Impact Brief

August 2015 city fruit.org

Food Insecurity

Washington is the 22nd hungriest

The American Institute of Nutrition defines
food insecurity as limited or uncertain
availability of nutritionally adequate and
safe foods or limited or uncertain ability to
acquire acceptable foods in socially
acceptable ways.1
In 2013, one in seven Americans experienced food
insecurity at some point during the year 2.
state10.
The total cost of hunger in WA between 2007-2010
totaled more than $3.8 billion due to lost economic
productivity per year, preventable health care costs,
and costs of funding organizations to keep families
fed11.

Food insecurity can have lasting adverse

effects on both the mental and physical
health of those who experience it.

Adults in food insecure households are more likely to

have diets that negatively impact their health than their
food secure counterparts3. Food insecurity is
associated with a decrease in consumption of fruits,
vegetables, and dairy as well as lower intake levels of
micronutrients. This can lead to an increased risk of
major chronic diseases such as cardio vascular
disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer 4,5,6.
Children in food insecure households are especially at Source: http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/our-research/map-the-meal-
risk of increased rates of iron deficiency, chronic gap/2013/WA_AllCounties_CDs_MMG_2013.pdf

illness, and developmental and mental health Facts About Hunger in King County
problems7,8.
1 in 5 children live in a household that struggles
to put food on the table12.

In 2014, King County food banks received more

Total Food Insecure WA Residents in
than 2.4 million visits12.
20139
33% of people served at King County food

1,017,900 banks are children and 21% are seniors12.

City Fruit stewards 15 public orchards and
harvests fruit from over 330 sites around
Seattle. We donate the majority of produce to
emergency food systems within the 6
neighborhoods we serve, getting nutritious
food to those who need it most.
Neighborhoods we serve:
Wallingford
Ballard
Phinney/ Greenwood
West Seattle
South Seattle
Northeast Seattle
Between 2009 and 2014, City Fruit
donated over 80,000 lbs of fruit to
recipient organizations, the equivalent
of over 480,000 plums!
In 2014, City Fruit donated fruit to 39 food
banks, community organizations, and
partnership events.
Rainier Valley Food Bank serves 500-600
residents per distribution day and meets
over 4,000 requests for food each month.
In 2014 alone, City Fruit contributed to the
food banks efforts by donating over 1,800
lbs of produce.
We put a strong emphasis on being
able to distribute food that is healthy,
nutritious, local, and, if possible,
organic. City Fruit is a perfect storm
that meets all of those needs.- Miguel
Jimenez, Rainier Valley Food Bank
Value of total fruit donated from 2009-
2014
$87,750
City Fruit promotes the cultivation of
urban fruit in order to nourish people, build
community, and protect the climate. We
help tree owners grow healthy fruit,
provide assistance in harvesting and
preserving fruit, promote the sharing of
extra fruit, and work to protect urban fruit
trees.
Resources:
1. Dixon, L. B., Winkleby, M. A., & Radimer, K. L. (2001). Dietary Intakes and
Serum Nutrients Differ between Adults from Food-Insufficient and Food-
Sufficient Families: Third National Health and Nutrition Survey, 1988-1994.
Journal Of Nutrition, 131(4), 1232-1243.
2. Leung, C. W., Epel, E. S., Willett, W. C., Rimm, E. B., & Laraia, B. A. (2015).
Household Food Insecurity Is Positively Associated with Depression among
Low-Income Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Participants and
Income-Eligible Nonparticipants. Journal Of Nutrition, 145(3), 622-627.
3. Rose, D., & Oliveira, V. (1997). Nutrient Intakes of Individuals from Food-
Insufficient Households in the United States. American Journal Of Public
Health, 87(12), 1956-1961.
4. Heflin, C. M., Siefert, K., & Williams, D. R. (2005). Food insufficiency and
women's mental health: Findings from a 3-year panel of welfare recipients.
Social Science & Medicine, 61(9), 1971-1982.
5. Murphy, J. M., Wehler, C. A., Pagano, M. E., Little, M., Kleinman, R. E., &
Jellinek, M. S. (1998). Relationship between hunger and psychosocial
functioning in low-income American children. Journal Of The American
Academy Of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 37(2), 163.
6. Bhattacharya, J., Currie, J., & Haider, S. (2004). Poverty, food
insecurity, and nutritional outcomes in children and adults. Journal
of Health Economics, 23(4), 839-862.
7. Duncan, G. J., & Brooks-Gunn, J. (1994). Economic Deprivation and Early
Childhood Development. Child Development, 65(2), 296-318.
8. Cook, J. T., & Frank, D. A. (2008). Food Security, Poverty, and Human
Development in the United States. Annals Of The New York Academy Of
Sciences, 1136193-209.
9. Food Insecurity Rates. Feeding America. 2013.
10. Hungry in Washington. AHNC Washington. 2014.
Hungers Impact. Northwest Harvest.
11.
12. Food: Summary & Data Highlights. CommunitiesCount.