What Hunger Looks Like in Western Washington

• Many of the people served by Food Lifeline are among the working poor.
  62% of the households Food Lifeline serves count a job, social security, SSI, unemployment or disability as a main source of income.

• The profile of a hungry person in Western Washington continues to defy society's assumptions.
  Nearly 45% of the individuals using a food bank, meal program or shelter in Western Washington have some form of post-secondary education. Only 15% are actually homeless.

• 38% of the hungry people Food Lifeline serves are children.

• 13% of the hungry people Food Lifeline serves are seniors.

• Hunger causes many families to make difficult choices.
  • 51% of the hungry people Food Lifeline serves must choose between food and paying for heat.
  • 40% of the hungry people Food Lifeline serves must choose between food and paying for medicine or medical care.
  • 40% of the hungry people Food Lifeline serves must choose between food and rent.

• 88% of Food Lifeline's member food banks say that if they couldn't get food from a distribution agency such as Food Lifeline, it would have a significant or devastating impact on their program.

• Nearly 43% of the people who are emergency food recipients in Western Washington are food insecure with hunger. This means that these individuals do not know when they will eat again and often times go to bed hungry.

• More than 18% of the hungry people in Western Washington have been refused medical care because they could not pay or because they had a Medicaid or Medical Assistance card.

The Consequences of Hunger:

*Undernourished pregnant women tend to have low birth weight babies. Low birth weight babies suffer from more physical illness, as well as impaired growth and development. Undernourished infants are at greater risk of dying within their first year of life.

*Chronic hunger in adults weakens bones and muscles, increases the risk of illness, worsens existing health problems, and contributes to depression and lack of energy. Hunger in adults also produces nervousness, irritability, and difficulty in concentration.

*Children who are hungry may be less attentive, independent, and curious. Many hungry children have difficulty concentrating; therefore their reading ability and verbal and motor skills suffer. Children who are hungry also often experience headaches, fatigue, frequent colds, and other illnesses that may cause them to be less physically active.

*Hunger can have a devastating emotional impact; it may diminish self-confidence and self-esteem. In a culture that encourages self-reliance, individuals who need food assistance may hesitate to seek help. They may experience feelings of shame or embarrassment due to circumstances that are out of their control.