One hundred percent of food banks responding to a Feeding America survey reported increases in demand for emergency food assistance over the last year. Demand for emergency food assistance increased at a rate ranging from 28.6% - 37.7% footnote 1.
Many people are turning to food banks for the first time because of the economic climate. 99.4% of food banks and distribution agencies reported seeing more first time users in the last year. 74% reported seeing more newly unemployed persons. 48% of food banks and distribution agencies reported seeing a greater number of children in their food lines.
Seventy-two percent of food banks do not feel as though they are able to adequately meet the needs of their communities without adjusting the amount of food distributed.
Across the Feeding America network of over 63,000 agencies, 66 percent of pantries, 41 percent of kitchen programs, and 11 percent of shelter programs have no paid staff, relying entirely on volunteers. footnote 2.
Commit yourself and a team of your friends and neighbors to help feed America's hungry. This tool kit will give you the basics to volunteer at a food bank, start of food drive, recruit a team, organize your group, and make an impact.
1. Feeding America, Local Impact Survey, Result Summary
2. Rhoda Cohen, M. Kim, and J. Ohls. Hunger In America 2006. America's Second Harvest-The Nation's Food Bank Network. February 2006.