PBS’s “Bill Moyer’s Journal” examined the 2007 Farm Bill and the nationwide emergency food shortage in April.
Watch this excellent piece of reportage featuring the Food Bank For New York City and food assistance programs in the five boroughs.
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The Working Poor
Someone working full time, year-round at the current minimum wage earns less than $15,000, pre-tax — which puts an individual with just one dependant below the poverty level. With this in mind, it is easy to see why the working poor is one of the largest groups relying on soup kitchens and food pantries in New York City. Learn more below about our city's working poor with key statistics and stories from the people we help.
- More than one out of every five (21 percent) NYC residents standing in line at soup kitchens and food pantries is employed, and among them 57 percent work full time — a 73 percent increase over the past three years. (NYC Hunger Safety Net 2007)
- The average income for NYC households accessing emergency food that have employed members is $1,507 per month. (NYC Hunger Safety Net 2007)
- More than one-third (35 percent) of NYC households with an employed member experienced difficulty affording needed food in 2007. (NYC Hunger Experience 2008)
- Less than one-third (31 percent) of employed households accessing emergency food are enrolled in the federal Food Stamp Program, lower than the overall average of 46 percent. (NYC Hunger Safety Net 2007)
Read stories below from low-income New Yorkers who have received assistance through our network of more than 1,000 food assistance programs throughout the five boroughs. Real names are not used.
Liz, mother of a Bronx Kids Cafe participant
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"I have three children. My oldest is 14 and my youngest is six. Being a single parent, and working two jobs to make ends meet, I don't always find time to prepare the well-balanced, nutritional meals I would like to. My days are full trying to make enough to provide for my family. So, sometimes it's only pizza or sandwiches or something quick. My big concern is making sure my kids are eating healthy.
"I get food stamps but it's not enough. When you have growing kids, you can definitely use all the help you can get. Most of my family is in North Carolina and spread across the country, so it basically leaves me and my children to fend for ourselves.
"I am glad my kids get their nutrition from meals at the Kids Cafe program throughout the week. Knowing that my children are in a safe environment and are provided with recreation and education facilities after school makes my life a lot easier.
"My kids are also learning about health and nutrition. At home, my youngest one often runs from the dinner table to the Food Pyramid chart on our wall, to make sure that we are eating a balanced meal."
We met Liz at the Cafe Cielo Kids Cafe in the Bronx, where her children receive nutritious meals as well as nutrition and fitness education. Cafe Cielo has been a Food Bank network member for six years.
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Jada, Brooklyn food pantry guest
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"I've been coming here for two and a half years. The food helps me feed my family — my three grandchildren, ages five, six and eleven, and my niece and nephew.
"After working all day, coming home to an empty kitchen is hard. The juice is always the first thing to go. But we are so lucky. We can come here and get a good hot meal or bag of groceries that will pull us through. They give lots of good stuff: canned goods, meat, big cans of juice. Lots of people need this here.
"One time I went to see my son in Binghamton. When I came home I found my house burglarized. Not only did they take the TV and our stereo equipment, they took the food! All of it. And I panicked. I support five people, you know? I called my mother. All she had was a bit of freezer-burned chicken. Then I thought, maybe I can ask Mrs. Wallace [Director of the Friendly Christian Church food pantry and soup kitchen]. It wasn't a food distribution day and there were another six days before I could get my food stamps. But Mrs. Wallace made up an emergency bag for me. Gave me tuna in a can, some cereal, a big can of meatballs. She stretched us through and I was so thankful."
We met Jada at the Friendly Christian Church food pantry, which has been a Food Bank network member for seven years.
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James, Staten Island choice-style food pantry guest
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"I work a good job. But half the time, sometimes, you need things to make ends meet. It’s rough, it’s rough. Especially when you have kids. You don’t have to feel like somebody’s really giving you something, you know…it’s like you’re shopping!
"This is really needed in the community and I…please, I hope it never shuts down."
Watch this client in our 2007 "This Is Hunger" video. We met James at the Project Hospitality choice-style food pantry in Staten Island, which has been a Food Bank network member for nine years.
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