Food Pantry Participants Initial Report of Survey of Users of Dane County’s Food Pantries

WISCONSIN Population: 5.5 Million people (as of September 2006) Median Income for a family of 3 persons: $61,286 per year (2006)

The Bottom of the Lower Half “ Median” means half of the families make less than that. Some make much less. Population in “Poverty”: 484,000 million people in Wisconsin (about 1 in 11) had incomes below the federal poverty “threshold” (2000 census). Their Incomes: For a family of 3 with1 child, that poverty “threshold” in 2006 was an income of $16,227, or about $1,350/month. At that level a small apartment might rent for $600 each month Only $750 for the rest of the month to cover: Clothes health care Transportation education, and… FOOD (the “flexible” expense). Some low-income people in Madison are stretched so thin that they even lack the money for bus fare.

WHAT CAN PEOPLE IN POVERTY DO? Try to do all within their own powers to: Obtain (better) jobs, Get better educations, Move to different cities, Seek help from non-profit organizations. Apply for any governmental support they are eligible for. For help in getting FOOD, the main federal support program is FoodShare (previously “Food Stamps”).

372,912 residents of Wisconsin (about 1 in 16) received FoodShare benefits in 2006 (20,000 in Dane County). The FoodShare caseload in Wisconsin has been steadily increasing since It has more than doubled in the last 6 years. FOODSHARE

Gender: Nearly 60% are female Ages: More than half of the recipients are 16 years of age or younger. Family Makeup: Of the families that contain minors, 72% have one parent, 26% have two parents, and 2% have no parent. 40% of the recipient families contain at least one person who is either elderly, blind or disabled. Work/Earnings: 35% of the recipient families have at least one person working. The average monthly income of these families is $1,075 (which is below the poverty level for all but single adults) Who are the FoodShare recipients in Wisconsin?

Food Share Benefits Depending upon recipients income level, the monthly allotment for a family of three may vary from about $10 up to $408/month. The average monthly allotment for families having at least one member who is elderly, blind or disabled is $118 a month. However, 30% of such families receive $10 a month or less. BUT, sorely as the FoodShare program is needed, rarely do its benefits by themselves provide enough to feed a person (or family) for a whole month.

What to do when FS runs out? Turn to their Neighbors for free food in Food Pantries and Free Meal Sites.

Food Pantries There are more than 47 food pantries in Dane County. That many are members of the Dane County Food Pantry Network (DCFPN), which is supervised by CAC (Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin). In addition, 2nd Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisconsin has a few mobile pantries. Together, these food pantries hand out millions of pounds of food each year.

Food-Pantry Client Survey In October of 2006, the Hunger Prevention Council of Dane County, did a survey of DCFPN food-pantry clients. Some of the initial findings are known and compared with the October 2003 survey Number of visits by families 7,0805,684 Number of survey respondents 1,758 2,026 (25+%) (36+%)

Respondents’ Answers (Family Characteristics) Time lived in Madison: < 3 months > 2 years 4.5% 84% < 5% 82% Families w/kids (1,345 kids) 70%62% We have used Pantries: < 3 months > 2 years 20% 38% 25% 37% > 1 Pantry within 30 days42%39%

Respondents’ Answers (“Food Security”) Adults skipped meals/no money 1 or 2 days out of last 30 3 or more days “ 36% 26% Kids skipped meals/no money 1 or 2 days out of last 30 3 or more days “ 13% 8% “Food Security” status “secure” (no worries) “insecure” (must skimp) “insecure with hunger” 13% 12% 75% 20% 30% 60%

Respondents’ Answers (Financial Information) At least 1 of us works for pay 65%55% Families in “poverty” (incomes < “Poverty” threshold) 80%81% Our disabilities limit our work (receive SSI/SSDI payments) 38%20% We get Food Stamps (FdShare) 48%32%

Extrapolations/Conclusions Thousands in Madison live in poverty Most are “poor” and sometimes lack food An increasing number receive FoodShare 55% of eligible families in Wisconsin FoodShare benefits seldom last a month They then turn to Food Pantries Food Pantries are now an Institution Still, families, including kids, sometimes lack food

How to Help Support the FoodShare Program in the “Farm Bill” Support the outreach efforts of the FoodShare Program Support food pantries, and the federal support programs such as TEFAP, which supply some of the pantries’ food