Taking Hunger Off The Table

A recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine determined that almost half of all U.S

. children will be on food stamps at some point of their young lives. After analyzing 30 years worth of data, from good economic times and bad, the authors of the study found that 49 percent of all children had been in a situation to need foods stamps before reaching age 20.

Considering economic times could hardly be qualified as good across the country, that number could be much higher for 2009. Food pantries nationwide are reporting that the need is at unprecedented levels, while donations are down. Austin's Capital Area Food Bank is gearing up for a holiday season with a record number of people needing helping feeding their families. "Last month (October) was the largest month for food distribution in our 28-year history. I've said that about seven or eight times in the last 12 months," the CAFB CEO David Davenport told the Austin Chronicle.

The Capital Area Food Bank has been in service for 28 years, providing food to more than 350 partner agencies in Central Texas. Its busy warehouse on South Congress Avenue is a scene of chaotic efficiency, with volunteers sorting through boxes of donated food and forklifts carrying loaded pallets to be taken away on trucks. In 2008, CAFB distributed more than 17 million pounds of food. That food was used to feed about 300,000 people in 21 counties. According to Davenport, the level could reach 25 tons by the end of this year.

While Austin is riding the recession with minimal impact (a recent survey showed the Austin real estate market was weathering the real estate crisis better than any other large US city), the surrounding areas can hardly make the same claim. Texas tops the list of states with children who are at risk for hunger, with 22 percent of residents under 18 going hungry according to a study by the national food-bank network's Feeding America. The recession and the drought have been a double whammy, and it is estimated that the need for food assistance has risen over 60 percent in Central Texas.

Unfortunately the donations of food and money have not risen with the demand for more assistance. According the Chronicle, the Capital Area Food Bank spent $2 million on purchased food in 2008, but could spend as much as $4 million this year. The CAFB depends on private donations for about 80 percent of their operating costs, but the size of donations is down this year. One of the most popular fundraisers for the food bank was the recent Ninth Annual Empty Bowl Project that raised $35,000 for the food bank this year. Handcrafted bowls are sold for $15 and then filled with soup prepared by some of Austin's best chefs. CAFB says that $15 can provide 75 meals.

As hunger sits at the table of too many families across the country this holiday season, remember that a little donation can go a long way. Food banks can use non-perishable food donations or cash, which they can stretch further than the average consumer through partnerships with local grocery stores. Or if there is a family in need down the street, consider buying them a bag full of fresh groceries and leaving it on the doorstep.

by: Ki Gray

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