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Food Research and Action Center:
During the last year, requests for emergency food assistance in survey cities increased an average of 7 percent, with 74 percent of survey cities reporting an increase, according to the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM).
The U.S. Conference of Mayors/Sodexho Survey on Hunger and Homelessness reported data for 23 cities for the period November 1, 2005 through October 31, 2006.
The annual survey, released on December 14th, also documented increased needs among families with children and elderly persons as well as insufficient resources to fully meet needs in many cities.
Sixty-three percent of the cities' emergency food assistance facilities have had to decrease the number of bags of food provided and/or the number of times people can receive food.
The leading causes of hunger cited in order of frequency by survey cities are: unemployment and other employment-related problems; high housing costs; poverty or lack of income; medical or health costs; mental health problems; substance abuse; utility costs; transportation costs; high child care costs; and lack of education.
Posted on December 14, 2006 06:18 PM
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