This week’s Topic:

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.

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