Ending Hunger in Our Community

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1 Ending Hunger in Our Community Food Security Through Food Assistance A Report t by The Center for Public Policy Priorities and Orchard Communications, Inc. March 2004 Celia Hagert Center for Public Policy Priorities Cathy Schechter Orchard Communications, Inc. For questions about this report contact Celia Hagert, hagert@cppp.org, x110 Center for Public Policy Priorities, 2004

2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study was made possible by the generous support of Mazon: A Jewish Response to Hunger, a steadfast contributor to the Center for Public Policy Priorities anti-hunger work in Texas for over a decade. We would also like to thank Share Our Strength, the Shield-Ayres Foundation, and Patricia Ayres for their ongoing support of our food and nutrition policy work. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the food assistance system in Texas, identify areas in need of improvement, and make policy recommendations for better collaboration between public and private food providers as well as long-term strategies for addressing poverty. We hope that this project sews the seeds for ongoing and fruitful collaboration between Texas food banks and the Center for Public Policy Priorities, unites the direct service and policy goals of the anti-hunger community in a common agenda, and stokes the desire of elected officials at all levels of government to find the will and commit the resources needed to end hunger in Texas. The Center for Public Policy Priorities is grateful to the emergency food providers who participated in this study. Their compassion and dedication to improving the lives of needy Texans from all walks of life are an inspiration. The Texas Association of Second Harvest Food Banks and its administrator Gaye Lynn Bailey provided invaluable assistance in collecting data and helping us to coordinate the project with the food banks. The food pantry clients who shared their experiences and had the courage to speak out so frankly about the often painful circumstances of their daily lives contributed greatly to this study. Without their candor, we would have only a very limited insight into the conditions that lead people to access emergency and other food sources in Texas. We thank the local agency directors in the Second Harvest network for inviting us into their world and taking the time out of their busy schedules to acquaint us with their mission and how they go about their work. We are particularly indebted to Barbara Anderson, Terri Drefke, Brenda Kirk, Jan Pruitt, Bo Soderberg, and David Weaver, the six Second Harvest food banks directors whom we interviewed for the study. Without their patience, good will, and overall guidance this study would not have been possible. The center thanks Cathy Schechter and the staff of Orchard Communications, Inc., for their assistance in developing the methodology for the study and for conducting the interviews. We also want to acknowledge Roseanne Thornhill and Gracie Alvarado, nutrition students at the University of Texas at Austin, who contributed to the research for this report. Front cover: The pictures on the cover of this report are from, clockwise, the Capital Area Food Bank, the Regional East Texas Food Bank, the San Antonio Food Bank, and the North Texas Food Bank.

3 CONTENTS Introduction 1 Methodology 3 Respondent Demographics 5 The Nutrition Safety Net: Public & Private Food Assistance in Texas 8 Public Food Assistance Programs 8 The Private Emergency Food Assistance Network 12 Changes in the Food Assistance System Since Welfare Reform 14 Perspectives of Emergency Food Providers and Clients 18 Profiles of Six Texas Food Bank Operations 18 How Pantries Work, What They Offer 21 Profiles of Hunger and Barriers to Self-Sufficiency 24 Choosing Between Emergency Food Assistance & Food Stamps 34 Improving Food Access in Texas 38 The Case for Better Outreach, Coordination & Education 44 Best Practices 47 Innovative Partnerships 47 Improving Health Through Nutrition Education 49 Job Training and Building Self-Sufficiency 50 Kid s Cafes 52 Breedlove Dehydrated Foods 53

4 Conclusion and Recommendations 54 Strengthen the Federal Nutrition Safety Net 55 Increase Nutrition Education and Promote Healthier Eating 57 Increase Wages through Access to Job Training and Education 58 Improve Coordination Between Public and Private Assistance Programs 59 Increase State Support for Food Programs 59 Increase Public Awareness About Hunger 60 Endnotes 61 Appendix 63 Food Bank Director Interview Guide 63 Food Pantry Director Interview Guide 65 Food Pantry Consumer Interview Guide 67

5 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE INTRODUCTION In one of the wealthiest, most agriculturally rich states in the nation lies an ugly truth: Over 3.1 million people in Texas are food insecure, meaning they don t always know where they will get the groceries or money for their next meal. This number includes approximately 874,000 Texans who may suffer from outright hunger. 1 It is estimated that almost one-quarter of Texas children over 1.4 million live in food insecure households. 2 Texas has the second-highest rate of food insecurity in the nation 14.8% of families are at risk for hunger due to limited resources. The faces of hunger vary: many of these people are children or elderly. Almost two-fifths of food insecure Texans are working. 3 They may be Caucasian, African-American, Hispanic or Asian; they may have more than a high school education. They may have access to food stamps that have run out; or, they may never have applied, believing for one reason or another that they do not qualify, or that the situation is temporary and does not merit going through the hoops. Some are homeless in the most commonly imagined sense, that is, living on the street, while others crowd into the homes of friends or family because rent is too high to afford a place of their own. Many are disabled, injured or single mothers. Most are struggling to make ends meet, often making choices whether to keep a roof over their heads, pay their utilities, continue taking medicine needed to stay healthy, or eat. The majority lack health insurance. A combination of public and private food programs is available to help lowincome Texans obtain an adequate diet. However, government programs fail to reach all those who are eligible, while the private, emergency food assistance network does not have the resources to consistently meet the needs of the hungry. Although a huge growth in both public and private food resources occurred over the last three decades, the welfare reforms of 1996 weakened the federal nutrition safety net, in turn straining the resources of private food providers. Despite the economic gains and record unemployment of the late 1990s, the number of poor Texans dropped very little during that time, and the percentage of hungry and food insecure families remained virtually unchanged. Over 3.1 million Texans are at risk of hunger. Public food assistance food programs in Texas serve over 2 million people. In 2002, private food charities in Texas distributed 152 million pounds of food, valued at $255 million. Hunger and Food Insecurity in Texas and U.S. Texas U.S. Percent of food insecure families 14.8% 11.1% Percent of hungry families 4.1% 3.5% SOURCE: Household Food Security in the United States, 2002, U.S. Department of Agriculture, October

6 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: HOW DO WE MEASURE HUNGER? Experts use these terms to determine whether people are hungry and to count the number of hungry people nationwide. FOOD SECURITY: Access to enough food at all times for an active, healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum... the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe foods, and... an assured ability to acquire aceptable foods in socially acceptable ways (e.g., without resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging, stealing, or other coping strategies). In 2001, Mathematica Policy Research, Inc., conducted a national survey on behalf of America s Second Harvest, the national network of food banks. Food banks are essentially food warehouses that serve as the hub of emergency feeding operations. They provide food to charitable agencies such as food pantries and soup kitchens that in turn feed the hungry. Researchers came to Texas and surveyed in a number of areas served by food banks affiliated with America s Second Harvest. The results of this survey were released in a report titled Hunger in America, This report provides extensive demographic profiles of emergency food clients and comprehensive information on the nature and effectiveness of emergency food providers pantries, soup kitchens, homeless shelters, etc. in meeting the nutritional needs of their clients. The data gathered is highly informative, but did not offer a qualitative picture of how and why people in Texas access emergency food assistance. In order to understand better the conditions that lead people to access emergency and other food sources, the Center for Public Policy Priorities contracted with Orchard Communications, Inc., to interview emergency food personnel and food pantry clients about their experiences and solicit their recommendations for improving food access in Texas. We use the findings from these interviews, along with the quantitative data collected from Hunger in America, 2001 and other socioeconomic and food program data to illustrate the circumstances of these families and make policy recommendations for strengthening the nutrition safety net, improving coordination between public and private food programs, and giving low-income families in Texas the tools they need to escape poverty. FOOD INSECURITY: Limited or uncertain availability or nutritionally adequate and safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to acquire acceptable foods in socially acceptable ways. HUNGER: The uneasy or painful sensation caused by a lack of food. The recurrent and involuntary lack of access to food. Hunger may produce malnutrition over time... Hunger... is a potential, although not necessary, consequence of food insecurity. SOURCE: Household Food Security in the U.S., USDA, 2003 Courtesy of the San Antonio Food Bank 2

7 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE METHODOLOGY Researchers interviewed emergency food providers and clients in the six areas of Texas surveyed by America s Second Harvest for Hunger in America, These areas include Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, Lubbock, the Rio Grande Valley, and Tyler, which are served by the following food banks: the North Texas Food Bank (Dallas), the Tarrant Area Food Bank (Fort Worth), the Houston Food Bank, the South Plains Food Bank (Lubbock), the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, and the Regional East Texas Food Bank (Tyler). These food banks serve over 1,500 local agencies that cover 115 counties in Texas. The executive directors of these food banks were interviewed as well as the directors of local agencies served by these food banks. Food bank and local agency directors were interviewed by telephone. The lines of inquiry for food bank and local agency directors were as follows: Agency characteristics (Physical size, number and demographics of clients, pounds of food distributed, patterns of peak need, and ability to keep up with demand for their services.) Operational details (Type of agency, e.g., faith-based or secular; annual budget; recent changes in operations; role of volunteers and paid staff; eligibility guidelines for clients to qualify for services; sources of financial support, and sources for obtaining food; and changes to their operations that would enhance their ability to meet the needs of their clients.) Food stamps (Estimated number of clients receiving food stamps, how long food stamp benefits last, barriers clients face to receiving food stamps, collaboration with the government agencies that administer public food assistance programs, and suggestions for changes to improve food access in Texas.) Advocacy and outreach (Role of emergency food providers in helping their clients access other assistance programs, and advocating on behalf of their clients with elected officials and other policymakers.) Researchers traveled to select food pantries located in the service areas of the six food banks and interviewed people who use these agencies for food. A total of 67 individuals were interviewed statewide between June 2002 and February Individuals were asked about their experiences and opinions regarding: The food pantry (How they learned about it, how often they visit the pantry, and how long they had used it; opinions about pantry services, hours of operations, staff, eligibility requirements, and types of food offered; and barriers to accessing emergency food.) Barriers riers to self-sufficiency ficiency (Circumstances that led them to seek assistance from emergency food providers, and factors that affect their ability to feed themselves and any family members.) Food stamps (Use of program benefits, understanding of the program and how to access its benefits, opinions about the program and eligibility staff, adequacy of benefits offered, and the importance of food stamps in meeting 3

8 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: their nutritional needs as well as those of any family members.) Food assistance prefer eferences ences (How services provided by the emergency food network compare to the assistance offered by the Food Stamp Program, and the advantages and disadvantages in each system.) Messages for policymakers (What policymakers need to hear about hunger in Texas that would help them understand why food assistance programs are important.) Recommendations (How to make sure that everyone in America has enough to eat.) The interview guides used in these interviews are included in the Appendix. Courtesy of the Capital Area Food Bank 4

9 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE RESPONDENT DEMOGRAPHICS The six food bank directors were interviewed first to gather insight about emergency food operations and the diversity of issues that should be reflected in this study. Although the size and budgets of these agencies vary considerably, all of the food banks follow similar operating procedures, depend on similar sources for funding and food donations, and rely heavily on volunteers to sustain their operations. These food banks are profiled below. FOOD BANK OF THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY, INC. ( Cameron, Hidalgo, Jim Hogg, Starr, Willacy, Zapata The Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley, Inc., is the largest non-governmental charitable provider of food and grocery products in South Texas. The food bank has a 21-year history serving needy residents in six South Texas counties along the border with Mexico. In 2001, the food bank distributed over 18 million pounds of food to more than 290,000 Valley families. HOUSTON FOOD BANK ( Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Trinity, Walker, Waller The Houston Food Bank helps feed about 200,000 people in need each month. In 2001, the food bank distributed more than 23 million pounds of food and other essentials to 500 member programs. NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK ( Collin, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hopkins, Hunt, Kaufman, Lamar, Navarro, Rockwall The North Texas Food Bank was formed in 1982 and is the largest food bank in Texas and the fifth largest in the nation. In 2001, it distributed more than 24 million pounds of goods to 352 agencies in 13 counties. Agency food pantries distributed food to almost 447,000 families, and agency on-site programs served over 6 million meals/snacks per month. REGIONAL EAST TEXAS FOOD BANK ( Anderson, Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Leon, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rains, Red River, Rusk, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur, Van Zandt, Wood In 2001 the East Texas Food Bank distributed over 8 million pounds of food to 188 agencies, providing over 20 million meals to people in need in 26 counties. SOUTH PLAINS FOOD BANK Bailey, Cochran, Crosby, Dawson, Dickens, Floyd, Gaines, Garza, Hale, Hockley, Kent, King, Lamb, Lubbock, Lynn, Motley, Scurry, Stonewall, Terry, Yoakum Since 1983 the South Plains Food Bank has distributed over 105 million pounds of food to the hungry. Through a network of 265 agencies in 25 counties, food is distributed through a voucher system, on-site feeder programs, or pantries. TARRANT AREA FOOD BANK ( Bosque, Cooke, Denton, Erath, Hamilton, Hill, Hood, Johnson, Palo Pinto, Parker, Somervell, Tarrant, Wise Established in 1982, the Tarrant Area Food Bank distributes more than 13 million pounds of food and other essential product to 275 partner agencies in 13 counties. Each month, the food bank provides food for 30,000 households, 290,000 prepared meals, and 200,000 snacks. 5

