Food Lifeline Advocacy Update

ADVOCACY UPDATE Dear WA Food Coalition, Although advocacy and lobbying are a huge part of what we do in the Public Policy Department, we also manage all of Food Lifeline's research efforts. In this update I'd like to share with you the results of the newly released Map the Meal Gap statistics from Feeding America and the Hunger in America Study which is currently under way. The information we gather through these studies is critical for Food Lifeline to help us determine where the greatest need lies and where we need to direct resources and shape our programs. These statistics are also used in conversations with lawmakers, donors, and community members to communicate the importance of the work Food Lifeline does to end hunger in Western Washington.    I hope you enjoy hearing about the work we do and will use the results in your discussions with others about hunger in Washington.    Sincerely,Gina Clark Director of Public Policy MAP THE MEAL GAP NUMBERS RELEASED Each year Feeding America releases the Map the Meal Gap study, providing updated, comparable information about the state of hunger throughout the US. Last month new numbers were released for Washington State, showing that the food insecurity rate in Washington increased from 15.9% to 16.1% or 1.1 million individuals. InFood Lifeline's service area the food insecurity rate held steady at 14.5%. At the same time, the cost per meal state-wide increased from $2.53 to $2.64, on par with the national average, which means an additional $179,573,125 would be needed to fill the gap. Feeding America has created a helpful website, which allows you to zero in on your county and find the food insecurity rate, number of food insecure people, average cost of a meal, and the additional amount of money required to meet the need in 2011. The same information is available for children only. It's also a great tool to use to share with your friends and family to talk about the need in your community. HUNGER IN AMERICA - Data collectors hit the road! Starting in April, Food Lifeline brought on a team of data collectors who have been traveling around Western Washington to our partner food banks, meal programs, and shelters to collect data for the Hunger in America 2014 study. They will be out in the field until the end of August and will visit nearly 100 agencies by the time data collection is complete. "I have been surprised that most of the people who visit the food banks look like you and me. The more I interact with them, the more alike I think we all are" shared Doris Chung during a recent visit to Skagit Valley Neighbors in Need. "Although there is a stigma that those who use these programs are lazy or unintelligent, the truth is that we all have a chance of experiencing a sudden job loss, or an unexpected health decline that increases our vulnerability to food insecurity." ______ and ______ setting up for data collection. Hunger in America is a nation-wide study conducted every four years by Feeding America affiliates throughout the country. It is truly the only way Food Lifeline gets much of the information about the clients our agencies are serving including information like how often they visit the food bank, their employment and housing status, and what types of difficult decisions they need to make such as purchasing food or paying for utilities or rent. Through the study, data collectors have the chance to see the wide range of agencies Food Lifeline works with as well as the clients served. "In some cases I have been able to inform clients of other services that can help meet their needs, which helps me feel like I am having a direct impact on their lives. At one site I told a mother about the school lunch assistance programs available during the school year, and now I know at least one child is less likely to be hungry at school," data collector Rebecca Rathbun says. To get a sense of what type of information Food Lifeline gets from the Hunger in America Study, take a look at the 2010 results for the nation-wide report and theWashington state report Food Lifeline feeds hungry people. We stock the shelves and fill the tables of 275 food banks, meal programs and shelters throughout Western Washington.  Food Lifeline thanks MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger, for supporting our advocacy program.