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).

Survey Results From People Receiving Assistance

What follows is a more in-depth review of the findings of the Hunger Study Group and a more detailed plan of action for the community over the next several years.

Those in need are most frequently families with young children.

The majority of people (69%) receiving emergency food are families with children. Over half of the families using service have two parents.

Forty-four percent (44%) are children under 18 years and 35% are under 12. The percent of children receiving emergency food is significantly above their proportion in the population as a whole. According to the 1987 projections from the 1980 Census, children (0-18 years) were 27% of Sacramento County's population.

With so many young families, the majority (81 %) of those receiving assistance are under age 40. Seven percent (7%) are 60 years or older.

Families using emergency food programs are generally larger than the median family size
for families in Sacramento County. The median family size in Sacramento County, according to 1987 projections from the 1980 Census, was less than three persons. However, about 69% of the families using food closets and 44% of those using soup kitchens have three or more members.

Most of the families get assistance through food closets, although more than one-third (35%) of those using soup kitchens are families.

While the majority of people receiving assistance are White, other ethnic groups are particularly hard-hit by hunger.

About half of the food recipients are White while 30% are Black, 17% are Hispanic and 5% are from other ethnic groups. (Note: The survey instrument prepared by EFNEP did not include any additional specific choices for ethnicity.) This can be compared with the ethnic representation in the general population in Sacramento County which, according to the 1980 Census, were: White 76.7%, Black 7.3%, Hispanic 9.4%, Asian/Pacific Islanders 5%, American Indian 1.1%, and Other .3%.

Lack of employment if not always the reason for need.

Nearly half of the households (48%) have one or more working members. Another 15% are unemployed due to disability. Five percent (5%) of the households are retired. Occupations were reported for ninety-eight (98) adults. Eighty-five percent (85%) of these
adults are currently employed. Of those reporting, only two percent (2%) reported that one or more members of the family are currently receiving unemployment benefits.

Almost everyone receiving assistance has income below the national standards wed to determine financial hardship and/or poverty.

Eighty percent (80%) of those receiving assistance have incomes below the federal poverty level ($11,200 per year for a family of four when the survey was conducted). Another 7% still fall below 130% of poverty, the income eligibility guidelines for AFDC and Food
Stamps ($14,560 per year for a family of four when the survey was conducted).

In one out of every five cases there is no income available from any source including the Food Stamp Program. Government programs designed to alleviate poverty do not prevent families from needing emergency food assistance.

Excluding those with no income, the average family income for families and individuals was $630 a month. With the exception of single individuals who have a somewhat higher per-person income, average income increases with family size. However, the gap between the reported income and the poverty level also tends to increase as the size of the family increases. Thus, in general, the larger the family the poorer it is.

People receiving assistance are permanent residents who rent or own housing in Sacramento county.

Most people (92%) receiving emergency food are residents of Sacramento. At least half have lived in Sacramento County nine years or more.

In nearly half (48%) of the cases those interviewed rent a house or an apartment, and in 11 % of the cases those interviewed own their own home. These living arrangements house 76% of the people covered by the survey. Another 5% of the people rent a room or are staying in a motel. Nineteen percent (19%) of the people are homeless with 13% staying in emergency shelters while 6% stay in tents, in box-cars, on the streets, or under bridges when it rains.

One hundred eleven (111) people report housing costs (rent and utilities) ranging from $77 to $660 a month. The estimated average housing cost for all cases was $366 a month. Rent for those who paid rent averaged $309 a month.

Most of those receiving emergency assistance do not seek food aid often, but some have had to rely on emergency food for several years.

More than half (55%) of the people surveyed reported seeking help from a food closet for the first time in the past year. Twenty-six percent (26%) had been going to food closets for three years or more. The average number of visits was four times a year.

Thirty-nine (39%) of the soup kitchen respondents indicated that this was their first visit to a soup kitchen.

Most people seeking assistance simply do not have food or money to buy food.

Reasons given for seeking food assistance:

• 62% ran out of food or money to purchase food
• 14% applied for but had not received public aid
• 8% said aid was late
• 5% had unusual expenses during the month
• 5% suffered recent unemployment

Worrying about food and getting an adequate diet for their families uses a lot of energy for many people.

More than two-thirds (70%) of those responding said that they "think about where their next meal is coming from" at least some of the time.

Although many parents (65 %) report going without food so their children can eat, 31 % reported that there were occasions when their children went to bed hungry.

Over half (53%) of those receiving emergency food think their diet is less than adequate.

Health care if often postponed in an attempt to keep the family fed.

Forty-six percent (46%) of the respondents report that they or another member of their family are postponing medical care (including dental care) because the family can not afford it. Thirty-two percent (32%) of the people interviewed report that one or more adult members of their family has a chronic illness. In addition, 4% report that a child in their family suffers from a chronic health problem. Eight percent (8%) also report that they (or a family member) are pregnant.

Friends, word-of-mouth, and referrals from Community agencies are the major ways people find out about emergency food programs.

Over one-third (35%) are sent by friends or family members. Nineteen percent (19%) either previously knew about the food program or heard about it through word of mouth. The Department of Social Services accounts for 16% of the referrals to emergency food
providers.

Information about programs and tips on how to "get by" would be welcomed by those receiving emergency food assistance.

Three-fourths of those interviewed expressed interest in learning more about how to participate in government programs. Money-saving shopping tips and information on budgeting are also of interest. Positive response rates for information topics are listed
below:

[Top]