FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 4th, 2012 Contact: Vangelia Perryman 806-535-4346 vperryman@spfb.

org

Report: 24% of Lubbock Children at Risk of Hunger

134 Organizations, Individuals Urge Neugebauer to Protect Nutrition Funding
Lubbock A new study released today by the South Plains Food Bank (SPFB) in collaboration with Feeding America shows that 15,460 or one in four (24.2 percent) Lubbock children lived in households that were at risk of hunger in 2010. This study highlights an unacceptable level of food insecurity among our children, said David Weaver, Executive Director of SPFB. Hungry children are more likely to have poor grades and health deficiencies, and these problems translate into lost productivity and higher health care costs as they age. We cannot afford to ignore this problem. The study was released as Congress debates funding cuts to the federal SNAP program (aka food stamps). On Friday, a letter signed by 134 local organizations and individuals was sent to Congress Member Randy Neugebauer urging him to use his membership on the House Agriculture Committee to protect the program. More than 21,000 Lubbock children currently receive SNAP, over half of the caseload for Lubbock county. If federal programs are cut, charities like ours will not be able to shoulder the difference, said Weaver. Our Members of Congress need to commit to our collective investment in child nutrition, or risk the consequences of increased child hunger here in Lubbock. The national study was produced by Feeding America with support from the ConAgra Foods Foundation, Howard G. Buffett Foundation and Nielsen, and may be found at http://j.mp/MapTheMealGap. A copy of the letter sent to Congressman Neugebauer may be found at http://j.mp/NeugebauerLetter. The South Plains Food Bank is a humanitarian resource responsible for securing, growing, processing, and distributing food to charitable organizations and persons in need. South Plains Food Bank also strives to provide opportunities for persons to break out of the poverty cycle. http://www.spfb.org ##