HUNGER IN CENTRAL & EASTERN KENTUCKY 2014

A SPECIAL REPORT

BOYLE

GARRARD

JESSA

MIN

E

FAYETTE

CLARK

MADISONESTILL

POWELL

LEE

WOLFE

MENIFEE

MONTGO

MERY

BATH

NICHOLAS

BOURBON

MERCER

ANDE

RSON

FRAN

KLIN

WOODFORD

McCREARY

PULASKI

WHITLEY

KNOX

BELL

HARLAN

LESLIECLAY

LAUREL

LINCOLN

ROCKCAST

LE

JACKSON OWSLEY

PERRY

LETCHER

KNOTT

BREATHITT

MAGOFFIN

FLOYD

PIKE

MARTINJOHNSON

LAWRENCE

MORGAN

ELLIOTT

ROWAN

CARTER

LEWIS

FLEMING

ROBERTSON

HARRISON

SCOTT

IntroductionHunger in Central and Eastern Kentucky 2014 presents information on the agencies partnering with God’s Pantry Food Bank and the challenges of the clients served by them. It is a comprehensive look at who is hungry and is based on in-person interviews with hundreds of clients, as well as completed surveys from 162 partner agencies in our 50-county service area.

This report is part of Hunger in America 2014, which is an independent, nationwide study for Feeding America conducted by Westat and the Urban Institute. The 2014 Hunger in Central and Eastern Kentucky report focuses on emergency and non-emergency food providers and their clients, who are supplied with food by God’s Pantry Food Bank. These food providers are a part of our 300-member agency network spanning over 16,000 square miles of Central and Eastern Kentucky. These partners in the fight against hunger operate as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and drop delivery programs. Programs that are designed for hunger relief for children—Backpack, Kids Cafe and After School Snack Programs—were not included in this study.

During the summer of 2013, tens of thousands of interviews were conducted with clients at pantries, shelters and soup kitchens across the country. These interviews provide an up-close picture of the face of hunger in our nation today. As part of Hunger in America 2014, God’s Pantry Food Bank gathered board members, volunteers and staff to travel throughout our service area to Food Bank member agencies serving those in need. At 65 locations, the survey team interviewed hundreds of individuals seeking food assistance.

The culmination of these efforts and this level of research (offering an in-depth look at hunger in the 50 counties of Kentucky served by God’s Pantry Food Bank) could not have been done without the assistance of many caring individuals and entities. Please take some time to read through the information offered within, get to know those who are in need in our communities, and become a part of the solution to ending hunger by sharing your knowledge with others as we work to make a difference in the lives of thousands of Central and Eastern Kentuckians each year.

THANK YOU. Without the commitment of our Board of Directors, member agencies and the minimally-resourced Central and Eastern Kentuckians we serve, we would never have been successful. It was an incredible experience for many of us involved, and our efforts are impacting the decisions made at God’s Pantry Food Bank every day. Together, we can solve hunger.

Sincerely,

Marian F. Guinn Chief Executive Officer, God’s Pantry Food Bank

The mission of God’s Pantry Food Bank is to reduce hunger in Kentucky through community cooperation making the best possible use of all available resources.

BOYLE

GARRARD

JESSA

MIN

E

FAYETTE

CLARK

MADISONESTILL

POWELL

LEE

WOLFE

MENIFEE

MONTGO

MERY

BATH

NICHOLAS

BOURBON

MERCER

ANDE

RSON

FRAN

KLIN

WOODFORD

McCREARY

PULASKI

WHITLEY

KNOX

BELL

HARLAN

LESLIECLAY

LAUREL

LINCOLN

ROCKCAST

LE

JACKSON OWSLEY

PERRY

LETCHER

KNOTT

BREATHITT

MAGOFFIN

FLOYD

PIKE

MARTINJOHNSON

LAWRENCE

MORGAN

ELLIOTT

ROWAN

CARTER

LEWIS

FLEMING

ROBERTSON

HARRISON

SCOTT

Lexington Headquarters & Primary Warehouse Morehead

Future Regional Distribution Center

Prestonsburg Regional Distribution Center

London Regional Distribution Center

Winchester Warehouse

TERMINOLOGYAGENCY A charitable organization that provides food supplied by a food bank directly to clients in need through various types of programs.

EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE Charitable feeding programs whose services are provided to clients who are typically in short-term need of food assistance. These include food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

FOOD BANK A charitable organization that solicits, receives, inventories and distributes donated food and grocery products pursuant to industry and appropriate regulatory standards. The products are distributed to charitable human-service agencies, which provide the products directly to clients through various programs.

FOOD INSECURITY USDA’s measure of lack of access, at times, to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members; limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.

KITCHEN (SOUP KITCHEN, COMMUNITY DINING ROOM) A charitable program whose primary purpose is to provide prepared meals; served in the onsite kitchen to clients in need.

NON-EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE Charitable feeding programs that have a primary purpose other than emergency food distribution, but also distribute food. Non-emergency food programs included after-school meals to low-income children, senior congregate meal programs, child day care programs and backpack programs.

PANTRY (FOOD PANTRY) A charitable distribution agency that provides client food and grocery products for home preparation and consumption.

SHELTER (EMERGENCY SHELTER, HOMELESS SHELTER) A charitable program with a primary purpose to provide shelter or housing on a short-term or temporary basis to clients and typically serves one or more meals a day.