10 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: The directors of 10 food pantries served by these food banks also were interviewed, and a focus group was conducted with staff from 15 local agencies served by the Houston Food Bank. In order to reflect the ethnic and geographic diversity of Texas, a mix of rural and urban food pantries was chosen for these interviews and for the focus group. To capture the diverse nature and scope of emergency food providers, interviews were conducted at agencies of varied sizes and types. Some are faith-based, and others are non-sectarian; some offer food pantry services only, and others offer a variety of helping services, such as medical or cash assistance, or thrift shops. Their annual budgets ranged from operating monthto-month, to almost $400,000. One agency director included in-kind contributions and volunteer time in his annual budget, and reported it to be $7 million in total. The following food pantries participated in these interviews: ASK House, Lubbock Braeswood Faith Ministries, Houston Caring & Sharing, Longview Christian Community Action, Lewisville Christian Community Services Center, Houston Christian Information Center, Lufkin Disciples in Action, Levelland East Fort Bend Ministries, Stafford Harris County AFL-CIO Center, Houston Hope, Inc., Stephenville House of Amos, Houston Jordan Grove Baptist Church, Houston Lancaster Outreach Center, Lancaster Madres a Madres, Houston South Park Baptist Church, Houston Southeast Area Ministries, Houston St. Frances Xavier Food Pantry, LaFeria St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Houston St. John s United Methodist Church, Lubbock St. Mary s Catholic Church, Houston Tomball Area Assistance Ministries, Tomball Wise Area Relief, Decatur Zeta Chi Foundation, West Columbia Sixty-seven (67) food pantry clients were interviewed while accessing food pantries in Dallas, Harlingen, Houston, Lubbock, McAllen, Stephenville, and Tyler. A profile of these clients appears in the table on the facing page. 6 Courtesy of the Capital Area Food Bank

11 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE Profile of Food Pantry Clients Male Female Gender Age Ethnicity African-American Caucasian Hispanic No response 1 Do you have health insurance? Yes No No Response Education Elementary School Middle School High School High School Graduate Some College No Response Length of Time Coming First time here Have used it twice or more in last six months One year steadily Two years steadily Awhile (more than 3 years steadily) First time lately; off and on over time No response Do you currently work? 2 Yes No How long have you lived in the area? Arrived within past year 1-5 years 6-10 years 11+ years Number of Respondents N= N= N= N= N= N= N= N= Percentage (%) of Sample Respondents with health insurance generally had Medicaid or Medicare. 2 Many women who said they did not work qualified their answer by saying their husband or partner does work. Data on household income was not captured. 7

12 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: Annual Income as a Percentage of Poverty* Family Size 100% 130% 185% of FPL of FPL of FPL 1 $ 8,980 $11,674 $16, ,120 15,756 22, ,260 19,838 28, ,400 23,920 34, ,540 28,002 39, ,680 32,084 45, ,820 36,166 51,467 For each add l person, add $3,140 $4,082 $5,089 *Based on the 2003 Federal Poverty Guidelines THE NUTRITION SAFETY NET: PUBLIC & PRIVATE FOOD ASSISTANCE IN TEXAS A combination of public and private food programs is available to help low-income Texans meet their nutritional needs and avoid going hungry. These programs offer a range of different services and vary greatly according to how they are funded, who operates them, eligibility criteria, the type of food benefit they offer, and the people they serve. Unfortunately, there are holes in the nutrition safety net, and many low-income families in Texas do not get the food assistance they need. Government programs typically provide consistent, ongoing support to eligible people, but fail to reach all those who are eligible. Further, many Texans who need help buying food fail to meet strict program eligibility criteria or have trouble complying with program requirements. On the other hand, the private food assistance network generally only provides emergency, short-term help and does not have the resources to consistently meet the needs of the hungry. Better coordination of public and private efforts is also needed to ensure that the hungry are fed. This section describes the programs that make up the nutrition safety net and their role in improving low-income people s nutritional health and increasing family food security in Texas. Recommendations for improving access to the nutrition safety net are discussed later in the report. Public Food Assistance Programs Nine major nutrition programs make up the federal nutrition safety net: Food Stamps, the National School Lunch/School Breakfast Programs (NSL/SBP), the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP), WIC (the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), the Food Distribution Program (FDP), The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), and the Nutrition Services Incentive Program authorized by Title III of the Older Americans Act. While there are other federal, state, and local programs that also feed the hungry, these nine programs are generally considered the backbone in the nation s defense against hunger. With the exception of the Nutrition Services Incentive Program, which is administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department on Aging, these programs are all administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Various state agencies in Texas administer the federal nutrition programs, including the Texas Department of Human Services (Food Stamps, NSL/BP in private schools and residential child care institutions, SFSP, FDP, TEFAP, and CACFP), the Texas Department of Health (WIC), the Texas Department of Agriculture (NSL/BP in public schools), and the Texas Department on Aging (Nutrition Services Incentive Program). 5 The majority of benefits and services offered by these programs are 100% federally funded, although states and local units of governments often share the cost of administering the program, or providing ancillary services. Congress and the federal government establish national eligibility standards and guidelines that states must follow in administering these programs. However, states do have some flexibility in how they administer these programs and what level of services they offer, and the decisions states make in these areas often affect how successful these programs are at reaching their target population. Further, administration of these programs as well as some of the services they offer often requires state matching funds in order to receive federal support. Because of this, the state s willingness to 8

13 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE commit its own dollars can also affect program success. Although eligibility guidelines for these programs differ, many people are eligible for more than one program. For example, all children who receive food stamps are also eligible for free school meals. In most states these programs are operated by a number of different agencies, so states must find ways to connect eligible individuals and families to all of the programs available to them despite separate application and enrollment procedures. Although advances in technology along with innovative outreach approaches have enabled Texas to increase coordination among these programs, barriers still exist, and ongoing efforts in this area are needed to ensure that low-income Texans receive all of the nutritional support available to them. FOOD STAMPS The Food Stamp Program (FSP) is the nation s most important tool to fight hunger. The FSP enables low-income families to buy food at grocery stores and other food markets. In Texas, recipients purchase food with the Lone Star Card, an electronic debit card. There are no restrictions on the kind of food recipients may buy, although non-food items such as alcohol, cigarettes, diapers, toiletries, etc., cannot be purchased with the Lone Star Card. The average monthly benefit in 2003 was $80 per person. The Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) administers the program at over 590 locations around the state. Families must have limited income gross income must be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level and limited resources to be eligible for food stamps. Most workingage adults are required to work or participate in the Food Stamp Employment and Training Program as a condition of receiving benefits. Most legal immigrants are only eligible for food stamps after living in the country for five years, although children are eligible immediately upon entry into the United States. 6 Undocumented immigrants have never been eligible for food stamps. In addition to ensuring that low-income families can afford an adequate diet, the FSP brings much needed federal funds into poor neighborhoods and communities. In fiscal 2003, Texas distributed over $1.8 billion in federal Food Stamp benefits to almost 1.9 million people. 7 Each federal food stamp dollar generates approximately $1.84 in state economic activity, according to USDA. Students who eat school breakfast increase their math and reading scores and do better on standardized tests. NATIONAL SCHOOL LUNCH/SCHOOL BREAKFAST PROGRAMS The National School Lunch/School Breakfast Programs (NSL/SBP) provide funding to schools to help them offer nutritious breakfasts and lunches to children. Children from families with incomes at or below 130% of the poverty line receive free meals, while those with family income between 130% and 185% of poverty receive meals at a reduced price. School districts use their own funds to administer their meal programs. Virtually every public school in Texas participates in the school lunch program, and 97% of these schools also offer free breakfast. In school year , over 4.5 million children in Texas received federally funded lunches, including 2.2 million children who ate for free or at a reduced price. About 27% of these children also ate school breakfast, including 970,704 children who received free or reduced-price breakfasts. ( See Economically Disadvantaged Students for ) 9

14 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM The Summer Food Service Program provides meals and snacks to children in lowincome communities during the summer months. DHS and the Texas Department of Agriculture jointly administer the program, contracting with non-profit organizations, schools, and local governments to operate summer food sites at the local level. Sites that are located in communities where at least 50% of schoolchildren in the area are eligible for free or reduced-price meals during the school year may serve all children, without formally enrolling them or documenting their family income. Sites that are not located in low-income areas must enroll and document the income of the children they serve; at least 50% of enrolled children must have family income at or below 185% of FPL. In 2003, these summer programs served over 12.7 million meals to low-income children, reaching an average of 83,309 children per day. ( Select Summer Food Service Program. ) Every dollar spent on WIC results in between $1.77 and $3.13 in Medicaid savings for newborns and their mothers. WIC AND THE FARMER S MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAM The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) helps pregnant women, new mothers, and young children stay healthy by providing them with nutritious foods, nutrition education and counseling, and other nutritional health services. Low-income women who are pregnant, postpartum (within six months of delivery), or breastfeeding, and children under age five are eligible to receive these services. Eligible participants must be at risk for nutrition-related health problems and have family income below 185% of FPL. Participants receive services that are tailored to their specific health needs, including coupons that may be used to buy certain foods at the grocery store. The Texas Department of Health (TDH) administers the program, providing funds to local agencies around the state to run WIC clinics. Over 700 sites in Texas offer WIC services at clinics run by local health departments, county and city agencies, migrant health centers, community action agencies, and hospitals. In October 2003, 862,230 Texans received WIC services. TDH estimates that it reaches 79% of those eligible to receive WIC. ( TDH also administers the WIC Farmer s Market Nutrition Program, which provides WIC recipients with coupons to buy food at farmers markets. Thirty-three local WIC agencies offer FMNP coupons, which may be used at farmers markets in the 56 counties they serve. WIC recipients at these clinics receive $14 in coupons each summer (for use in April, May, June, July, and August). CHILD AND ADULT CARE FOOD PROGRAM The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) reimburses child care providers for the meals and snacks they serve to children in day care, at-risk afterschool programs, or emergency shelters. CACFP also reimburses adult day care providers for the meals they serve to functionally impaired seniors (age 60+) who are in their care. Children under age 12 are eligible for meals in child care settings and emergency shelters; children under age 18 may receive reimbursed meals in at-risk afterschool programs. DHS administers the program for the state. In 2002, 11,106 CACFP providers served over 129 million meals to children and seniors in their care. ( Select Child and Adult Care Food Program. ) 10

15 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM The purpose of the Food Distribution Program (FDP) is to supplement the food received by children who participate in USDA s child nutrition programs by providing USDA surplus commodities to schools, summer food programs, food banks, soup kitchens, and government agencies. In Texas, this program is administered by the Department of Human Services, which distributes the food to eligible agencies. Commodities are allocated to agencies based on the number of meals they serve to participants in their programs. Agencies that are able to handle food in truckload quantities may receive direct shipments from USDA, which reduces overhead costs. In fiscal 2002, Texas received 97.5 million pounds of commodities through the FDP. ( Select Food Distribution Program. ) THE EMERGENCY FOOD ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Similar to the FDP, the purpose of The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) is to reduce hunger among low-income Americans, while providing an outlet to the U.S. agricultural community for its surplus product. Through TEFAP, USDA-donated commodities are distributed to emergency feeding organizations such as food pantries, soup kitchens, and other emergency food programs. These organizations supply the commodities to needy individuals and families through prepared meals that are served on site, or food packages for use at home. To qualify, recipients of TEFAP commodities must have family income below 185% of the poverty line. In Texas, this program is called TEXCAP the Texas Commodities Assistance Program. TEXCAP is administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS), which contracts with Texas Second Harvest food banks to distribute the food through their member agencies. In fiscal 2002, DHS distributed 55.1 million pounds of TEXCAP commodities to food banks. ( Select Texas Commodities Assistance Program. ) On average, 37% of the food distributed in 2002 by Texas food banks in this study was government commodities. NUTRITION SERVICES INCENTIVE PROGRAM Known as the Nutrition Services Incentive Program, federal funding is available under Title III of the Older Americans Act to provide grants to states to operate home-delivered (Meals on Wheels) and congregate meal programs for persons 60 and older, as well as other services such as nutrition counseling and education. These programs are intended not only to improve seniors nutrition, but also to offer participants with opportunities to make friends and join informal support networks. Nutrition Services Incentive Program funds are administered at the federal level by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging, and in Texas by the Department on Aging (TDoA). TDoA administers these funds through 28 local Area Agencies on Aging, which contract with local providers to offer nutrition services and programs to seniors. While there is no means test income eligibility criteria for participation in these programs, services are targeted to older people with the greatest economic or social need, with special attention given to low-income minorities. In fiscal 2002, TDoA s Area Agencies on Aging provided more than 8.9 million meals to 173,264 seniors. ( and 11

