Get Involved - has information about a number of ways that you can learn about and join efforts to end hunger: through donations, volunteer work, advocacy, public education, or a unique community-based method of finding and linking the unique skills of local community residents (Asset-Based Community Development).

Introduction

In 1988 over 79,000 people received emergency food bags each month, and, additionally, emergency food sites served over 58,000 hot meals to needy individuals and families monthly. It is estimated that there are currently 142,361 people living in poverty in Sacramento, and therefore at high risk of being hungry. For some living in poverty now, finding a job, learning new job skills, completing an education, getting public benefits, or changing living arrangements may mean a permanent improvement in their economic circumstances. But there are also many who, although currently not impoverished, are in precarious financial situations and for whom accident, illness, death, separation, unemployment and other circumstances can mean hungry times. It is also important to acknowledge that there are those for whom poverty will continue and for whom the need for ongoing food assistance will exist.

Hunger undermines a person's health and well-being. Those most at risk are young children and the frail elderly. Over the years public and private programs have been created to meet some of the ongoing food and nutrition needs, particularly for those populations who are the most vulnerable. In recent years new programs, most providing emergency food assistance, have been organized to respond to growing needs. Who are these hungry people? What are the services that exist? Are they meeting the need? Can we help?

Since May 1987, the Hunger Study Group of the Community Services Planning Council (CSPC) of Sacramento has been meeting to explore the scope of the problem of hunger in Sacramento County and to assess possible responses. Members of the Hunger Study Group were selected to include emergency food providers, people familiar with the federal food programs, representatives of community agencies, and business people. (See Appendix C on page 29 for membership roster.) The Hunger Study Group explored the issue, looked at alternatives, and agreed upon an approach. The University of California Cooperative Extension's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) had developed and was implementing a model for collecting community information about hunger. This model included surveys of programs offering emergency food services and of people receiving emergency food assistance. The Hunger Study Group requestedEFNEP assistance in its research on hunger in Sacramento. (See Methodology)

Surveys of providers and recipients were conducted and the information compiled and analyzed. Using this data, along with other information collected by the Hunger Study Group, the following report was created to offer some insight into the problem of hunger in Sacramento County, and to present some possible responses to that need.

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