Learn more about the nationwide study at www.hungerinamerica.org.

Read Massachusetts' statewide results.
 

Read western Massachusetts results

Thousands of children, families, and seniors in the western Massachusetts region receive emergency food assistance each year from The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts.  The Food Bank is a member of America's Second Harvest-The Nation’s Food Bank Network.  America’s Second Harvest recently released Hunger in America 2006, the results of which are based on 52,000 face-to-face interviews with people seeking emergency food assistance that took place in 2005, and more than 30,000 agency surveys.  It is the largest, most comprehensive study ever conducted on domestic hunger.  The study was commissioned by the America's Second Harvest Network and sponsored by Altria.

Some of the local findings include:

• 64% of clients seeking emergency food assistance in western Massachusetts are living below the federal poverty line (learn more about the federal poverty threshold).

• 36% have at least one adult working in their household.

• 48% of client households receive Food Stamps; however, it's likely that many more are eligible.

• Only 7% receive transitional assistance, commonly known as welfare.

• 56% of clients receiving food from The Food Bank are food insecure.  “Food insecurity” is a term which describes a person or family that does not have access to adequate and safe food, or a person or family unable to access food in socially acceptable ways.

• 23% of clients experience hunger, the painful or uneasy sensation caused by a recurrent or involuntary lack of food.

• 42% of clients served by The Food Bank report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel.  31% had to choose between paying for food and paying their rent or mortgage.  28% had to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care.