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Every four years, The Greater Boston Food Bank participates in a comprehensive study on the incidence and nature of hunger and food insecurity in the United States. The nationwide study — Hunger in America — led by Feeding America, the nation's food bank network, is conducted by Mathmatica Policy Research, Inc. The most recent study, released in February 2010, illustrates how the economic downturn has increased the need for food assistance nationwide, statewide, and in eastern Massachusetts.
The local report reveals that 394,300 people were served by The Greater Boston Food Bank last year, a 23 percent increase since the last study was conducted in 2005. This means that a little more than 8 percent of the eastern Massachusetts population uses a food pantry, soup kitchen or shelter.
Key findings for eastern Massachusetts include:
- 23% more people sought food assistance in 2009 than in 2005. More than 390,000 people sought assistance in 2009.
- About a third of the households receiving food assistance have at least one child under 18 years of age.
- Nearly a third say that their children are not eating enough because they can't afford enough food.
- Many of those interviewed had to make unacceptable choices:
- 44% had to choose between food and heat.
- 34% had to choose between food and rent.
- 37% had to choose between food and medical care.
- The study also shows that there is no one face of hunger.
- 73% have a place to live.
- More than a third of the households served have one or more working adults.
- 44% of the clients are between 30 and 49 years old.
- More than two-thirds are registered voters.
- Poverty and food insecurity are linked:
- About half of all households reported monthly incomes of less than $800
- 80% live below the federal poverty line (less than $1,526 a month for a family of 3)
Download  the Hunger In Eastern Massachusetts 2010 Executive Summary.
Download the complete 307 page study of Hunger in America 2010 - Eastern Massachusetts.
Related Documents
Hunger in America 2010 Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Summary
The three Feeding America Food Banks of Massachusetts: Food Bank of Western Massachusetts; Greater Boston Food Bank; and Worcester Country Food Bank, along with more than 160 other Feeding America food banks nationwide, have recently participated in the most comprehensive survey of hunger ever undertaken in the United States.
Download
Hunger in America 2010 Executive Summary
This is the largest study of domestic hunger, providing comprehensive and statistically-valid data on our emergency food distribution system and the people Feeding America and its network of food banks serves. Hunger in America 2010 is extremely detailed, drawing on data from more than 61,000 interviews with clients and surveys of 37,000 feeding agencies.
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