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Survey Results From People Receiving Emergency Food Assistance

Families with children continue to be the hardest hit by hunqer in our community.

The majority of people (80 percent) receiving emergency food assistance were families with children. Almost 40 percent of these. families were headed by two parents.

Of the children receiving food assistance, four out of five (79 percent) were under the age of twelve. Sixteen percent were infants under one year and 30 percent were children between the ages of one and five. Young families represented a large portion of those requesting emergency food assistance. Two out of five respondents were between 19 and 30 years of age. The over-55 year age group represented seven percent of those surveyed.

Equal opportunity applies to hunger in our community and crosses all ethnic groups.

Whites represented 36 percent of those interviewed for this report. Hispanics comprised 30 percent of the recent respondents, while African Americans constituted 25 percent of those surveyed. It should be noted that an unrecorded number of Eastern Europeans were approached for interviews but were unable to respond because of language barriers. Please review the methodoloqy section of this report to find information about site selection, and the numbers of clients interviewed.

People receivinq emerqency food assistance live in Sacramento, and the majority pay rent.
Of the people interviewed, half had lived in Sacramento County for five years or more, and all described themselves as Sacramento County residents.

Renters or homeowners made up four of every five (81 percent) of the people surveyed. Five percent were homeowners, 70 percent rented a house, apartment or mobile home, and two percent rented a
single room with a kitchen. The remaining 20 percent reported themselves as homeless, living in a shelter, staying in a hotel or living with a friend or family member. The average rent paid by respondents was $501 per month.

Income levels for those receiving emergency food assistance were usually below the national standards used to determine financial hardship and/or poverty.

Although many of the people surveyed received public assistance and/or food stamps, they still found it necessary to request assistance at emergency food sites. Only one of the people interviewed reported receiving child support, even though 43 percent of those interviewed were single parents.

According to the data collected, the average size of the families responding to the survey was 3.4 persons. The federal poverty guideline for a family of three is $11,140 and for a family of four, $13,400. The average income for surveyed families of three and four members was $11,426, showing that, in general, the families interviewed while requesting food assistance had incomes below the federal poverty standards. Overall, three out of five of all people surveyed lived at or below the income level used by the federal government to determine poverty.

Emergency food assistance programs are evolving into routine food assistance agencies in our community.

While 55 percent of those surveyed five years ago were requesting assistance for the first time, only 26 percent of the recent respondents were first-time visitors at emergency food sites. Furthermore, fifty-three percent of those interviewed for this report indicated that they had asked for food at emergency food agencies eleven or more times within the past 12 months. This trend toward increasing reliance upon these agencies is especially disturbing when it is clear that young children are the primary recipients of these food supplies and meals.

Overall, three in four (74 percent) of those surveyed reported multiple visits to emergency food agencies during the preceeding twelve months. This compares with only 45 percent of those surveyed five years ago.

Inadequate access to balanced nutritious food is likely to contribute to poor health. And this condition occurs frequently for significant numbers of Sacramentans.

Of the people surveyed 57 percent reported that they (or a member of their family) had received medical treatment within the past year for a condition such as anemia, obesity, low birth weight, or tooth and gum disease, all conditions which are frequently related to inadequate nutrition. One-third (36 percent) of the parents reported that their children sometimes go to bed without supper because there is not enough food. Additionally, two out of five (39 percent) of the adults surveyed indicated that they themselves sometimes go to bed without eating dinner because there is not enough to eat. And, two in three (69 percent) of the parents surveyed indicated that they sometimes go to bed without food so that their children can eat.

In general, half (54 percent) of those surveyed indicated that they often or sometimes are unsure of where or how they will qet their next meal.

Survey respondents offer suggestions about ending local hunger...

• "Get organizations together to donate food."
• "Make sure the ones getting the food really need it."
• "Provide more jobs."
• "Language barriers prevent good paying jobs, and result in hunger."
• "More volunteers are needed."
• "Help Americans first."
• "Provide more fair and affordable housing."
• "Offer drug treatment intervention programs, not just food."
• "Facilities could be better organized."
• "Increase food stamp allotments."
• "Increase general assistance benefits."
• "Use food that's now being thrown away."
  

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