This week’s Topic ^[1]:

In 2008, the Cleveland Foodbank distributed over 21.6 million pounds of food to 451 hunger programs in six Northeast Ohio counties.

The Cleveland Foodbank provides a majority of the food that is distributed at Northeast Ohio hunger centers, including shelf-stable food, perishable food, produce and prepared meals.

Breakdown of Foodbank (and associate program) clients include:

• 31% are children under 18 years old.

• 12% are elderly.

• 26% of households have at least one household member in poor health.

• 77% are high school graduates

• 31% of households have at least one employed adult.

Many clients choose between food and other necessities:

• 38% of all clients had to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities, such as heat.

• 35% of all clients had to decide between paying for food and paying for rent or mortgage.

• 31% of all clients had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care.

• 26% of households served by the Cleveland Foodbank member agencies have at least one member living in poor health

Client income:

• In Northeast Ohio, a family of four with an income of $1,421 a month, or $17,052 a year, is defined as living in poverty.

• Households living at or below 130% of the poverty level are eligible for food stamps.

• Average household income among all clients in 2000 was $7,950.

• 67% of all client households had annual incomes of less than $10,000.

What does being hungry mean?

• 52% of those responding reported that they had eaten less than they should because of a lack of food, and 30% responded that they had not eaten for an entire day because of lack of food.

• 10% of clients with children said, in the last year, their children skipped meals because there was not enough money for food.

• 16% of clients with children reported their children were hungry at least once during the previous 12 months, but they could not afford more food.

~Taken from the Cleveland Foodbank website ^[2].

Thank you for taking part in our fifth annual food drive ^[3]. If you are unable to participate at this time, you can donate money here ^[4].