face-to-face interviews with people seeking emergency food assistance and 376 partner agency surveys. To get more details on the Hunger in America Study, visit http://feedingamerica.org/faces-of-hunger/hunger-in-america-2010.aspx.

Hunger and Poverty on a National Scope

• For the third consecutive year, USDA reported that 1 in 6 Americans are food insecure - 48.8 million Americans. The USDA defines food insecurity as the lack of access to adequate food resulting from the lack of money and other resources. (USDA, Household Food Security in the United States, 2010. Data released September, 2011)

• 46.2 million Americans (15.1 percent) are now living in poverty according to the latest report released by the US Census Bureau American Communities Survey profile in September 2011 – up by 3.3 million people from the 42.9 million reported in last year’s report. (U.S. Census Bureau American Communities Survey Profile2010. Data released Sept. 2011)

• 17.2 million U.S. households were food-insecure and had difficulty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. (USDA Household Food Security in the United States, 2010. Data released September, 2011)

• Feeding America’s Child Food Insecurity Study, released in August of 2011, revealed that over 17 million children live in food insecure households. (Feeding America, Map the Meal Gap: Child Food Insecurity 2011. Data released Aug. 2011)

• The number of children living in poverty in the U.S. jumped from 20.7% to 22% from 2009 to 2010 - that’s a total of about 16.4 million kids and represents an increase of approximately 900,000 children.  (U.S. Census Bureau, Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States. 2010)

• Nearly 4 million (3.99 million) young children in the U.S., ages 5 and under, are food insecure – meaning they lack enough food for a healthy, active life. The first three years of life are the most critical period of brain growth and development. (Child Food Insecurity in the United States: 2006-2008. Feeding America, and John Cook, Ph.D., Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine. 2010)

• 99 percent of food banks surveyed reported a significant surge in demand for emergency food assistance over the past year. The average increase in demand reported across the network from summer 2008 to summer 2009 was 30%. (Feeding America 2009  “Economic Impact Survey”)  

• 92 percent of food banks surveyed reported the increase in demand for food assistance was driven by those who recently lost jobs. (Feeding America 2009 “Economic Impact Survey”)

Please let your network of friends, family, neighbors and business associates know they can learn more about hunger on a national scope - and hear from real people regarding their personal experiences with food insecurity and hunger - by visiting www.feedingamerica.org.