16 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: And when ye reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest. And thou shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God Leviticus 19: The Private Emergency Food Assistance Network The existence of large numbers of hungry or food insecure Americans has been met with a growth in private-sector institutions that provide food on an emergency basis to people in a crisis situation. Food banking the storage and distribution of donated food to the hungry has been around since the 1960s, although the concept of food charity for the poor dates back to Biblical times, when farmers were instructed to reserve the remains of their harvest for the poor. In the United States, private food charity has grown into a large and well-organized emergency food assistance system made up of national and local donors, food banks, and charitable feeding agencies that serve or provide food to needy people in a variety of different settings. The emergency food assistance system is almost entirely funded by private donations of money and relies largely on private donations of food as well, although government-donated commodities supplement these donations. Food pantries may distribute food for home preparation, while soup kitchens or shelters prepare meals to be eaten on site. Many of these private agencies receive food from a local food bank, which may combine donations from national, statewide, or local sources. With some exceptions, most food banks do not provide direct service to individuals, but rather to the agencies that serve them. The emergency food assistance system in the United States is headed up by America s Second Harvest, the nation s largest charitable hunger-relief organization, which provides food to over 200 food banks across the country for distribution to thousands of local charities that feed the hungry. A description of this system follows. AMERICA S SECOND HARVEST America s Second Harvest distributes 1.8 billion pounds of donated food and grocery products annually. With a national network of over 200 affiliated food banks and food-rescue programs throughout all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, America s Second Harvest serves approximately 50,000 local charitable hunger-relief agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and other non-emergency food programs. America s Second Harvest provided emergency food assistance to more than 23 million hungry Americans in 2001, including eight million children and four million seniors. Almost 80% of all food banks in the United States belong to America s Second Harvest, which supports the emergency food system by providing technical assistance and other services to its food bank members. In addition, America s Second Harvest conducts policy research on hunger-related issues and is the national advocate on behalf of hunger relief organizations in Congress. The figure below illustrates how America s Second Harvest network operates. 12

17 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE America s Second Harvest Network In 2002, Texas food banks distributed more than $255 million worth of food to 3,647 local charities that feed the hungry. THE TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANKS The Second Harvest food bank network in Texas includes 18 food banks, 3,647 member agencies (local charities that provide food and other services to needy families), and covers all of Texas 254 counties. The following food banks are part of America s Second Harvest network in Texas: Brazos Food Bank (Bryan) Capital Area Food Bank (Austin) Community Food Bank of Victoria Concho Valley Regional Food Bank (San Angelo) Food Bank of Abilene Food Bank of Corpus Christi Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley (McAllen) Houston Food Bank High Plains Food Bank (Amarillo) North Texas Food Bank (Dallas) Regional East Texas Food Bank (Tyler) San Antonio Food Bank South Plains Food Bank (Lubbock) South Texas Food Bank (Laredo) Southeast Texas Food Bank (Beaumont) Tarrant Area Food Bank (Ft. Worth) West Texas Food Bank (Odessa) Wichita Falls Area Food Bank 13

18 # of people (millions) ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: These food banks are members of the Texas Association of Second Harvest Food Banks (TASHFB), which provides training for their staff members, represents the food banks to state agencies and the media, and promotes the sharing of resources throughout the network. In 2002, Texas food banks distributed over 152 million pounds of food and grocery items through its network of member agencies, an increase of 142% in food distribution since The value of food distributed is estimated to be over $255 million. 9 Food banks in Texas distribute food that is donated to them by private corporations, individual donors, and the federal government. Food banks rely heavily on volunteers, but also receive financial support from individual donors and private foundations, as well as some grants from state and federal governments. Food distribution by Texas food banks increased 142% from 1996 to 2002; at the same time food stamp caseloads fell 36%. Changes in the Food Assistance Network Since Welfare Reform Although a huge growth in both public and private food resources occurred over the last three decades, the state and federal welfare reforms of 1996 weakened the federal nutrition safety net, which in turn strained the resources of private food providers. Despite the economic gains and record unemployment of the late 1990s, the number of poor Texans dropped very little during that time, food stamp rolls plummeted, and food distribution at Texas food banks soared. Poverty, Food Stamp Use, & Pounds of Food Distributed by Texas Food Banks lbs. of food (millions) Food stamp recipients Unmet need for food stamps Food distributed by Texas food banks Number of poor SOURCE: DHS Annual Reports, ; DHS Legislative Appropriations Requests; TASHFB; and U.S. Census Bureau FOOD STAMP DECLINES FROM In 1996, federal welfare reform legislation (the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, or PRWORA) replaced the former cash welfare entitlement program Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) 14

19 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE with a block grant to states, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Although the primary purpose of welfare reform was to reduce the cash assistance rolls and move recipients from welfare to work, over half of the non-medicaid savings in the legislation $27.7 billion was achieved by cuts made to the Food Stamp Program. The welfare act made most legal immigrants ineligible for food stamps, restricted eligibility for working-age adults without children, and reduced the value of food stamp benefits across the board for all families. These changes, in addition to confusion over new TANF program rules and stricter enrollment procedures, led to a dramatic decline in food stamp participation that far outpaced any drop in poverty and unemployment. Today, only one out of three people eligible for food stamp benefits in Texas receive them, down from a little over half in From , enrollment in the Food Stamp Program fell by 885,000 people. Nationwide, it is estimated that more than half of the decline in food stamp cases from 1995 to 1999 occurred because fewer eligible individuals participated. 10 The steep decline in food stamp enrollment from 1996 to 2002 resulted in a cumulative loss statewide of over $4.5 billion in federal funds, with losses as high as $1 billion in Harris County, $547 million in Dallas County, and $387 million in Bexar County. While a portion of the lost revenue is a result of families leaving the program because they no longer needed food stamps, much of the loss is attributable to fewer eligible families participating. The state and local economies may have been able to absorb this loss of revenue during the economic boom of the late 1990s, but in the current economic downturn food stamps are more important than ever. Tyler Cumulative Loss of Federal Food Stamp Revenue by Food Bank Service Area, million The decline in food stamp participation from resulted in a cumulative loss of over $4.5 billion in federal funding for Texas. Rio Grande Valley Lubbock Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Texas 393 million 99 million 695 million 321 million 1.3 billion 4.5 billion SOURCE: The total loss of revenue for each food bank service area is calculated by adding the cumulative loss of revenue for each county served by the food bank. In May of 2001, caseloads started to climb steadily again in response to a worsening economy and climbing unemployment. By the end of fiscal 2003, average monthly caseloads had grown to almost 1.9 million, a 16% increase over fiscal 2002 and a 32% increase since fiscal While much of the recent growth in caseloads is attributable to a weaker economy, a portion is the result of improvements in program access made by the Texas legislature in 2001 and by Congress as part of the 2002 Farm Bill, as well as successful public awareness efforts. However, none of these improvements had been implemented in time to be reflected in the interviews conducted for this study. Welfare reform did not significantly affect the other federal nutrition programs, with the exception of cuts made in the reimbursement rates paid to sponsors who participate in the Summer Food Service Program. For the most part, enrollment in these programs has continued to grow. 15

20 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: We ve ceased to be emergency assistance. We re feeding people who are chronically hungry. It is a huge shift in our mission. ---Dallas IMPACT OF WELFARE REFORM, FOOD STAMP DECLINES & RECENT ECONOMIC TRENDS ON EMERGENCY FOOD PROVIDERS Despite the economic prosperity of the late 1990s and the much-touted success of welfare reform in moving people into jobs, lines at soup kitchens and food pantries across Texas started to grow as welfare and food stamp caseloads began to decline. A July 1999 study by the U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) found that the need for food assistance had not diminished in the face of declining food stamp and welfare caseloads. Rather, individuals and families forced to cut their food budgets to make up for the loss of food stamps or other benefits started turning to local charities for aid. 12 The private emergency food network put in place to meet the occasional food needs of people in crisis became a regular, year-round source of food assistance for hundreds of thousands of low-income Texans. A survey of welfare leavers in Texas completed in 2002 found that obtaining food remained an ongoing worry for many families. Even though most welfare leavers remained eligible for food stamps, only 60% of families surveyed continued to receive food assistance, and over one-third reported visiting a food pantry at some point during the previous year. Even for those families who left welfare or the Food Stamp Program for work, the survey found that the wages paid by their new jobs were not sufficient to meet their basic needs. Only 46% of former welfare recipients reported being employed, and the median wage for those who did find work was only $6.25 per hour. 13 These families joined Texas large population of working poor, families who work, but do not make enough to pay for their basic expenses food, housing, rent, and health care especially without the support provided by public assistance. Most poor families with children in Texas are working families. Of the 513,000 families with children below poverty, 81% 415,000 are headed by a worker. 14 Of the 689,000 families with incomes between 100% and 200% of the poverty level, 80% 551,200 are headed by a worker. These families include 3.9 million Texans, over two million of whom are children. As a result, food pantries reported seeing more working families during this time, and more families with children. In its 2001 survey of the national emergency food network, America s Second Harvest found that 39% of the emergency food recipient households had at least one adult working. In its 2000 survey on hunger and homelessness, the U.S. Conference of Mayors found that 32% of adults requesting emergency food aid were working, and that 62% of all requests for emergency food aid in the surveyed cities were made by children or their parents. 15 All Texas food banks surveyed for this report experienced an increase in demand for their services in the years following welfare reform, and many of the local hunger relief agencies in the food bank network were forced to cut back on their services and hours of operation in order to cope with the increased demand and stretch their resources each month. Since 1996, food distribution by Texas food banks increased by 142%, from 63 million to 152 million pounds of food. Although the interviews with emergency food providers and clients done for this report asked about the years immediately following welfare reform in 1996, most 16

21 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE of these conversations took place after the effects of the 2001 economic downturn were already being felt. Many of the food bank and food pantry directors expressed concerns about their ability to keep up with the growing demand, despite the beginning signs of growth in food stamp enrollment. Some openly worried about how the bad economy would affect their donations, and all of the food bank directors reported relying more heavily on USDA commodities as a source of food. While the full impact of the recession on the emergency food network cannot be determined yet, it is likely that recent federal and state budget cuts in health and human services and other poverty-fighting programs will further increase demand at Texas food charities. 48% Pantries Reporting Increased Demand Since % 63% 75% 67% 57% 56% Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley U.S It used to be that the average pantry would serve food three times per year [to each client]; now they re seeing people six times per year, and sometimes once per month. We do not know how widespread the problem is. We have the stories; we know agencies are overwhelmed, closing early because they can t see everyone. It s a growing problem Dallas SOURCE: Hunger in America, 2001, America's Second Harvest. 17

22 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: PERSPECTIVES OF EMERGENCY FOOD PROVIDERS AND CLIENTS As is often the case, the personal experiences and stories of the people directly involved in or affected by hunger relief efforts in Texas help complete the picture outlined by data and statistics. This section of the report summarizes the insights of emergency food personnel and clients about food access in Texas, the differences and interactions between private and public food programs, why people turn to local charities to meet their food needs, and opportunities for improving the food assistance network in Texas. Profiles of Six Texas Food Bank Operations Food banks are large, complicated organizations. The directors interviewed generally described large warehouse spaces, a heavy reliance on volunteers, and the coordination of complex distribution systems to get food from donors to local feeding programs, which vary in size from the church closet to full-sized agencies with health clinics or thrift shops. With the exception of the South Plains Food Bank in Lubbock, most of the food banks represented in interviews do not directly distribute food to individuals, although some do operate kid s cafes that provide meals to children after school. In addition to distributing food to the agencies, food banks also must monitor the local programs they serve to ensure that food is properly handled and distributed. The following is a general description of the operation of a food bank. SIZE Food banks are most often housed in large warehouses, using tens of thousands of square footage. Directors interviewed for this project described physical plants Pounds of Food Distributed by Six Texas Food Banks in Millions of Pounds Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley SOURCE: TASHFB Annual Report,

