For Immediate Release: February 2nd, 2010

Contact: JC Dwyer, 817-721-9352,

jcdwyer@gmail.com

Three Million Texans Visited a Soup Kitchen or Food Pantry in 2009

Food Banks Release New Data Showing 45% Increase in Need; 1.2 Million Children Fed

Three million Texans – or one in eight – including 1.2 million children were forced to visit a
soup kitchen or food pantry to feed themselves in 2009, according to a new study released
Tuesday by the Texas Food Bank Network (TFBN), the national organization Feeding America
and the research firm Mathematica.

The study revealed a 45% total increase in demand for charitable food over the previous five
years, and an 85% increase in clients under the age of eighteen. 260,000 senior citizens were also
among those served in 2009.

“The pressure on private charity has become too great,” said TFBN State Director Barbara
Anderson. “We need real solutions, and public investment to address this growing problem.”

The study comes on the heels of last week’s announcement of new polling data showing that
nearly 21% of Texans had trouble feeding themselves or their families in 2009.

Among those served by the state’s charitable food providers, the hungry were found to be getting
hungrier. 53% of clients reported being forced to choose between paying for food or paying their
utilities in the previous year. 42% reported choosing between paying for food or rent, and 37%
reported choosing between purchasing food or needed medication. All were increases over the
previous survey.

Despite such a deep and growing need, only 31% of clients at charitable food providers reported
receiving SNAP (food stamps) benefits, and only 12% of families with children reported
receiving summer meals for their children. Advocates pointed out the need for reform in these
programs to make them more accessible.

“The Food Banks are proud to be part of the solution in Texas, but we can’t do it by ourselves –
the need has become too great,” said JC Dwyer, State Policy Coordinator for TFBN. “The public
structures in which we have all invested need to be made more accessible.”

The new data also disproved some common myths about Texans who need assistance. 84% of
clients were found to be U.S. citizens, 43% of client households had at least one working adult,
and client demographics were found to include families from all ethnic backgrounds.

TFBN provides a unified voice among nineteen food banks serving every county in Texas in
support of a common mission to end hunger. The full report is available at EndHungerinTex.org.

(See summary of findings below)

More Texans need food than ever before...
2006 2010 Change
2.1
# of Texans served by food banks annually 3 million Up 45%
million
# of Texas children served by food banks
673,000 1.2 million Up 85%
annually
# of Texans served by food banks weekly 418,700 480,100 Up 15%
% of client-households who are “food
68% 75% Up 7%
insecure”
% of local pantries reporting increased need 65% 76% Up 11%

The hungry are getting hungrier….

% of clients forced to choose between... 2006 2010 Change

Food or Utilities 41% 53% Up 12%

Food or Medicine 33% 37% Up 4%

Food or Rent 33% 42% Up 9%

...And food banks are footing the bill.

2010
% of client-families
receiving SNAP (Food 31%
Stamps)

% of client-families w/ kids
12%
receiving Summer Meals

% of client-families w/ kids
45%
receiving WIC (continued below)
Who is Hungry in Texas?

CLIENT AGE 2010

0-17 42%

18-64 50%

65+ 9%

CLIENT RACE/
ETHNICITY
2010

Non-Hispanic White 26%

Non-Hispanic Black 28%

Latino or Hispanic 44%

Other 2%

OTHER STATISTICS 2010

High School Educated
61%
(Adults)

Married (Adults) 33%

U.S. Citizen 84%

Working Households 43%

###