Study: Kaua‘i Food Bank feeds over 11,000 each year

According to the new findings reported in Hunger in America, 2010, a national study conducted by Feeding America, the Kaua‘i Food Bank provides emergency food assistance for an estimated 11,100 different people annually, a news release states.

About 1,300 different people receive emergency food assistance in any given week. Over 18 percent of Kaua‘i’s population is now receiving assistance through the Kaua‘i food Bank.

These numbers are based on surveys conducted at emergency feeding centers, such as soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries, but do not factor in many individuals also served at non-emergency locations, such as the Keiki Cafe, the Backpack program, or Senior Centers.

Hunger in America, 2010 is the first comprehensive research study that captures the connection between a weak economy and increased needs for emergency food assistance.

The data was collected in the heart of the 2009 economic downturn (February to June, 2009). The Kaua‘i Food Bank reports that there has been a 40 percent increase in demand from 2008-2009.

“We are very fortunate to have data from a national study that is Kaua‘i specific,” said Judy Lenthall, executive director, Kaua‘i Food Bank.

“We have experienced a 40 percent increase in demand for our services in the last year, but to learn that we are feeding almost 20 percent of Kaua‘i’s population means we’re just about back to post-Iniki days,” she added. “I’ve been at the Food Bank for the past 15 years and the month of December, 2009, set an all-time record high with over 9,500 requests for food. Without the support of our amazing community, it would have been impossible to respond to this need,” she said. “We can only hope that things will get better,” she added.

Client households

The face of hunger on Kaua‘i may surprise you. Thirty-two percent of the households include at least one employed adult and 56 percent have incomes below the federal poverty level. Twenty-one percent are homeless. Thirty-seven percent of those served are children under age 18 years old and 10 percent are elderly. Forty percent are Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

— 73 percent of client households served are food insecure, meaning that they don’t always know where they will find their next meal.

— 43 percent of these client households are experiencing food insecurity with hunger, meaning they are sometimes completely without a source of food.

Tough choices

Many of the client households served by the Kaua‘i Food Bank report that their household incomes are inadequate to cover their basic household expenses.

— 24 percent of client households served report having to choose between paying for utilities and food.

— 21 percent of client households said they had to choose between paying for rent or a mortgage and food.

— 19 percent of client households report having to choose between paying for medical bills and food.

— 30 percent of client households must choose between paying for gas for a car and food.

— 16 percent of households report having at least one member of their household in poor health.

Satisfaction with Kaua‘i Food Bank services

— 99 percent of adult clients said they were either “very satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with the amount of food they receive from their provider.

— 98 percent of adult clients reported being satisfied with the quality of the food they received.

Agencies

— The Kaua‘i food Bank provides food and groceries to 44 food pantries, soup kitchens and emergency shelters.

— 63 percent of the agencies are faith based and 76 percent of the pantries rely entirely on volunteers.

— The Kaua‘i food Bank is by far the single most important source of food for agencies with emergency food providers, accounting for 90 percent of the food distributed by pantries, 59 percent of the food distributed by kitchens, and 26 percent of the food distributed by shelters.