23 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE ranging from 40,000 square-feet in Lubbock, to 56,000 square-feet in the Rio Grande Valley and 57,000 square-feet in Tyler, to 74,000 and 75,000 square-feet in Dallas and Tarrant Counties, respectively. From these warehouses, millions of pounds of food are distributed every year, ranging from 3.5 million pounds distributed by the South Plains Food Bank in Lubbock to over 23 million pounds of food distributed by the Tarrant Area Food Bank in Fort Worth in STAFFING Food banks generally employ paid staff. For example, the Houston Food Bank employs 53 people, of whom 12 are part-time, while the North Texas and Tarrant Area Food Banks employ between 35 and 38 full-time staff. All food banks, however, also rely heavily on large numbers of volunteers; directors say that operations would be much more difficult (if not impossible) without these volunteer hours. For example, the South Plains Food Bank in Lubbock recorded 230,000 volunteer hours in its warehouse and orchard; the Houston Food Bank and its subsidiary local banks in Bryan College Station and Beaumont, logged 94,000 volunteer hours with 8,000 different people. Organizations ranging from the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) to the Texas prison system have programs that direct volunteers into the food bank system. 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 58% 40% 45% 43% Sources of Food at Texas Food Banks, % 70% 24% 25% 56% 44% 69% 31% We couldn t do it without our volunteers. What they do in the way of physical labor would otherwise have to be done by staff, which we would have to pay. Without our donors and volunteers, we would be broke in an instant. ---Fort Worth 20% 12% 10% 0% 5% 2% 1% 0% 0% ETFB FBRGV HFB NTFB SPFB TAFB Local Donations Government Commodities Purchased Food SOURCE: Reports from each food bank. SOURCES OF FOOD FOR SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANKS Second Harvest food banks in Texas receive food from the following sources: Donations. At a national level, America s Second Harvest rescues food and receives donations from large food manufacturing companies. Local food banks depend on these distributions, but to a greater extent, they depend on donations from local canned food drives, grocery stores, bakeries and other private donors. All food bank directors interviewed commented on their reliance upon local donations and commended groups such as mail car riers, Boy & Girl Scouts, high school clubs, local churches, and other local organizations for their commitment to helping the food bank. On average, 60% of all food distributed by the six food banks that participated in this study is donated. 19

24 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: USDA commodities. Texas food banks receive surplus government commodities through TEXCAP. This is the only government support received by Texas food banks, with the exception of those that sponsor a federal nutrition program, such as the Summer Food Service Program. On average, 37% of the food distributed by these food banks is USDA-donated commodities. Purchased food. Texas food banks have limited budgets and therefore purchase very little food. Some food banks will purchase food that is rarely donated, such as meat, to provide a wider variety of products to their member agencies. Only 4% of food distributed by surveyed food banks is purchased. INNOVATIONS Several innovative programs have been put into place to make food banks more sustainable. The South Plains Food Bank in Lubbock has planted its own orchard and operates a dehydration plant to make dehydrated soup packages from leftover vegetables. The Houston Food Bank operates a Summer Food Service Program, drawing down federal money to serve meals to low-income children when school is out. The North Texas Food Bank is a contractor for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (called PAN in Dallas People and Nutrition), a federally funded program administered by the Texas Department of Human Services that provides surplus USDA commodities to residents of Dallas County who are elderly, or eligible for WIC but not receiving that assistance. The North Texas Food Bank was the first organization in Texas to operate this program. The Texas Association of Second Harvest Food Banks administers the Surplus Agricultural Grants Program with funding from the Texas Department of Agriculture, which provides funding to food banks for the collection and distribution of fresh produce donated by Texas farmers. More detail about these and other food bank innovations is provided later in the report in the section on Best Practices. FOOD DISTRIBUTION Each of these large food banks covers a specific geographical area, providing food to anywhere from 44 to 407 member agencies in the counties they serve. Food banks charge their member agencies a shared maintenance fee equal to $.14 per pound of food. The great distances that some local agencies have to travel to pick up food from their food bank can cause problems, particularly if they do not have reliable transportation, or lack the space to store large quantities of food. If a pantry does not have refrigeration, or lacks a refrigerated truck, this too limits the types of food they can pick up at the food bank. This is a particular problem for rural areas, as the following quote from a food pantry director illustrates. We serve 26 counties over 20,000 square miles. Our population is just over one million, so our problems are different than in urban areas. We don t have local wholesalers and canners and food manufacturers to donate to us, and we have to remain in our service area when it comes to soliciting donations. We have a rural delivery system, so we have to have trucks and trailers to take the food out. But with constraints on the trucks and drivers, some can only get food every other week. ---Tyler 20

25 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE Most agencies don t have refrigeration, so we have to help them with that. ---Dallas The guy who went yesterday (to the food bank) had extra room in his truck, so he picked up some extra produce for us. It s up to the volunteer, how much space they have in vehicle. ---Stephenville In addition, some pantries have difficultly affording the $.14 per pound shared maintenance fee, which limits the amount of food they receive from the food bank. How Food Pantries Work, What They Offer Local agencies receiving food from the food banks are highly diverse. Well over half of them are faith-based organizations, such as churches with pantries or feeding programs. Some offer a wider range of services, such as utility and rent assistance, thrift shops, health clinics, or other services often needed by low-income people. Much of the time and space is donated, agencies are staffed solely by volunteers, and operational budgets vary unpredictably according to donations. Almost two-thirds of Texas food pantries are completely run by volunteers, compared to one-third nationwide. We have a lot of food stored in the church because there is no room in the pantry. It s a walk-in pantry, the size of a closet. We keep hygiene products on one side; there are 6- to 8-foot deep shelves filled with groceries. The food bank monitors for storage, but we don t have any fresh produce or anything like that. It s all canned or dry. ---Lubbock Percent of Food Pantries That Are Volunteer Run with No Paid Staff 90% 77% 80% 67% 68% 70% 59% 60% 54% 48% 50% 40% 33% 30% 20% 10% 0% Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley U.S. SOURCE: Hunger in America, 2001, America's Second Harvest. It takes my breath away what we accomplish. ---Denton We have two buildings. One of them involves food distribution. We have a $1 million overall budget, not all cash. That also includes our medical clinic and donated services. We have two and a half employees, 100 volunteers, including doctors, nurses and drivers to the food bank. We also have a thrift store, so there are ladies who run it. ---Stephenville 21

26 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: The food pantry worker held up a lacy black garter belt and then turned it upside down. See, she said smiling, it s a training bra! ---Harlingen I am the only paid employee. Everyone else is a volunteer. We re located right off the town square. We hope our budget this year will be $80, Decatur We do everything on a volunteer basis. We have about 25 volunteers, but three of us come every time. We open two mornings a week to give clothing and do most of the food then. The rest of the time, food is given by appointment. We ve got about 3,000 square feet, half for food and half for clothing. It s donated space in a commercial shopping center. ---Levelland We have a 15,000 square-foot facility for our pantry alone. Our budget is around $7-8 million; we also have 1,500 volunteers in the pantry. We also use court-appointed service workers. ---Denton Hours of operation varied from pantry to pantry. Some were open one morning per week, while others were open every day. None of the pantries interviewed offered regular, full-time hours. Although all of the pantries that participated in this study get food, fresh produce, and other products from their local food bank, the degree of reliance on food banks varies from pantry to pantry. One pantry reported getting as little as 5% of its food from the local food bank, while others said they relied almost entirely on food supplied by the food bank. Similar to food banks, food pantries get food from local donations and food drives in addition to the support they get from their local food bank. Because these donations, and the food offered by the food bank varies from area to area, the food packages distributed by each pantry also vary greatly. We do just about everything, you name it, food, clothing, hygiene, diapers, beds, blankets, towels, sheets. We do all kinds of baby items. ---Levelland Most food pantries offer a standard package of food items based on the size of the family receiving the package. These food packages almost always include certain staples such as rice, beans, macaroni, and powdered milk. The variation occurs in the items offered to supplement these basic foods, which include a diverse array of food and non-food items. These items range from the ordinary, such as dry cereal, soap, or clothing vouchers to the less common, such as dried cherries or children s videos to other donated, sometimes bizarre, out-of-place items, such as the black garter belts distributed by one pantry in Harlingen. Intake procedures and eligibility requirements also vary by pantry. Most pantries use an initial enrollment form to keep track of how many people they serve, determine eligibility for the pantry s services, and record how many times a client used the pantry. These forms usually ask for the recipient s name, address, number of 22

27 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE family members, income, and Social Security number. Although some pantries imposed their own income requirements, TEXCAP requires persons who receive USDA-donated commodities to have family income below 185% of the federal poverty level. Because most pantries receive and distribute these commodities, all of them screened for family income. Since federal law does not allow emergency food organizations that receive federal funds to screen for citizenship, pantries can only refuse to serve undocumented residents if they do not receive USDA commodities or use any other federal program or funding stream. All of the pantries interviewed for this study had uncomplicated, inclusive eligibility rules that reflect a commitment to serve every person in trouble or in need of their help. I had people from everywhere, and I will not turn them down. We have a form and ask their monthly income and trust that they re telling the truth. Most places make them bring in bills. I just let the good Lord take care of that. I just let it be. ---Longview Sometimes they have documentation and sometimes not. Is it an absolute requirement? No. We ask for it, but if they don t have it, we let it go. We can t make them cough up something they don t have. ---Decatur Our mission says that if someone says they need help, we help them. ---Lufkin USDA has an income cap. Heavens to Betsy, no one meets the caps. We re not required to nail someone down on income, expenses. ---Lufkin Every pantry limits the number of visits each individual or family can make to the food pantry, usually to one or two visits per month. In addition, some pantries require their clients to follow other rules designed to help them achieve self-sufficiency. For example, a Lubbock food pantry requires its patrons to apply for food stamps before receiving a food package. Most of the pantries offer additional assistance and services to their clients beyond emergency food. These services range greatly, from allowing clients to take clothes from the pantry s thrift store and referrals to other social service agencies, to informal job search classes, drug and alcohol counseling, and free health screens. Some pantries provide these services and classes on site using their own resources, while others collaborate with outside agencies to offer this assistance to their clients. We assist needy residents with food, clothing, medical, and financial assistance. Clients can come in once a month for food; clothes every two months; and a medical clinic is there in the afternoon. ---Stephenville We just started a program where we have a job training class so far it s not well attended. We have a book that the director gets off the Internet and it s left at the front desk. It s got current job listings in it. ---Lancaster 23

28 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: I came from Rochester, NY, with no clothing or food. My mom was raising one of my daughters, but then she got sick. She is a diabetic. So my husband and I came here with our three children. At first, we had no home, no work, we had to stay with my parents. My father is an alcoholic. I had no gas in my wagon. My dad kicked us out. I needed a prayer. ---Harlingen Although some agencies mentioned referring their clients to government programs like CHIP (the Children s Health Insurance Program), food stamps, and WIC, there was no formal process in place at any of the pantries interviewed to ensure that food pantry clients received government benefits for which they were eligible. On Tuesday afternoon, we have an outreach worker from the medical school. She is tremendous, knowledgeable. We do CHIP outreach and urge people to get on CHIP. We also have nurses from the city health department or volunteers who are church members to check blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure. We also furnish condoms as part of an AIDS project, and twice a month, we have a free legal clinic in the evening. Attorneys donate their time for civil matters. ---Lubbock Profiles of Hunger and Barriers to Self-Sufficiency People s lives are just falling apart. ---Houston Economic hard times are the main reason people turn to food pantries for help. When asked about their personal reasons for seeking emergency food assistance, however, many food pantry clients could not pinpoint one single reason their responses often suggest lives that are falling apart as the result of too much stress, medical problems, a lack of resources, and few outlets to turn to for help. Nonetheless, a few themes emerged when talking to emergency food providers and clients about the circumstances that lead people to seek help from the emergency food system. DEMOGRAPHICS OF CLIENTS Emergency food providers were asked for a rough demographic profile of their clients, as well as the circumstances that typically bring people to their food pantry for help. Food pantry clients were also asked about their age and ethnic background. This study was not large enough to identify age or ethnic demographic trends in the need for emergency food assistance. Unfortunately, national survey samples are also too small to identify ethnic demographic trends in food insecurity by state. When America s Second Harvest surveyed emergency food recipients in Texas for its 2001 report, they asked about respondents age and ethnicity, which are recorded in the following graph. 24

29 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE Clients by Age 44% 40% 37% 35% 32% 28% 21% 19% 20% 17% 16% 14% 11% 10% 7% 8% 9% 8% 6% 7% 0% Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley Clients by Ethnicity 99% 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 57% 50% 42% 40% 29% 30% 20% 13% 9% 10% 0% 54% 51% 51% White Hispanic 33% 39% 37% 29% Black 26% 11% 14% 1% 0% Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley Under Elderly Carmen is a retired factory worker from Lubbock who lives on her own. She came to the food pantry for the first time two years ago, but has only come three times in all. On this visit, she came because her groceries had run out a week ago. It s hard for her to get to the pantry because she has no car and has to rely on someone else for transportation. She gets $10 per month in food stamps, which she saves for the end of the month after her Social Security and SSI (Supplemental Security Income) checks run out. 16 SOURCE: Hunger in America, 2001, America's Second Harvest Note: The percentages do not always add to 100, either due to rounding or because some respondents recorded their ethnicity as both White and Hispanic. Several food bank directors did voice a suspicion that Hispanics in particular appear to be underserved by food pantries, given the higher-than-average poverty rate among this population in Texas. Opinions were divided over whether this was due to a lack of the kind of food Hispanics want to eat, fear of immigration officials, pride, or a simple lack of awareness. One food bank director suggested that America s Second Harvest may have underestimated the number of Hispanic clients served by food pantries in Texas, and attributed the potential error to the lack of Spanish-speaking interviewers conducting the survey. Most local agencies report that women far outnumber men among clients, and that children and older adults over 50 generally constitute over half of those needing food. Several providers voiced a concern about poor nutrition among the elderly, for whom adequate nutrition is critical to good health and quality of life. This concern was reflected in the interviews conducted with seniors, who often reported difficulties affording the kind of food needed to meet their specific dietary needs. Research on the nutritional adequacy of seniors diets supports these concerns, identifying many factors that contribute to poor nutritional health among the elderly: limited resources; lack of access to nutritious food due to limited mobility and/or lack of transportation; lack of knowledge about the importance of good nutrition; and isolation from family members, other potential caregivers, My Social Security check only lasts to mid-month. By the 15th or 20th I have nothing. ---Lubbock 25

