Hearing Of The Subcommittee On Oversight Of The House Committee On Ways And Means- Food Banks And Front-Line Charities: Unprecedented Demand And Unmet Need

Statement

Hearing Of The Subcommittee On Oversight Of The House Committee On Ways And Means- Food Banks And Front-Line Charities: Unprecedented Demand And Unmet Need

Thank you for allowing me to speak with you today about an issue I care about and have been following closely, particularly for the last year or so--that is, the growing demand for emergency food assistance and the challenges food banks have in meeting this need.

As a co-chair of the House Hunger Caucus, I have an interest in finding ways to make sure more people are fed. As we just learned Monday, in a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in 2008, 17 million U.S. households had trouble putting enough food on the table at some point during the year. That number represents almost 15 percent of all households in our country and is the highest it has been since the USDA first started reporting on food insecurity in 1995.

While the findings are startling, the report confirms what most of us expected. Gainful employment is one of the best antidotes to hunger. With more and more Americans out of work, it is not surprising that many are unable to access sufficient amounts of food.

Food banks are, many times, the last line of defense against hunger. In these difficult economic circumstances, with unemployment at 10.2% nationally, food banks are experiencing incredible demand for the assistance they provide.

According to Feeding America, which operates a network of more than 200 food banks nationwide, food banks and pantries across the country have seen a 30% increase in demand for emergency food assistance and close to three quarters of food banks reported not being able to adequately meet the needs of people in their communities without adjusting the amount of food distributed. Even in Kansas, which has a relatively low rate of unemployment at 6.9%, food banks in my state have also seen demand increase.

At the Kansas Food Bank in Wichita, for example, which ships food to more than 500 hunger-relief agencies in Kansas, deliveries have increased from 5.5 million pounds of food in 2007 to a projected 7.5 million pounds the food bank expects to deliver by the end of the year.

Similarly, local agencies served by Harvesters food bank, located in Kansas City, report a 40% increase in the number of people seeking assistance, many for the first time. To meet the growing demand, Harvesters has set a goal for fiscal year 2010 to distribute more than 13 million pounds of food--a staggering number considering the food bank gave out about as much food over the last three years combined.

The story is the same across Kansas. The St. Joseph's Food Pantry in my hometown of Hays, Kansas--population about 20,000--used to serve 386 people per month. By September, the number served had grown to more than 520. The number of people served by the Food Pantry of Geary County in Junction City, Kansas rose by 376 in just 9 months as unemployment continued to rise. Both the Kansas Food Bank and Harvesters cite unemployment and underemployment as reasons for the increased need for emergency food.

The increased demand for assistance comes from all parts of the country. Residents of rural and urban areas alike have lost jobs and are struggling with hunger. Brian Walker, President and CEO of the Kansas Food Bank, reports that rural areas seem to be suffering just as much as urban areas.

The increased demand for assistance also comes, at times, from unexpected places. A food bank director in one of the communities I represent shared with me that over the summer, several school teachers came in for assistance. In the past, these teachers had temporary summer employment. This year, however, they were unable to find work and were in need of help.

For these teachers and most others, seeking assistance from a food bank is not something they want to do. Rather, it is a last resort. Americans want jobs. They want to be able to take care of themselves and their families. As a Congress, we should be pursuing policies that create jobs and opportunities for Americans to prosper. Doing so will make it less likely that our neighbors will be hungry.

The fact that more Americans are struggling with hunger than in years past is troubling enough. What makes it worse is that while many food banks have difficulty providing food to hungry people in their communities, millions of pounds of food go to waste each year. The USDA reports that up to 1 billion pounds of food is wasted annually.

To encourage food donations rather than food waste, the tax deduction for contributions of excess food inventory should be extended and increased. Legislation introduced by Congressmen Sander Levin and Geoff Davis would permanently extend the deduction so all businesses are eligible and provide a two year temporary increase in the amount of the deduction business donors can take. Doing so will encourage more businesses to donate unused food rather than throw it away and help food banks meet the needs of hungry Americans as the effects of the recession continue.

Making sure Americans have the food they need should be a priority. I thank the committees for taking time to learn more about this important issue and encourage you to look at ways to promote charitable giving, such as H.R. 3227. At the same time, it is important to address the underlying causes of hunger. Only when people overcome poverty and find gainful employment, will we end hunger in America.

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