Hunger Study 2001 Fact Sheet
In November of 2001 America's Second Harvest – The Nation's Food Bank Network released its third and most comprehensive study of hunger in the United States: Hunger in America 2001.
We surveyed nearly 24,000 charitable hunger-relief organizations and conducting face to face interviews with more than 32,000 emergency food recipients across the country, this study provides an accurate picture of hunger in America.
The following are some key findings of the study:
HUNGER IN AMERICA 2001
- America's Second Harvest's network of food banks provides emergency
hunger-relief services to an estimated 23.3 million people (roughly 9% of all
Americans).
- Of emergency food recipients, 62.8% have attained high school diplomas or
above.
- 87.7% of pantries, 77.3% of kitchens, and 74.8% of shelters surveyed
reported that the elimination of their local food bank would have either a
significant or devastating impact on their program.
- 38.9% of surveyed households have one or more adults currently
employed.
- 38.6% of surveyed households have at least one member under the age of 18
years; of which 8.6% have one or more children age 0 to 5 years.
- 10.8% of the households have at least one member age 65 years or
older.
- 14.9% of the clients live in rural areas.
- Among the clients who have their own housing, 23.4% are
homeowners.
- Among all client households served, 44.7% reported having had to choose
between paying for food and paying for utilities at least once during the
previous 12 months, 35.7% said they had to choose between paying for food and
paying for rent or mortgage
- 16.2% of all clients are in poor health and 18.4% of clients indicated
that someone else in their household was in poor health.
- 29.7% of all client households have been forced to choose between paying
for food and medicine in the past 12 months.
- 63.9% of clients or anyone in their household have applied for and 29.8%
are currently receiving food stamps.
- 70.6% of households report that they are food insecure; of which 36.7 report that they are food insecure with hunger.
Related Resources
Hunger Study
2001