30 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: and the community. It s predominantly women who are divorced, widowed or single. ---Ft. Worth Bob is a Lubbock native in his forties who lives with his wife and five children. He was working as a tree trimmer, but when his truck broke down, he came to the food pantry for help. Bob has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), and has problems finding work, so takes whatever odd jobs he can get. Many of these jobs are temporary or part-time, and do not bring in enough money to support a family. Women are the ones most likely to come in and get the food during the day. ---Tyler The majority are single moms. ---Levelland Three-fourths are women, either single moms, widows or grandmothers. ---Longview UNEMPLOYMENT AND UNDEREMPLOYMENT Over the nine months that interviews were conducted for this study, unemployment in Texas climbed from 6.2% to 6.6%, almost three percentage points higher than in December 2000, when unemployment was at 3.8% its lowest point in almost 27 years. An even more common and persistent problem than unemployment however, is underemployment. According to every food bank director interviewed, the most significant difference they have observed over the past two to four years is in the number and kind of people they serve. Although a number of factors contribute to the increase and shift in the characteristics of their clientele, on the whole directors attribute these changes to more people who are working, but not making enough to make ends meet; as a result, rather than emergency, one-time utilization, a more chronic pattern of food pantry use has emerged. Let s be honest. We re feeding a certain segment of the population: the working poor. ---Dallas One longtime Food Bank director described it this way: When the network started 20 years ago, it was to help a person in an emergency. You saw them a maximum of three times. Now we ve ceased to be emergency assistance. We re feeding people who are chronically hungry. It is a huge shift in our mission. ---Dallas Many working people who access emergency food sources earn minimum wage ($5.15 per hour). Some of the clients interviewed were working immigrants who reported being issued bad checks, or worse, not paid at all. Reports of employment levels of clients were scattered, depending on the location of the agency and economic conditions of a particular region at the time of the interview. However, most agencies reported that many clients have at least one member of their household working, although variables such as seasonal or temporary work, lay-offs or work-related disability can create a situation of unemployment or underemployment for the household. The majority has one person in the family working. The elderly have worked, they re just not working now. Probably 70% or more work. ---Stephenville 26

31 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE It s mostly the working poor. Over half cite employment as their primary source of income. ---Rio Grande Valley We ve had a huge influx in the last probably three years. At the location where we re at the people are working, are making minimum wage and sometimes not getting paid for what they did. ---Houston Clients interviewed for this study were asked about what kinds of jobs they had. Many were employed in service sector jobs, such as housekeeping, food service, or as medical technicians. Blue-collar jobs like construction work, trucking, production line work, and work for a moving company were also given as occupations. A number of respondents reported being temporary workers. Sometimes you just don t have enough. The food helps. ---Houston Percent of Clients in Families With at Least One Employed Adult 60% 54% 50% 40% 30% 27% 33% 39% 36% 44% 20% 10% 0% Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley SOURCE: Hunger in America, 2001, America's Second Harvest POVERTY, LACK OF RESOURCES & THE HIGH COST-OF-LIVING Most of the food providers interviewed linked the problem of hunger to the underlying causes of poverty or lack of resources. When client respondents were asked what brought them to the food pantry in the first place, the theme of not enough was often repeated, although the causes of their economic hardship varied. The situation most often described was one in which a family member was ill or disabled. After that, a lay-off or lack of steady income because of the temporary nature of their work or some other factor was cited. I m a disabled vet. I get compensation, but it s not enough. ---Dallas I can t work because I am disabled. I don t get enough benefits from Social Security to get me by. ---Houston 27

32 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: I needed diapers and food. My husband works as a mechanic, but sometimes he doesn t have work. When he doesn t work, I have to come here. ---Rio Grande Valley I needed help with food. I got hurt on the job and had to leave it. ---Houston We just paid all our bills and have no money left. I m on maternity leave. ---Dallas Poverty in Six Texas Food Bank Service Areas, 1999 Total Number of Overall Number of poor children Child Number of poor seniors Senior poor poverty rate (under 18) poverty rate (65+) poverty rate Tyler 186, % 66, % 21, % Rio Grande Valley 350, % 156, % 24, % Lubbock 76, % 27, % 6, % Dallas 410, % 150, % 29, % Ft. Worth 227, % 81, % 17, % Houston 645, % 244, % 42, % Texas (2002) 3,262, % 1,319, % 328, % SOURCE: County poverty data are from the 2000 Census data and are for 1999, the latest year for which poverty data are available at the county level. Statewide poverty data are for 2002 and are from the March 2003 Current Population Survey conducted by the Census Bureau. NOTE: The number of poor in a food bank service area is the sum of the number of poor in all of the counties served by that food bank. The poverty rate in a food bank service area is the average rate of poverty in the counties served by that food bank Food bank and local agency directors also cited the high cost of living as a significant barrier to self-sufficiency. If they work at a minimum wage job, it s tough to pay for an apartment, plus transportation, gas, lights, food, water. ---Lubbock In a 2001 study on the cost-of-living in Texas, the Center for Public Policy Priorities developed a Family Security Index to estimate the income that families actually require to support their essential needs. 17 The study calculated living expenses (housing, food, health care, etc.) for different family types in the 27 metropolitan areas of the state. In the six metropolitan areas served by the food banks profiled in this study, the necessary annual income for a family of two parents and two children ranged from a low of $38,288 in the Lubbock metropolitan area to a high of $43,461 in the Dallas metropolitan area. Household hourly income needed to provide this family s essential needs in these areas was between $19 and $22 (with one or both parents working). By contrast, a family of four with one parent working full-time at poverty-level wages earns only $18,400 per year, or less than $9 per hour. A family of four with one full-time minimum 28

33 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE wage worker earns only $10,712 per year. In 17 of Texas metropolitan areas, at least half of total employment is in occupational categories with a median wage under $10. In the six metropolitan areas served by the food banks in this study, the share of employment in job categories with a median wage under $10 ranged from over 75% in Lubbock, to 70.8% and 63.4% in the Valley and Tyler, respectively, to just over 30% in Houston, Fort Worth, and Dallas. Metropolitan Area Necessary Hourly % of Population % of Employment Wage for a in Poverty, 1999 in Occupations Family of Four with Median Wage Under $10/hour Dallas $ % 30.5% Ft. Worth-Arlington Houston Lubbock McAllen-Edinburg -Mission (RGV) Tyler SOURCES: CPPP Family Security Index, Making It: What it Really Takes to Live in Texas, 2001; Texas State Data Center, Census 2000 Demographic Profiles of Metropolitan Statistical Areas; U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics (2000), Occupational Employment Statistics, Food providers voiced the concern that the high cost-of-living forces some tough choices on their clients between food and rent, food and utilities, food and medical bills as a result of limited resources. In this situation, the food that pantries offer helps families avoid cutting food in order to make room for other expenses. I think the biggest factor that I continually notice throughout the people is that their lives are basically falling apart. Their utilities it s not just one that s past due, they re all past due; their home is in foreclosure; they have medical costs. ---Houston Choices Faced by Emergency Food Clients in Texas Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley Percent of clients who have to choose between: *paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel 31% 60% 42% 47% 47% 54% *paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage bill 15% 30% 34% 29% 39% 40% *paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care 24% 51% 23% 36% 28% 46% SOURCE: Hunger in America, 2001, America's Second Harvest ECONOMIC DOWNTURN AND 9/11 In mid-2001, the national and state economies started spiraling downward, and unemployment started to rise. The events of 9/11, the Houston flood, and the Enron scandal exacerbated the economic situation in Texas, in particular 9/11, because of the state s heavy reliance on the airline and tourism industries for its job base. Many food bank and pantry directors attributed the growth in new people The people at the bottom of the employment chain hurt more. They re the first to go. ---Dallas 29

34 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: accessing their services to the economic downturn. The oil fields and farming jobs have dropped. There s a loss of industry jobs and some of them have no other options...some counties are dying. ---Levelland We plateaued for five years, then over the last two years [demand] has risen consistently, until 9/11 when it spiked. We really felt the recession here. They never think of the cadre here of people who get laid off; the maids, the day-to-day. It hit here hard. The spike [in demand] hit, and now it s dropped off a bit, from the spike, but it s still going up. And we had been very stable. ---Denton We ve had small companies, restaurants, hotel chains, go out of business or cut back on labor. In [one rural county] a door company and a hat company went out of business. The smaller towns, old mom and pop businesses, can t sustain. They close up and workers are out. So while we don t have huge layoffs, we have a lot of minimum wage people cut. They don t have the resources, no house to sell, no savings. They had nothing to start with. ---Tyler Our donations are down...because of the economy; 9/11 made it go much faster. It was like dropping off a cliff. ---Dallas We have American Airlines, a significant tech industry, big travel and hospitality industries. They ve all suffered from 9/11 and layoffs. We have American Airline pilots coming to our agencies needing help. We have airport workers, food service workers not getting the hours they need, or laid off. Some full-time employees are being cut to 30 hours a week. That s what s happening. ---Dallas So many people who were already on the margins because of the economic downtown lost their jobs after the [Houston] flood. If they lost a car or two, it s been compounded. Then came 9/ 11, the airline industry. Now Enron. ---Houston The thing I notice most lately, in the past two years or so, is people who have never asked for help before. That s one of the distressing things, the number of new people each week. ---Lubbock Although they were not asked about how recent economic events had affected them, interestingly, few clients attributed their hardship directly to the failing economy. This could be a result of a lack of awareness about the recession. However, it is also likely that many of the clients interviewed did not benefit from the rosy economic years of the late 1990s; for these families, the recession may have represented just another economic challenge to juggle. One food bank director reported a significant drop in donations after 9/11. Several food bank and pantry directors cited the economic downturn as a factor in dwindling monetary contributions from other non-profits, such as churches and United Ways, as well as from foundations that were forced to adopt a more austere approach to their philanthropy. 30

35 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE In September, our donations were down 80%, directly linked to 9/11. People were paralyzed. It picked up in November and December, but we re still down 26% on can drives over last year. National donations are down 56%, the ones from America s Second Harvest. Donations from local food companies, without a national reach, are down 32%. ---Dallas FAMILY HARDSHIP Family hardship, uncovered medical expenses, and mental illness were also cited by clients as the event that precipitated their decision to turn to a food pantry for help. Money got short after my husband died. ---Houston My husband was hospitalized for depression and we had no income for six weeks. ---Dallas Of the clients interviewed for this report, 70% did not have health insurance. I wasn t getting enough benefits to last me because I had my grandson and great-granddaughter at a time when we were getting $550 a month. My grandson had leukemia and got a check from the state, but transportation was expensive. He died, and now I have to take care of my great-granddaughter. ---Houston My sister died, and now I have her three kids. ---Lubbock DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND CRIME If I don t come home with some food, my husband s going to beat me up, she said. Because food is her job. ---Houston Several local agency directors mentioned that domestic violence often brings women in for food, either because they are forced to by abusive partners, or because they have fled their partner and have no money. Women also turn to emergency food sources when they become victims of crime, or lose their source of livelihood when a partner is arrested. We have women that come in and it s happening more and more they re out of their wits, just crying. They ve been abused or they find a way out because they can t stay there. And we have a lot of women come because their husbands are in prison. ---Houston We see a lot of abuse. Our county does more for each person 31

36 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: Maria has lived in the Brownsville area for 12 years. She is a survivor of domestic violence and is now disabled due to her ex-husband beating her. He is now in jail. Maria lives with her mother, who is very sick, and her two grown children. She finds visiting the food pantry is therapeutic for her. in need than other [surrounding] counties that are dying. We have a lot come here from an abuse situation from other counties. ---Levelland My boyfriend and I separated. I m here because he stole my billfold and all my money was in it. ---Tyler I need food because I was robbed. They took my money and my ID. I had just got my check and had come out of the store from buying my groceries, and they took my groceries too. ---Dallas HOMELESSNESS The popular belief that soup kitchens and food pantries are for homeless people was not supported in our interviews with providers or clients. Most directors report that 10% or fewer of their clients are homeless in the commonly held sense of living on the street. Recent displacement may bring people to services on an emergency basis, but marginal homelessness (i.e., staying with a friend or relative) is a more likely scenario. If they re living on the street, we refer them to a shelter. If they re staying with someone and they can provide documentation that they re living with someone, or even in a hotel, we ll work with them. ---Lancaster We have a different kind of homelessness here. It s not like homelessness in the larger, metropolitan areas. Here we have many families living in the same dwelling. ---Rio Grande Valley LACK OF EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE BARRIERS According to local agency directors, poor education or a lack of education is a pervasive issue for many people, and a primary cause of economic hardship. Emergency food providers blame inadequate education for everything from unemployment and underemployment to the absence of important survival skills, such as money management and life planning, or basic social skills, like personal hygiene and appropriate social manners. Among barriers to self-sufficiency cited by local agency directors, lack of education (along with illness) is among the most profound and difficult to resolve. Part of it is education, not educated or under educated. They can t write, fill out applications. They can t read. ---Decatur There is an education thing, especially for young black men. Of course there is prejudice, we re aware of that. They re not 32

