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Study reveals Denton County details on food insecurity
By Heather M. Goodwin, hgoodwin@acnpapers.com
One in seven Denton County residents are struggling with hunger, and more than half of those also do not qualify for government assistance, according to a recent study.
Map the Meal Gap, a study recently released by Feeding America, also reported that in Texas, an average of one in five residents struggles with food insecurity and/or hunger. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food insecurity indicates a lack of access, at times, to "enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life for all family members."
"What is most revealing about the Map the Meal Gap study," said Bo Soderbergh, Tarrant Area Food Bank (TAFB) executive director, "is that a relatively large percentage of people across the nation and in our service region who are food insecure have household incomes that make them ineligible for nutrition assistance programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and free and reduced-cost school meals."
"Those with higher incomes don't qualify for SNAP and the National School Breakfast and lunch program, which offers free and reduced-cost school meals," said Andrea Helms, communications director for TAFB. "The people with higher incomes have never had to access the system, so most are at a loss as to how to get help. There's no way to know who these people are. Communities need to be aware of this new data so we can help this new group. We hope to ask churches to talk about it as well."
The study also showed that 6 percent of Denton County residents, who qualify for some government nutrition assistance, do not qualify for SNAP or free and reduced-cost school meals. In the end, the study found that 61 percent of food insecure residents do no qualify for SNAP or free and reduced cost school meals.
Helms said the study is a valuable tool, which will supplement the information TAFB already had.
"It will allow us to work with communities to target areas in need," Helms said. "It will also inform community leaders so they have an idea about who needs help. Food banks can also help with suggestions as to where the people are, so they get the help needed."
Map the Meal Gap also showed that 37 percent of Denton County residents are food insecure and are eligible for government assistance. According to the TAFB, "any degree of food insecurity can lead to malnutrition and chronic hunger, which jeopardize a person's health, and, in the case of the seriously ill or the very young or very old, can even threaten one's life."
"We want to make people aware that you can have people, who are food insecure who look just like you," Helms said. "It could even be someone who is skipping lunch, in order to have enough food for dinner. People who are food insecure don't always eat regularly. It affects children and their development."
Helms said even for those who qualify for government assistance usually use food stamps as a supplement to other sources, such as food pantries.
"The best thing people can do is to support their local hunger relief agencies," Helms said. "They can provide volunteer hours, professional expertise and people are always welcome to come from volunteer."
Helms said the TAFB depends on approximately 50,000 volunteers a year, who among other things help sort food the TAFB receives. TAFB is a central distribution center that distributes food to local food pantries. It houses donated food in a 70,000-square-foot warehouse. Helms said it accepts non-perishable food and produce from local gardens.
Map the Meal Gap findings:
* In Texas, an average of one in five residents, or 17.8 percent, struggles with food insecurity and/or hunger. Across the U.S., that number is one in six residents, or 16.6 percent
* The estimated number of meals during one year that food insecure Denton County residents go without is 15 million
* Residents within the 13 counties TAFB serves go without 78 million meals a year due to a lack of resources
Feeding America, a domestic hunger-relief charity, provides donated food to regional food banks. Those food banks supply food to more than 37 million Americans each year, including 14 million children and 3 million seniors.
In Denton County, the TAFB provides food for 16 charities:
* Argyle Food Pantry
* Denton Freedom House in Aubrey
* Community Storehouse in Roanoke
* AIDS Services of North Texas, Asbury Relief Ministry, Community Food Center, Cumberland Presbyterian Children's Home, Denton County Friends of the Family, Elizabeth Home, First Steps, Foster Grandparents, Lifegate Church, Singing Oaks Church of Christ, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church/Our Daily Bread and The Shepherd's Hand all in Denton
For information visit www.tafb.org. For the full Map the Meal Gap report visit www.feedingamerica.org
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