Hunger in the Hudson Valley
One in 10 people across the Hudson Valley are food insecure. This means that they do not have easy and regular access to quality food and may frequently go hungry. How can an area with such bounty be plagued with this problem?
Food insecure people often have to make a choice whether to purchase food to feed their families or pay rent, medical bills and transportation costs. Their choices are hard ones to make. Read how Community Foundations of the Hudson Valley is trying to help.
Read the Community Foundations of the Huson Valley’s special report: Food Security in the Hudson Valley (PDF file).
Food Insecurity in New York State
Feeding America has laid out the poverty statistics and the numbers are overwhelming.
Read Feeding America’s statistics on Food Insecurity in New York by County (PDF file).
Local at Heart Supports These Local Food Banks
Family of New Paltz | Gardiner Food Pantry | St Joseph’s Food Pantry | SUNY of New Paltz Christian Center Food Pantry
Did you know…
13.1 million children lived in food-insecure households in 2015.
– Household Food Security in the United States in 2015
According to the 2010 Census, the poverty rate in Ulster county 10.3% for families with children. Just so you know, the poverty rate for a family of 3 with one child is $17,552, a family of 4 with 2 children is $22, and a family of 5 with 3 children is $26,023.
– Ulster County Community Health Assessment
In the New Paltz School District, 20% of students receive free lunch; in the Highland School District, 31% of students receive free lunch; in the Roundout School District, 38% of students receive free lunch.
– 2016 New York State Report Card
The BackPack Program is designed to meet the needs of hungry children on weekends, when other resources are not available. The program provides backpacks filled with food that is child-friendly, shelf-stable, and easily-consumed. Bags are packed each week by school staff and discreetly distributed to participating children every Friday afternoon. For the 2014-2015 school year the club supported 27 children in the program and looking to increase our numbers for this school year.
– http://www.newpaltzrotary.org
Food pantries served a staggering half million meals last year and it’s not enough to meet the need in our area. Hunger is an invisible epidemic and the hungry are not strangers — they are, in fact, all around you.
Many think hunger is not their problem. Actually, it’s everyone’s concern. Incredibly, pantries are even opening on military bases and colleges. Can you imagine soldiers risking their lives yet their families go hungry?
Many users of food pantries are working people just like you. After paying rent, heat, electricity bills, many are forced to consider pantries as a last resort. That’s because sadly, food is a lower priority than shelter!
The need is great yet New York State’s allocation to pantries is $16 million short in keeping pantries stocked!