37 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE always going to be hired. But they don t have any social skills. They don t know how to greet the public. The way they look, their appearance, the way they speak, the ability to be presentable. --- Lufkin Many don t speak English. They are immigrants who have come here to work on dairy farms. ---Stephenville PATTERNS OF PEAK NEED Despite the almost unanimous observation that they no longer just provide emergency food assistance, most food providers report a predictable time of month or year when needs grow more acute. Annually, peak need may be affected by the school year or weather extremes. For example, most local pantry directors agree that summer and school holidays are busiest because children are out of school. Some note that weather patterns such as extreme heat or cold affect patterns of need because of high utility bills. Our clients don t have a way to save for the rainy days. They don t have the resources and I don t think they know how to plan. ---Houston Summer months are busiest because there are no school lunches. ---Decatur When school is out, and a lot of the grandparents have children to take care of, they come. ---Lufkin It s more difficult in the summer, school s out, so mothers and grandmothers both need more food. At Christmas time, they want more food so they can use money for gifts. We help them supplement. In August, they need money for school supplies and shoes. ---Longview Historically, it used to be that peaks were in January or February, when weather is bad. Outdoor people can t work, utility bills are high. Also applies to summer months, utility bills are high, and they pay those instead of buying food. ---Dallas Other patterns are cyclical on a monthly basis. Food stamp benefits may not stretch for the entire month, and for many low-income working families, money runs out before the end of the month. There s probably a greater need at the end of the month. ---Rio Grande Valley At the end of the month when the food stamps run out, I come here. ---Rio Grande Valley 33

38 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: I prefer food stamps. People like me on dialysis need certain foods for diet. I can t get those foods [at the pantry]. ---Lubbock Choosing Between Emergency Food Assistance and Food Stamps It is estimated that most food pantry clients are eligible for food stamps, although only a small percentage of clients actually receives these benefits. When America s Second Harvest researchers asked clients about their use of government food programs in its 2001 survey, less than one in three clients participated in the Food Stamp Program. Participation in WIC and the National School Lunch Program was significantly higher. 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Use of Food Programs by Emergency Food Clients 86% 34% 34% 32% 52% 70% 12% 37% 61% 18% 52% 46% 22% 48% 70% 41% 81% 77% 30% 52% Lubbock Tyler Dallas Ft. Worth Houston Valley U.S. 63% Receiving food stamps Participate in WIC Have school-age children who are on the National School Lunch Program I like the food pantry better because they re not so nosy. They just ask me one question and that s it. Food stamps always wants to know more. They ask the same thing over and over. ---Lubbock SOURCE: America s Second Harvest, Hunger in America, National research has identified many reasons why eligible families do not receive food stamps. These include a lack of awareness about the program and the benefits it offers; misinformation about eligibility requirements, which can lead people to assume they are not eligible, particularly if they are working; the stigma associated with the receipt of government benefits; and the perceived hassles involved in the enrollment process. In the interviews with food pantry clients, respondents were asked for their perspectives on food stamps, whether they received these benefits, and how they would compare food pantry services with the benefits offered by the Food Stamp Program. Respondents were evently divided over whether they preferred food stamps or the local food pantry. Reasons varied, but in general, those who preferred food pantries noted less hassles, less stringent eligibility requirements, more immediate assistance, and kinder staff. Those preferring food stamps consistently said that the offerings at food pantries were limited to what they have; with food stamps, they can buy what they need or want. This is particularly critical for those with special dietary needs, such as diabetics or those with heart disease. I prefer food stamps because I can get what my family likes. Here at the pantry, sometimes I get stuff my kids don t like. I tell them they have to deal with it. ---Houston 34

39 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE Food stamps is better because you can get more kinds of food, like milk, beans, eggs, cheese, what you need. Here, I don t get to pick. ---Houston The pantry gives you an outlet to get in and out without feeling down about being there. It s easier and quicker. ---Dallas With food stamps you get fresher food. I m on a high-protein diet to keep my weight up, and it s easier to get what you need with the stamps. ---Lubbock Interestingly, many of the same clients who praised food stamps for allowing them to make their own food choices still said they preferred the food pantry. Despite the lack of variety in the food packages, limited hours of operation, and restrictions on the number of monthly or annual visits, food pantries are generally regarded as easier to access than food stamps. Of the 54 clients who offered their opinions about food pantry requirements, only four viewed them as intrusive or negative. The vast majority thought that eligibility requirements were fair. It s fine because everything [the pantry] asks for, I have. If they ask for those things it s because they need them. ---Rio Grande Valley The food bank and its network are part of the social fabric, and it makes more sense to people than going through the [food stamp] bureaucracy. ---Fort Worth [The pantry] doesn t make any bones about it. They don t ask a lot of you but they gotta get something. ---Dallas On the other hand, of the 35 respondents who addressed the issue of food stamp requirements, only nine found them to be fair; another seven were neutral, saying that, they have to do what they have to do. The rest of the respondents remarked on the difficulty of meeting eligibility requirements. Food stamps only considers some expenses, like utilities, gas, water, but not all. Once all that s paid, not much is left. My house is run down and I still owe taxes. I live in my father s old house, and it s run down, and needs plumbing repairs. Cars need gasoline. They don t consider things like that. What about life insurance? You have to pay for your burial. They don t think of things like that. I get behind, and when the bill comes, there it goes. ---Lubbock It s too much hassle and at the end, they don t give them to you. ---Rio Grande Valley 35

40 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: It s pretty bad. They ask too much. They ask for your whole life. ---Dallas Local pantry directors offered their perspectives on barriers to food stamps, which echoed those expressed by their clients. As stupid as it sounds, a lot of our clients won t go back because their feelings were hurt. ---Houston People who are food insecure may be going through a rough patch, but not rough enough to jump through the hoops to get food stamps. They can get what they need from private agencies. ---Fort Worth I did have a lady yesterday that normally gets around $500 a month from food stamps, then got a letter saying they had overpaid her this month, they would only get $130. No one could tell her when she called DHS why they overpaid. They told her an investigation would take 60 days, but that doesn t help her today. ---Stephenville Mainly it s the time to go down there, wait, be interviewed. The process is intimidating. People do what they have to do, but they don t like the experience. ---Lubbock Hispanics are afraid, and there is too much paperwork. Transportation is another barrier. And I know they have to answer a ton of questions. ---Lufkin So few offices are open at night and on weekends. The stigma is also a big problem. I ve heard clients say their employers won t fill out paperwork, won t help them [document their income]. ---Dallas Having to go to the food stamp office is a barrier. A lot of our clients here may not be legal citizens, or not everyone in their house is legal. ---Rio Grande Valley Transportation is a barrier, or they don t know where [the food stamp office] is, or they re ill. The telephone interview should help tremendously. 18 The long papers are not worth it, especially if you re Hispanic or don t read or have eye problems. I know it s been abused, but there has got to be a better way. ---Longview 36

41 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE 500,000 Decline in Food Stamp Enrollment, Number participating 450, , , , , , , ,000 50, Tyler Rio Grande Valley Lubbock Dallas Ft. Worth Houston SOURCE: DHS Annual Reports, Total decline for each food bank is calculated by adding the declines in each county in the food bank s service area. Many of the food banks and food pantry directors also pointed to the changes in the welfare system, and the ensuing (wrong) belief by many that they no longer qualify for food stamps, as contributing heavily to the increased demand for their services. In the last three years, 68% of our pantries reported a significant increase in demand.people don t think they qualify for food stamps anymore. The elderly, especially. They think they have to drive a long distance to the food stamp office, have a long wait to be treated rudely, all for $10. It s not worth it, so they re seeking help in other ways. We encourage people to try again, but they re skeptical. ---Tyler 37

42 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: Improving Food Access in Texas Candace is from Dallas and has bipolar and obsessive-compulsive disorders, which make it hard for her to keep a steady job. She lives with her husband and sisterin-law, who is diabetic. She has been coming to the food pantry on and off for four years. She comes as often as they allow six times per year when she or her husband are out of work, and stays away when they are employed in order to save their visits for leaner times. She is grateful for the help the food pantry provides, particularly when they offer fresh fruits and vegetables (although this is rare), because these are the foods her sister really needs. She thinks the government needs to recognize that when people are down or on the rebound after a job loss, more money needs to be available for them until they can get back on their feet. Basing feeding the hungry year-round on donor whims is deadly. ---Dallas I have been in hunger relief for 22 years, and one of the misnomers is that this is emergency food assistance. ---Houston As the quotes from these two food bank directors illustrate, the emergency food assistance network was not set up to meet the needs of the hungry on a regular or long-term basis. Despite these limitations, private food providers are relied upon to fill the gaps in public food programs. Several food bank directors report that changes in the demographics of their clientele from the chronically down and out to the working poor or newly poor combined with a reluctance to apply for food stamps has not only led to increased demand for their services, but also to unrealistic expectations about the ability of emergency food providers to meet this demand. People who have not been at the bottom before are not going to go to food stamps. They d rather go to pantries, churches. That s putting pressure on churches. Those people don t understand the system, and have expectations that are unreal. ---Dallas There s a whole segment of people that are reluctant to apply for food stamps and they depend on pantries to feed their families every month. ---Dallas The shift in need from one-time, emergency assistance to year-round reliance on private food providers has also resulted in a demand for more mixed, nutritious food. Although one food bank director reported implementing a purchase program to buy nutritious food that was not regularly donated, some directors were skeptical about their ability to provide a nutritious mix of food on a regular basis given the capricious nature of donations and unpredictable supply of USDA commodities. In order to develop recommendations for improving both private and public food assistance programs (located in the final section of this report), providers and clients were asked for their suggestions for addressing these problems and improving food access in Texas. 38

43 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING THE PRIVATE FOOD ASSISTANCE NETWORK We ve got to focus on helping food banks secure a more consistent nutritional quality and integrity. ---Dallas We need to do more than just get food out the door. ---Houston The vast majority of clients expressed gratitude for the pantries and their staffs, and hesitated to make any complaint at all about the food pantries. Overall, clients agree that using a food pantry is easier and more accessible than food stamps. No real complaints were heard anywhere about the quality of service in the food pantries, or the hours, nor were eligibility requirements viewed as burdensome. The overall experience was described as more dignified than the experience of enrolling in the Food Stamp Program and dealing with what is perceived to be a large bureaucracy. Client respondents were obviously reluctant to make suggestions for improvements to the food pantry for fear they might be perceived as ungrateful or, literally, as biting the hand that feeds you. However, as described above, a number of complaints were heard about the lack of choice and general unavailability of certain food staples, protein sources, and hygiene products. The bulk of suggestions offered by clients to improve food pantry services addressed the need to offer the following items: meat, more staples (eggs, butter, milk); fruits and juices; hygiene products (soap, laundry detergent, dishwashing liquid, deodorant, female hygiene products, diapers); and household goods (for example, light bulbs). Food bank directors were not asked for their recommendations for improving the emergency food network; however, they offered several suggestions for things they needed to do differently, such as offer more meat, dairy, produce, and hygiene products and do better nutrition education. Agencies want more health and beauty needs that we don t get personal care items. We don t get a lot of paper goods in East Texas; we have to hunt for it. Someone in Arkansas or Alabama will have it. Those are things that they ask for. We do not deal in eggs, not much butter, or milk the just in time things; we just don t get them offered. They always want baby formula, diapers, we have special requests for Enfamil, things for cancer patients. Formula is always high on the list. We direct them to WIC. ---Tyler We ve managed to keep a good supply of food on hand. Obviously, protein is hard to come by. We do a purchase food program also. Generally we buy meats, peanut butter, pinto beans. Our board has actually designated foods to have in stock at all time; protein sources, pasta, rice, fruits and veggies, (canned and fresh), bread, tomato based products. Some type of 39

