Increased Demand for Food Assistance on Long Island to Continue Through 2009
December 22, 2008
Local needs mirror national statistics as more low-income and middle-class families struggle with hunger for the first time
(Mineola, N.Y.) More low-income, working- and middle-class families on Long Island are finding themselves accessing food banks and emergency food programs served by Island Harvest, according to Randi Shubin Dresner, president and CEO of Long Island’s largest hunger relief organization. The trend is consistent with several recently released national studies finding that hunger is on the rise due to the worsening economy and is expected to continue through much of next year.
Feeding America, a nationwide hunger relief group of which Island Harvest is a member, reported last week that 36% of low-income households are eating less or skipping meals because they don’t have enough money for food, and 40% stated that they were forced to choose between food and paying for utilities during the past year.
“The economic downturn has changed the face of hunger on Long Island leaving many low-income and even middle-class Long Islanders struggling for the first time,” said Ms. Shubin Dresner. “We are seeing more people accessing the agencies we serve who have never asked for help before.”
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a Washington, D.C.-based research group, cites unemployment is the biggest reason people struggle with hunger and the U.S. Conference of Mayors reports that of the 21 cities surveyed on emergency food aid, all saw an increase in people seeking assistance for the first time, particularly among working families. The U.S. Department of Agriculture annual report on food security found the number of people receiving food stamps climbed from 26.9 million in September 2007 to a record 31.6 million in September 2008.
“In 2008 we saw a sharp rise in the price for basic items such as food, gasoline and other essential items with a parallel increase in requests for assistance among the food pantries, soup kitchens and other organizations we serve,” said Ms. Shubin Dresner. “Unfortunately we are expecting that trend to continue through most of 2009 as the economy continues to remain uncertain and unemployment continues to affect many Long Islanders.”
According to Hunger in America 2006—Local Report for Long Island, over 259,000 Long Islanders are at risk of going hungry each day, including 93,000 children. The report is expected to be updated in the spring.
About Island Harvest
Fighting hunger and touching lives, Island Harvest serves as the bridge between those who have surplus food and those who need it, supplying hundreds of community-based nonprofit organizations on Long Island with critical food support to help stem the advancing tide of hunger in our communities. Island Harvest has delivered 50 million pounds of food, supplementing more than 38 million meals, since its inception in 1992. In support of its mission to end hunger and reduce food waste on Long Island, the organization is actively involved in educational and hunger awareness programs to inform the public about the insidious but often unrecognized problem of hunger here, in one of the wealthiest regions of the country, and how individuals, businesses, schools and commercial food establishments can make a difference. Island Harvest is a member of Feeding America (formerly America’s Second Harvest). For more information about Island Harvest, visit www.islandharvest.org or call 516-294-8528.
###
Posted by News LI Editor · Filed Under Society
Have a press release or local story you would like us to review? Let us know about it!
| You can Bookmark & Share this page by clicking here: |
|
More Long Island News
-
Long Island Exchange is the leading resource on Long Island New York for news and business. Find Long Island news, check local weather, real estate, classifieds, and auto dealer listings for Long Island.
News Comments for this Article
Got something to say? Be sure you've read and understand our (Terms of Service)
You may not post any unlawful, threatening, defamatory, obscene, pornographic or other material that would violate the law. All comments should be relevant to the topic and remain respectful of other authors and commenters. You are solely responsible for your own comments, the consequences of posting those comments, and the consequences of any reliance by you on the comments of others. More...
