Closing the Meal Gap: The Hunger Index Drew Starbird

What is the Hunger Index? MEASURE COMPARE REVEAL UNDERSTAND

How do we use the Hunger Index? Monitoring Forecasting Communicating Decision-making Partnering

Hunger in Santa Clara County 2012

Household Spending on Food $7,000 Eligible for CalFresh

How many households are vulnerable?

Year Households Meals Needed 2010 173,000 564 million 2011 185,000 596 million 2012 595 million

Where do Vulnerable households get food?

Santa Clara County 2012 595 Million Meals 185,000 households

Food Assistance in Santa Clara 2012 Total Food Assistance: 153 Food Assistance in Santa Clara 2012 Total Food Assistance: 153.8 million meals

How are we doing?

Santa Clara County Hunger Index 49.8% 50.2% 50.1% 50.2%

What have we learned?

Households are spending more on food and getting less Households are spending more on food and getting less. What will inflation do?

Need to reconsider how we define “vulnerable Need to reconsider how we define “vulnerable.” Are we capturing everyone?

Food assistance growing faster than need. Can we sustain it?

We make a difference, and we need to do more. Together we can.