44 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: Sometimes we go three to four weeks with nothing but onions and potatoes. ---Longview juice. We used to do a lot of snack foods. But now that we re seeing people on a regular basis, it s much more critical that the food provided is nutritious and we offer a stable mix of products. ---Houston Protein and dairy they re always wanting more of. It s a pretty constant problem. We have some meat items, some frozen, some canned, but never enough. We d always like to have more. ---Rio Grande Valley We need to educate consumers about how to get the most out of the food nutritionally; give them recipes. Overall, agencies should work more with clients. We run a senior box program, offer 35 pounds of food with a recipe and instruction booklet. There s a nutrition education component to everything we do. But, there hasn t been any funding to do these books; we do it on our own, through our commitment. We need to do more than just get food out the door. ---Houston Local agency directors were asked for recommendations to improve the emergency food assistance network. In particular, they were asked to suggest changes food banks could make to their operations to better meet local agency needs. Pantry directors echoed the need voiced by food banks for more variety, more meat and dairy, and more non-food items particularly hygiene products like soap, toothpaste, detergent and diapers. When asked for recommendations for improving their services, several food pantry directors seemed to bristle at the idea that they could do anything more or better given their limited resources. Others voiced frustration about their capacity to handle large amounts or certain kinds of food, the lack of nutrition education, and transportation barriers; these pantries offered suggestions for how the food bank could assist them with their difficulties. We do real well, I don t know of anything we could do better. ---Stephenville I talked to the food bank people the other day about powdered milk. It comes in big boxes. that much powdered milk would be wasteful (for one person or family). We cannot repackage USDA products. I understand the Tyler food bank can repackage it. We were talking about powdered milk, packaging it in a different way, they could have one big box per month, and we d keep it on the individual record we keep on file. When they come in, they get their record and we proceed from there. ---Tyler (The food bank) was talking about coming up here to talk to people about nutrition education. Wish they would mail recipes and make us copies or something. ---Decatur 40

45 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE Transportation is a terrible problem to get to the food bank and get groceries home. We tried at one time to provide a van, and we did but the insurance problem became too dangerous for us. ---Lubbock Several food pantry directors mentioned wanting to provide more non-food services to their clients, such as parenting classes, assistance with development of social skills, and, in particular, education on the issues of domestic violence and nutritional health. there are a lot of guys who are abusing, it d be nice to be able to teach women about those guys. ---Levelland We d like to teach about certain sicknesses. We were looking at doing like a preventive health class you know, come in and talk to them about cholesterol and proper diet on a regular basis as a requirement [for receiving food]. ---Levelland SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING FOOD STAMPS The need is great and the private sector can t do it alone. We need the public sector to do their share. ---Houston As the above quote from a private food provider illustrates, interview respondents did not hesitate to voice their frustration with government programs like food stamps, and the need to improve the program was made abundantly clear by both providers and clients. While only one complaint was heard about the Lone Star card (the electronic debit card food stamp clients use to access their benefits), many more were heard about eligibility requirements and the application. Unfortunately, the complaints voiced by providers and clients were not always accompanied by constructive recommendations for improving the program. Nonetheless, these frustrations do provide insight into the difficulties people encounter when accessing food stamps, which can assist policymakers in making the program easier to use. My boss didn t want to sign the papers, so they wouldn t give me food stamps. ---Harlingen Hire e more e eligibility workers. More than several respondents remarked that food stamps eligibility workers are overworked and that offices are understaffed for the volume of people they must serve. They ve got to get more people so you re not waiting all day. ---Houston If they had more workers, they wouldn t be so overloaded. ---Dallas Eligibility and enrollment process should be less intrusive. While a number of respondents said they understand why eligibility requirements exist, many of them believe the process is too intrusive. The level of documentation 41

46 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: I thought [food stamps] was a loan and that I would have to pay it back later. ---Rio Grande Valley required and the frequency of recertification for benefits make the process cumbersome and burdensome for many. 19 The complexity of the process is a significant barrier for many people, and increases the strain on the private food distribution network. Don t give people such a hard time. Believe them when they say they don t have something. Try to work with people to understand their situation. Give people enough food to make it last. I know a couple of people who don t get enough to feed their children. If you make a lot of money, you should be turned down, but people like me don t make a lot of money. ---Houston I was only eligible for one month of three. I had a job but didn t work full time; still I didn t qualify for assistance. They should extend time frames for eligibility. ---Lubbock I just don t bother anymore. It s too big a hassle. They used to give me $15, and later only $10. It s not worth the time and trouble. ---Houston I just didn t like it. I couldn t see myself. It made me feel less a part of society. It was scary for me. ---Dallas Clearly articulate regulations. When asked where they get information about food stamps, most clients said from family and friends. Because word of mouth is the prevailing source of information, much misinformation circulates about food stamp regulations, eligibility requirements, and the application process. The lack of uniform application of standards by food stamp eligibility workers from office to office leads to confusion and hostility on the part of clients, which is a barrier to seeking assistance. They [sic] regulations are confusing and they suck. How can someone with a 2002 Plymouth Voyager, a $12,000 face lift, a husband who works as a roofer, and a terrible record with CPS qualify before me? I am single, live on the East Side and make $16 too much. ---Lubbock I don t understand it. They told me no because I work and earn too much. But my daughter lives with me and she needs them, but she can t get them because she lives with me. One way or another, here I am [at the food pantry]. My grandson used to get $89 a month, but now he gets $64, and my daughter gets nothing because she is in school. ---Rio Grande Valley 42

47 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE I only got them because my baby was two years old and I was getting Medicaid. You know when you check the boxes, I just checked food stamps when I was applying for Medicaid. They took away my Medicaid, so I don t qualify for food stamps anymore. ---Houston Outstation eligibility workers. Food pantry directors were specifically asked their opinion about the idea of outstationing food stamp eligibility workers in their offices. Of the 11 respondents who answered this question, most were favorable to the idea, although they did express reservations about the ability of food stamp workers to offer flexible hours to their clients. Those who were opposed to having outstationed workers expressed antipathy to government involvement in private agencies. The following quotes typify the remarks made by directors of food pantries. Our board of directors is very adamant about keeping distance from any government programs because of all the rules, regulations, red tape, and things that go along with these programs. When they set it up 17 years ago, they didn t want to deal with [government programs] and that is how it has remained. ---Stephenville Sure. It s never been brought to the board, but I don t think they d say no. They welcomed the county extension lady. She s going to do money management stuff. ---Decatur Take [food stamps] out of their offices and move them to a client-friendly environment. WIC has been successful because it goes to where moms and babies are. ---Houston If they come to us, we could send people in to apply now. We could handle that, as long as it wasn t under our umbrella. ---Lufkin And finally, from a Houston focus group: Moderator: How would you feel about having a food stamp person stationed in your facility to help people apply? [Everyone laughs:] Moderator: It looks like a unanimous yes! 43

48 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: Elena is a wife, grandmother, and mother of two. She is from El Salvador but has been living in the Houston area for 22 years. Her husband works full-time which pays their bills but leaves little for other expenses. Elena and her husband help their two daughters, both of whom are single mothers. One of her daughters is epileptic and pregnant. Everyone in her family relies on the food pantry and food stamps to make ends meet. Elena s family think the government should fund and promote education, which is what will create jobs and make people self-sufficient. The Case for Better Outreach, Coordination & Education Most private food providers approach their jobs with little fanfare, often viewing their work as a mission. For many Texans, feeding the hungry is a Biblical command, and they willingly donate their time, money, or extra canned goods to food banks and local food pantries. For their part, clients who must use them are grateful for what they get. However, given the growing chronic nature of food insecurity and the inconsistent ability to be a steady source of wholesome foods, food banks and food pantries are finding it harder and harder to meet the multiple needs of their clients alone. One natural solution to these problems is to collaborate with other agencies both public and private serving the same clientele. And when resources are available, many local agencies do employ social workers or outreach workers to help clients with their problems or connect them to other resources. But this is the exception, rather than the rule. Another solution would be for private food providers to advocate on behalf of their clients with elected officials and other policymakers for improvements in food assistance. Because of their intimate knowledge of the problems low-income people face, emergency food workers are in an ideal position to raise awareness in the community, among local officeholders, and at the state legislature about the prevalence of food insecurity among low-income Texans. A heightened understanding of these problems among the people with the power to make changes could lead to solutions for helping people out of poverty and along the road to self-sufficiency. Unfortunately, emergency food workers don t always see the connection between their work and the need to advocate for long-term solutions to hunger, and government food program staff are not always aware of the services provided by their counterparts in the private sector. Although certainly not the only factor, this has contributed to a lack of awareness of, and coordinated activism on, hunger issues in Texas. The problems of food insecurity and hunger remain largely in the pantry, so to speak, with few politicians or local officeholders knowledgeable enough to make it their issue, and private food workers and volunteers too busy to do anything about it. We asked providers and clients for their perspective on these issues, and for their suggestions on how to improve outreach to other programs, increase advocacy on hunger issues, and engage their elected officials in efforts to eliminate hunger in Texas. WALK A MILE IN OUR SHOES When asked what state legislators and local decision-makers need to know to be able to help solve systemic problems, both agency directors and clients alike often responded, They need to experience it. They need to walk a mile in our shoes. A lot of people in the government never had a hungry day in their lives. They need to fast to get the idea. Then they d know how to implement a program. ---Dallas 44

49 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE They need to get out of their offices and mingle with the people. Then they wouldn t have to wonder what it s like. ---Houston Put yourself in the shoes of a low-income person. They ll never understand until they have to live like we do. They have to get down to our level and understand our problems. ---Rio Grande Valley LIMITED ORGANIZED OUTREACH OR ADVOCACY Most agency directors simply do not have the time, capacity, or experience needed to do much community outreach, especially smaller agencies run primarily by volunteers, and with limited budgets. Client advocacy at the local level is not as high a priority as client service. Some agency directors have little or no knowledge about other community resources for helping clients. When asked what kind of education they do on hunger issues, several respondents answered that they do educate the community about the food pantry s services, but not the larger problem of chronic hunger or food insecurity. As far as church-type pantries go, maybe 30% are knowledgeable and will do outreach. Others may set out information, and we encourage them. But you see how many volunteers there are, and there s a huge turnover in the volunteer community. ---Tyler Go live in the hood Leave your checkbook behind and see that a lot of people have no choice. Get out of your suit and walk a mile in our shoes Lubbock I give talks to the Kiwanis Club at the retirement center, and they really support us. They give $500 per year. Youth groups. Whoever asks me. A congregation. We ask people to skip a meal at October Fast. ---Lubbock We re well known in Angelina County. We have word of mouth, people are aware of us and bring people to us to help. Churches bring folks. We have articles in the paper from time to time. We have a mail carrier food drive and last year we got nine tons. ---Lufkin INTERAGENCY COOPERATION The food bank directors and larger agency directors were asked about any steps they take to ensure better client service through making referrals to other government or non-profit programs, as well as through interagency outreach. Some directors mentioned referrals to food stamps, WIC, local public health clinics, utility assistance programs, and legal aid assistance. Some agencies are well connected to other agencies; others are not. Urban agencies tend to coordinate services to their clients with other agencies better than rural or small town agencies. The following quotes are examples of how interagency cooperation occurs. We have social service luncheons once per month. We have signin sheets and put our agencies on there, our telephone numbers, 45

50 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: and who we are. I don t personally know the people at WIC or food stamps, but I keep the sign-in sheets that they fax. Our resource book is out-of-date, so I m making my own resource book. I don t know them all personally because they don t all come. Food stamps will send them over here while they re deciding. Quite a few have come lately and said food stamps told them to come. We do also have some from WIC. ---Decatur We give WIC brochures, and make them aware of summer food programs. We make them aware of God Tell, a hostel for homeless people. They have to attend a church service, and we tell them they can go there for a meal. Then there s aid to battered women? What s the name of that facility? ---Lufkin Our food pantry is only open two times a month, so we re concerned with building partnerships with DHS, WIC, and the housing authority. Our undocumented clients present ongoing challenges, but we try to establish relationships with them and walk them through the process. ---Houston Local agencies that do not make any referrals to other programs say they don t have the time or the resources, a frustration that is well articulated by the following quote: I am looking at a desk with more stuff on it than I can possibly do. Just the idea of doing more is not possible. ---Stephenville 46

51 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE BEST PRACTICES Innovative Partnerships All of the food banks profiled in this report have established innovative partnerships to become more sustainable and meet the demand for their services. These programs are critical to the success of emergency food operations and address many of the issues and concerns raised in this report, such as the need for more fresh produce, the importance of reliable volunteers, and the lack of collaboration between public and private food programs. The following examples illustrate some of these approaches. TEXAS FRESH APPROACH Texas Fresh Approach is a partnership between the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and Texas Second Harvest food banks to distribute produce grown on prison farms. TDCJ furnishes agricultural expertise, land, equipment and labor, while the food banks administer the program and provide seed, containers, and transportation. In 2002, 1.3 million pounds of fresh produce and vegetables were grown on prison farms and distributed by food banks to their member agencies. TEXAS SECOND CHANCE Texas Second Chance is another joint effort between the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and food banks. This voluntary program provides a second chance to inmates to develop job skills and give back to the community. Prisons across the state take inmates to nearby food banks to help them with the product recovery process sorting, sanitizing, and packing donations prior to delivery to agencies. They also assist in shipping and receiving in food bank warehouses. In 2002, TDCJ provided food banks with 115,623 hours or $595,460 worth of volunteer labor through the Texas Second Chance program (assuming minimum wage would have been paid for the work performed). The North Texas Food Bank has participated in the Texas Second Chance program since December Around 30 inmates volunteer at the food bank for up to four days each week. In exchange, inmates receive training in computer operations, receptionist work, warehousing, or food service. This training improves their ability to reintegrate into the community after they have completed their sentences. In 2002, Texas Second Chance provided more than 37,000 hours of volunteer labor to the food bank. ROCK SOUP VOLUNTEER PROJECT, NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK The Rock Soup Volunteer Project is a collaboration among the North Texas Food Bank, the Richardson Network of Community Ministries, the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS), and USDA s Food and Nutrition Service that aims to reduce hunger in the Richardson/Garland area by forging partnerships between local DHS offices and emergency food providers. Richardson Network staff share information about their programs with local DHS offices in its service area, provide food boxes to those offices with the support of the North Texas Food Bank, and act as advocates for DHS clients by assisting them with the food stamp appliation process both at DHS offices and in Richardson Network offices. In turn, DHS 47

