185,000 get emergency food

Hawaii Foodbank stocks its larder with food that’s purchased and donated. Donations are accepted anytime online: hawaiifoodbank.org/Donate.aspx.

The charity’s website also rounds up some Hawaii statistics that are relatively current, figures gathered for the Hunger in America 2010 report. Here are some of the major points:

» Roughly 183,500 different people in Hawaii, over 14 percent of the population, receive emergency food assistance through the Hawaii Foodbank network. This is an increase of 39 percent over the findings from Hunger in America 2006, which was based on data collected in 2005.

» Among those receiving emergency food are 55,050 children and more than 11,000 seniors.

» About 79 percent of Foodbank client households served are “food insecure” — they don’t always know where they will find their next meal.   

» The average monthly income for client households is $850.

» Roughly 32 percent of client households reported choosing whether to pay for transportation or food, and 28 percent said they had to choose between paying the rent/mortgage or buying food.

» Of the households receiving Foodbank help, 42 percent have one or more adult(s) who is working.

These numbers are based on surveys conducted at emergency feeding centers, such as soup kitchens, shelters, food pantries and the Foodbank’s Ohana Plus Produce distributions in the community.