Human Services News

U.S. Conference of Mayors:

As emerging priorities unfold under new Congressional leadership, The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Sodexho, Inc. released the 2006 Hunger and Homelessness Survey.

For more than 20 years, The U.S. Conference of Mayors has reported on the shortage of emergency services --food, shelter, medical care, income assistance and energy assistance -- in the nation's cities.

For the fourth year, Sodexho, Inc. joins The U.S. Conference of Mayors in bringing national attention to the factors that impact hunger and homelessness in metropolitan areas in the United States.

"This survey represents real people with real needs in cities all across our nation," said U.S. Conference of Mayors President Trenton Mayor Douglas H. Palmer.

"As mayors of cities in the richest and most powerful nation in the world, we cannot simply stand by as our residents -- families with children -- continue to suffer.

We have a responsibility to work together with our federal partners, as well as the private sector to turn the tide of those most in need in America."

Highlights of the survey show that overall requests for emergency food assistance increased by an average of seven percent over the last year, with 74 percent of the survey cities registering an increase.

Additionally, 100 percent of the survey cities reported that families and individuals relied on emergency food assistance facilities both in emergencies and as a steady source of food over long periods of time.

Also, requests for emergency shelter assistance increased by an average of nine percent over the last year, with 68 percent of the survey cities showing an increase.

This year mental illness and the lack of needed social services are considered the leading causes of homelessness by city officials.

Amid a growing debate on the federal level on the use of the term 'hunger', Congressman Jim McGovern (D-Mass.), Co-Chair of the Congressional Hunger Caucus has argued that to call 'hunger' by any other name will make it more difficult to get the political backing and action that is needed to deal with this issue.

We are an activist company with more than 110,000 U.S. employees, and we make it our business to understand the effects of hunger and to practice hunger-reducing activities in our communities," said Rod Bond, President of Sodexho, Inc. School Services Division.

Officials in the survey cities estimate that during the past year requests for emergency food assistance increased by an average of seven percent, with 74 percent of the cities registering an increase.

Requests for food assistance by families with children also increased by an average of five percent.

Requests for emergency food assistance by elderly persons increased by an average of 18 percent during the last year, with 74 percent of the cities reporting an increase.

Others causes of hunger cited, in order of frequency, include high housing costs, poverty or lack of income, medical or health costs, substance abuse, utility costs, transportation costs, and the lack of education.

Seventy-five percent of cities say it is too early to say what impact their plans will have on ending chronic homelessness especially with regard to cost savings spent on a chronically homeless person.

Requests for assisted housing by low-income families and individuals increased in 86 percent of the cities during the last year.

The primary roles of the Conference of Mayors are to promote the development of effective national urban/suburban policy; strengthen federal-city relationships; ensure that federal policy meets urban needs; provide mayors with leadership and management tools; and create a forum in which mayors can share ideas and information.

Headquartered in Gaithersburg, Md., Sodexho proudly serves as the official food service provider for the U.S. Marine Corps.