VERY LOW FOOD SECURITY (ALSO SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS FOOD INSECURITY WITH HUNGER) An involuntary state that results in eating patterns of one or more household members being disrupted and food intake reduced because the household could not afford enough food.

GOD’S PANTRY FOOD BANKService Area

] [

HUNGER: BY THE NUMBERSOur Clients:

44%

77%

31%

73%

60%

71%

The Face of Hunger:

of clients have less than a high school education

of client households fall at or below 100% of the poverty level

of households have at least one person employed in the last year

of survey respondents report that their health status is poor or fair

of households earn less than $10,000 per year

of client households currently without work cite disability or poor health as the reason for not working or seeking work

190K+ Clients Served By God’s Pantry

Food Bank

252K+ Food Insecure Population

(According to Feeding America’s Map the Meal Gap Numbers)

87% Caucasian

25% Food Insecure & Without Assistance

5% African American

75% Currently Served by God’s Pantry Food Bank

7% Other

1% Hispanic

75% of all food insecure households in our 50 county service area are served by

God’s Pantry Food Bank

Typical Client:

White; 30-49 Years Old

Fair-Poor Health

Education = < HS Diploma

Income = < 10K Per Year

Lives in Non-Temporary Housing

2-3 Person Household

41%

> Over HALF51%

35%

Children & Seniors:

Hunger disproportionately affects children and the elderly.

Additional Statistics:

of all client households include children under the age of 18.

of clients are a child or a senior.

of all client households include someone age 60 or older.

43%

34%

70%

62%

Households that report at least one member with diabetes:

Households that report watering down food to make it last longer:

Households that report at least one member with high blood pressure:

Households that plan to get food assistance on a regular basis from God’s Pantry Food Bank:

67%

38%

21%

77%

Households that participate in SNAP:

Households that wait until they run out of food before they seek help:

Households that include grandparents raising grandchildren:

Households that have income at or below the federal poverty level:

TOUGH CHOICES

74% of households had to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities.

34% of those households are making the choice every month.

68% of households had to choose between paying for food and paying for transportation.

34% of those households are making the choice every month.

74% of households had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care.

31% of those households are making the choice every month.

56% of households had to choose between paying for food and paying for housing.

24% of those households are making the choice every month.

TOGETHER, WE CAN SOLVE HUNGERWorking together, we can close the gap on hunger in Kentucky. Below are some ways you can get involved to end hunger.

DONATE Donate money to God’s Pantry Food Bank online, in person, or via check and money order. You can also donate non-perishable food items such as canned fruits and vegetables, canned soups, boxed pastas, rice and peanut butter. Organize a food and funds drive at your place of employment, civic organization or place of worship. Plant an extra row in your garden, or harvest extra fruit from your trees and donate the produce to a local food pantry.

ADVOCATE Advocate in matters of public policy that impact poverty and access to food. Call your elected representative and express your support for improved food assistance programs. Visit your elected representative to discuss food policies, hunger and nutrition issues.

VOLUNTEER Volunteer at God’s Pantry Food Bank, email: volunteer@godspantry.org to request opportunities or sign up for a regular warehouse shift online, held every Tuesday and Thursday night from 5p-9p and Saturdays from 9a-12p and 1p-4p. Lend your professional expertise to your local food pantry or community agency. Help your elderly neighbors with transportation or food shopping. Volunteer to teach cooking, shopping or nutrition classes.

LORRIANE’S STORY“I was granted custody of my four nieces. I have three kids of my own at home and one in college, plus me and my husband. I have always worked, but I recently lost my job. We receive $328 a month for the kids. We receive no food stamps, as we are over the income limit. Every day is a struggle to keep the lights on and to have enough food, especially since the kids are home from school on summer break.

So my gratitiude and thanks do not begin to show how much this means to me and my family. With the new addition of 1,2,6 and 8-year-olds, the help we get from the pantry goes a long way toward making it possible for us to stay together. We are very thankful to have each other and we thank you.”

HOW DOES FOOD BANKING WORK?

Farms | Processors | Retailers Distributors | Food Drives Purchased Food | USDA

God’s Pantry Food Bank Member Agencies Kentuckians in Need

STRATEGIES USED TO GET ENOUGH FOOD IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS:

90%

65%

63%

45%

Buying the cheapest food available, regardless of health

Buying food in dented or damaged packages

Eating expired food

Growing food in a garden

Receiving help from family & friends53%

41%

34%

Selling or pawning personal property

Watering down food or drinks to make them last longer

God’s Pantry Food Bank works with a network of more than 300 member agencies and programs across 50 counties of Central and Eastern Kentucky. These agencies range from abuse shelters to soup kitchens, pantries to schools, senior citizen centers to children’s homes.

65%

78%

of the partner agencies are faith-based or located in a religious institution.

of God’s Pantry Food Bank’s network agencies are grocery programs.

57%

22%

of God’s Pantry Food Bank network agencies are operated solely by volunteers.

of the food programs operated by God’s Pantry Food Bank’s network agencies are meal programs.

80% of food programs believe the elimination of God’s Pantry Food Bank would have a major impact on their program.

1685 Jaggie Fox Way Lexington, Kentucky 40511

859.255.6592

www.GodsPantryFoodBank.org