52 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: prepared a video about its programs for use by Richardson Network staff and meets with Richardson Network clients to teach them about DHS programs and services. The North Texas Food Bank publicizes the Rock Soup Volunteer Project through televised public service announcements and newspaper articles. SUMMER FOOD SERVICE PROGRAM, HOUSTON FOOD BANK The Houston Food Bank operates a Summer Food Service Program, drawing down federal money to serve meals to low-income children when school is out. With the help of its staff, interns, and volunteers, the food bank prepares the meals at one of its Kid s Cafés (see below) and then delivers them to three of its member agencies. Last summer, the program provided over 200 lunches and afternoon snacks daily. Federally funded summer food programs provide a core around which to develop other child development programs, making sure that children do not decline nutritionally or emotionally during the summer. By drawing down this federal funding for meals, emergency assistance agencies can use their limited resources to provide services for which no other funding is available. Fresh Produce Programs Low-income families not only face difficulties affording food, but also in obtaining the right mix of food in their diets, including fresh fruits and vegetables. Although Texas is an agriculturally rich state that produces a cornucopia of surplus produce, fresh fruits and vegetables require refrigerated transportation, have a short shelf life, and are among the least donated items to food banks. As a result, emergency food providers do not always have enough fresh produce on hand for their clients. In response to these problems, food banks operate several programs specifically designed to take advantage of the state s agricultural abundance and increase the supply of produce to emergency food clients. SURPLUS AGRICULTURAL GRANTS PROGRAM In 2001, the Texas legislature established the Surplus Agricultural Grants Program to assist in the harvest and distribution of surplus agricultural products to needy families. The Texas Department of Agriculture awarded a two-year grant of $500,000 to the Texas Association of Second Harvest Food Banks (TASHFB) to help food banks procure surplus fresh produce and agricultural products from Texas growers and distribute it to their network of emergency food providers across the state. The program serves two purposes. First, it supports Texas agriculture by compensating farmers for harvesting surplus produce that would normally be left in the fields. Second, it helps food banks provide local agencies with the fresh produce that is so difficult to obtain and so vital to adding nutritional value to the food and meals they serve to needy and low-income Texans. TASHFB originally projected that food banks could distribute three million pounds of produce with the funds from this grant. From March 2002 to August 2003, TASHFB exceeded its own expectations by soliciting and distributing five million pounds of produce throughout the food bank network. TASHFB supplemented its state grant with funds from America s Second Harvest and member food banks to distribute an additional three million pounds of product, bringing the total to almost eight million pounds of Texas-grown product solicited and distributed to needy families. According to the formula used by America s Second Harvest, which values products distributed by food banks at $1.69 per pound, Texas distributed over $13.4 million of fresh agricultural products in 2002, $8.5 million of 48

53 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE which was distributed using state funds. In other words, for every state dollar spent in 2002, Texas food banks distributed $17 worth of fresh produce. In 2003, the agriculture department awarded another $500,000 to TASHFB to continue the Surplus Agricultural Grants Program through August CHARITABLE PRODUCE CENTER & RURAL PRODUCE INITIATIVE, NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK In 1994, Louise Gartner founded the Charitable Produce Center at the North Texas Food Bank to transform the tremendous amount of waste in the fresh produce market into a source of sustenance for hungry North Texans. In 1999, with a grant from Kraft Foods, Inc., the North Texas Food Bank extended the reach of its fresh produce distribution with the Rural Produce Initiative, which distributes fresh produce to agencies outside of Dallas County each week. Both programs are thriving; the Charitable Produce Center distributed more than 4 million pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables to local food charities in 2002, and the Rural Produce Initiative delivered more than 600,000 pounds of produce to seven rural North Texas counties in Improving Health Through Nutrition Education It is common knowledge that a poor diet contributes to many disabling and/or life-threatening illnesses. Low-income people are more likely to suffer from dietrelated illnesses because they do not receive adequate nutrition. Obesity, particularly among children, is a growing problem in this country. Nationally, 20% to 30% of children are overweight or at risk of becoming overweight a rate that has doubled in the last two decades prompting the Centers for Disease Control to label childhood obesity an epidemic. Like hunger, obesity can also be a symptom of poverty. This may explain why, in Texas a state with one of the highest child poverty rates the obesity epidemic is growing even faster. More than 28% of low-income children in Texas between the ages of two and five are obese, and approximately 39% of fourth-graders, 37% of eighth-graders, and 29% of eleventh-graders are either overweight or obese. Several factors contribute to the obesity problem among poor children. When a family is living on a tight budget, junk food or fast food is usually easier and cheaper to buy than nutritious food. Children who face chronic food shortages often fill up on high-fat foods and sugary sodas as a means to cope with this stress. Low-income children also are more likely to live in unsafe neighborhoods, lack adequate supervision, or face health problems like asthma that make outdoor play critical to maintaining a healthy weight difficult. Poor families are also less likely to receive the nutrition education that can help them to make smart food choices. Although many factors contribute to poor diet among low-income people, nutrition education offers one tool for emergency food providers to help their clients make healthy food choices and stretch their food budgets. Many of the food bank directors argued that it is critical for food banks and their member agencies to offer nutrition education services or information to their clients. The following programs illustrate how food banks teach their clients good eating habits. OPERATION FRONTLINE Operation Frontline is a nutrition education program developed by Share Our Strength, one of the nation s leading anti-hunger, anti-poverty organizations, and nationally sponsored by Tyson Foods, Inc. Operation Frontline mobilizes volun- 49

54 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: teer chefs and nutritionists to teach people the cooking and nutrition skills they need to make healthy food choices on a low-income budget. At the North Texas Food Bank, staff provide Operation Frontline classes on nutrition, healthy cooking, food budgeting, and food safety to member agencies and their clients. Recipes, groceries, prizes, and food samples are all provided during each class along with educational tools for interactive learning. Since the opening of Operation Frontline in September 1996, over 1,500 individuals have participated in these classes, and over 6,500 adults and children have been served through nutrition fairs and other health-related events. Through Operation Frontline s youth component Kids Up Front, the food bank has conducted more than 25 classes to more than 300 children since The Houston Food Bank launched Operation Frontline in Taught by chefs and nutrition professionals, Operation Frontline courses are held at the food bank s member agencies. In its first year, Operation Frontline presented 15 six-week courses, reaching 182 families. CHOICES! TARRANT AREA FOOD BANK The Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) disseminates information on nutrition, food preparation, and related topics to its member agencies to help their clients reap the greatest possible benefit from their food. The cornerstone of TAFB s nutrition education efforts is Choices! This nutrition curriculum emphasizes the role of healthy food choices in preventing cancer, heart disease/stroke, and diabetes as well as the link between healthy nutrition and performance at school or on the job. The food bank provides these classes to middle-school students in collaboration with Communities in Schools of Tarrant County, and to residents of public housing communities in collaboration with the Fort Worth Housing Authority. Courtesy of the North Texas Food Bank Job Training and Building Self-Sufficiency Many emergency food clients are caught in a cycle of need, unable to escape poverty because of a lack of education or training. Emergency food providers recognize that providing job training and teaching life skills to their clients can be as 50

55 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE valuable to them as the food they receive. Several of the food banks in this study either participate in national job training programs or have developed their own innovative approaches to helping their clients get a job and become self-sufficient. COMMUNITY KITCHENS The Houston Food Bank and the North Texas Food Bank both house Community Kitchens. These kitchens provide culinary job skills and food service training to low-income people, who then prepare meals to be served at the food banks member agencies. In Dallas, construction of a new 3,000 square-foot kitchen at the North Texas Food Bank was completed in February The kitchen produces an average of 6,000 meals weekly for distribution to 37 local agencies including 10 shelters, 20 Kids Cafes and seven food pantries. Up to 50 students, primarily from the Texas Second Chance program in partnership with Dawson State Prison, receive food service training each year while helping to prepare the meals. The Houston Food Bank operates a state-of-the-art commercially equipped kitchen that is used for meal preparation training and to deliver nutritious hot meals daily to participating charities. FARM, ORCHARD, AND GARDEN DIVISION, SOUTH PLAINS FOOD BANK Part of the mission of the South Plains Food Bank is to be a model for community partnerships and a catalyst for social change by providing opportunities for persons to break out of the poverty cycle. The food bank fulfills this portion of its mission by operating a Farm, Orchard, and Community Garden Division. This division of the food bank was established to grow food to feed the hungry, but more important to give people the skills they need to become self-sufficient. The Farm, Orchard, and Garden Division supports the following programs and services: The GRUB (Growing Recruits for Urban Business) program, which gives atrisk youth the opportunity to learn job and life skills; Community gardens (15 throughout the city); A market garden, garden space for participants to grow their own vegetables and sell any surplus to earn income; An orchard; Community and school outreach; and The Harvest Time cookbook, the primary fund-raising event for the division. These initiatives are mutually supporting, in that the profits from some are used to fund others. For example, produce grown at the farm is sold to fund summer wages for GRUB participants. Any surplus is sold at the farmer s market, given to GRUB participants to share with their families, or donated to the food bank. Apples from the orchard are donated to the food bank as well. Produce from the Market Garden is used by the individual growers and sold for their personal gain. Produce from the Community Gardens is used by the individual growers and, in some cases, donated to the food bank. 51

56 ENDING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY: Courtesy of the Food Bank of Corpus Christi Kid s Cafes Kid s Cafe is a national program designed by America s Second Harvest to provide dinner to nutritionally at-risk children after school and in the evenings, because many low-income children who have access to school breakfast and lunch during the day do not have access to a nutritious evening meal. When combined with the support of local companies, groups and individuals, Kid s Cafes provide a local grassroots approach to alleviating hunger and promoting self-esteem and individual development in children. Most of the food banks that participated in this study operate Kid s Cafes. For example: The Tarrant Area Food Bank opened its first Kid s Cafe in 1998 and now runs 18 Kid s Cafes that provide prepared meals to almost 2,000 children in four counties. The nonprofit organizations that host the cafes also offer mentoring, tutoring and recreational programs for children. The food bank provides the food, administrative support, and salary for the kitchen coordinator of each cafe. Houston opened its first Kid s Cafe in early 2002, at the Shell Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston. The Houston Food Bank prepares hot meals and healthy snacks at its Community Kitchen, which are then served to as many as 150 children every weekday evening. Houston-area chefs and nutrition professionals also teach the children who eat at the Kid s Cafe about good nutrition, how to prepare easy and healthy meals for their families, and how to work in a commercial kitchen setting. 52

57 FOOD SECURITY THROUGH FOOD ASSISTANCE ANCE The East Texas Food Bank offers an on-site Kid s Cafe that provides nutritious, well-balanced meals to children in the surrounding neighborhood. Nine of their member agencies also operate Kid s Cafes. Children who eat meals at the Kid s Cafe also take part in after-school tutoring programs and other activities, including physical fitness, simple meal planning, nutrition training, and social skills training. Courtesy of the Regional East Texas Food Bank Breedlove Dehydrated Foods, South Plains Food Bank The South Plains Food Bank opened the Breedlove Dehydration Plant in 1994 in response to the overwhelming waste of produce that is not acceptable for the commercial market due to superficial blemishes in the food. A 60,000 squarefoot facility located in Lubbock, this non-profit processing plant has the capacity to take truckload quantities of surplus, unmarketable vegetables and use the dehydration process to turn it into shelf stable product that can be stored until needed and more easily transported. Work on the plant began in 1991, funded wholly by private contributions and grants. The Breedlove Dehydration Plant is the only vegetable dehydration facility in the world solely dedicated to providing products to those who cannot provide food for themselves. The plant was built to handle primarily potatoes and has the capacity to dehydrate and package over 100,000 pounds of produce per day. The first shipment of Breedlove product was sent as disaster relief to Oklahoma City following the terrorist bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Breedlove s product, which now includes soup packets and other dehydrated meals, is also distributed by U.S. Aid In Development (USAID) as part of relief and refugee rations and has been used by humanitarian organizations domestically and in Central America, Haiti, western Africa, Eastern Europe, and eastern Asia. 53

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