HUNGER in AMERICA

Today’s Objectives Look at hunger and homelessness in the world, United States and Kansas Discuss why there is hunger and the national and state programs that fight it Look at Food Banks, shelters and kitchens, what can we do to help?

Kansas is a leader wheat, grain sorghum and beef production. The dairy sector is rapidly expanding in Kansas and other sectors of animal agriculture are growing as well. Farmers and ranchers across the state are responding to demand from consumers to raise healthy, wholesome food but are also continuously striving to do better, raising more food using fewer resources.

Who is Kansas Agriculture? In 2012, there were 61,773 farms in Kansas, which generated more than $18.5 billion in agricultural output. Family-owned farms and ranches are the backbone of Kansas agriculture: – 86.4% family – 6.2% partnership – 4.6% corporation – 2.7% other-cooperative, estate or trust, institutional, etc. The face of agriculture is changing in Kansas. The average age of the Kansas farmer is 58.2, according to the USDA Census on Agriculture. The average size of a Kansas farm is 747 acres.

I’m Farming and I’m Growing It X3U

So Why are People Hungry?

Hunger in America 8/washington-journal-food-insecurity 8/washington-journal-food-insecurity america http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/hungry- america

Widespread use of food assistance in Kansas Kansas Food Bank serves 215,300 people annually, including 68,900 children and 19,900 seniors. Among all clients, 14 % are black, 37 % are Latino, and 42 % are white. 11 % of adult clients are students. 14 % of households include someone who is a veteran or who has ever served in the military.

What is food insecurity?

Food Insecurity

Food Desert A food desert is a geographic area where affordable and nutritious food is difficult to obtain, particularly for those without access to an automobile. Some research links food deserts to diet- related health problems and health disparities in affected populations, but this phenomenon has been disputed.

Eliminating food deserts iWjTBQ8

United States Hunger and Homelessness 27 Million People are Food insecure (11 million children) 750,000 homeless each night, three million some time during the year

Reasons for Hunger Poverty Buy Heat or Food Buy Rent or Food Buy medicine or Food Family members are in poor health

Reducing Poverty--Earned Income Tax Credit The EITC is the mechanism through which, by filing a tax return, low income people and families can receive an income supplement. It reduces poverty directly by supplementing the earnings of low-wage workers, and is designed to encourage and reward work. The amount of EITC depends on a recipient’s income, marital status, and number of children. During the 2012 tax year, the average EITC was $2,982 for a family with children compared to just $277 for a family without children. In 2013, the EITC, together with the child tax credit benefited 31.7 million people, lifting 9.4 million of those benefited out of poverty, including 5 million children. One way the EITC reduces poverty is by supplementing the earnings of minimum-wage workers.At the federal minimum wage’s current level, a two-parent family with two children with a full-time, minimum-wage worker can move above the poverty line only if it receives the EITC as well as SNAP (food stamp) benefits

Temporary Assitance to Needy Families (TANF) In 1996, TANF replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children program, which had been in existence since The TANF program provides block grants to states to provide assistance to needy families. States have discretion on how to use the funds. The number of TANF recipients has fallen substantially, from million in 1996, the last year of the Aid to Dependent Children program and the beginning of TANF to 3.46 million in This decline has happened even though the poverty rate has increased since The number of families receiving TANF benefits for every 100 families with children in poverty has declined from 82 families in 1979 to 26 families today.

Minimum Wage The United States enacts a minimum wage (as do some individual states) that tries to establish a floor for what can be paid as a wage by firms. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. ( As of August 1, 2014, 23 states and the District of Columbia have minimum wages above the federal minimum wage (CBPP 2014).2014 The minimum wage is not nearly sufficient to raise many people out of poverty. In 2014, the official U.S. poverty level for a family of 4 was $24,008. (See Census Bureau "Poverty Thresholds".) With a 40 hour week, a family of 4 with one minimum wage earner (working 52 weeks a year, typically with no paid vacation) would earn $15,080, only 62 percent of the poverty level.Poverty Thresholds The minimum wage is not indexed for inflation. Thus its value over the years has been diminished substantially, as increases in the minimum wage have not kept up with inflation.

Kansas Minimum Wage Kansas's minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. This is the same as the Federal Minimum Wage.Federal Minimum Wage Kansas' minimum wage, which was $2.65 (the lowest in America) for years, was finally raised to $7.25 in Kansas excludes from coverage any employment that is subject to the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Kansas employers may not pay you under $7.25 per hour unless you or your occupation are specifically exempt from the minimum wage under state or federal law.exempt from the minimum wage

Who what jobs are exempt from minimum wage? The Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) has declared certain jobs, including farm workers, seasonal workers, newspaper deliverers, "informal" workers (babysitters, etc) and a variety of others exempt from both state and federal minimum wage law.

Tough Choices

Tough Choices for past year 71 %report choosing between paying for food and paying for utilities. – 35 % of these households are making the choice every month. 73 % report making choices between paying for food and paying for transportation. – 35 % of these households are making the choice every month. 66 % report choosing between paying for food and paying for medicine/medical care. – 30 % of these households are making the choice every month. 60 % report choosing between paying for food and paying for housing. – 28 % of these households are making the choice every month. 31 % percent report choosing between paying for food and paying for education expenses. – 15 % are making the choice every month.

Kansas households report

Wichita, KS The Kansas Food Bank and Feeding America, the nation’s largest domestic hunger-relief organization, today released a landmark study, “Map the Meal Gap,” providing the first detailed look at the food budget needed by families struggling with hunger here in Kansas each year – an estimated $164,968,840.Map the Meal Gap

Map the Meal interactive

Federal Hunger/Food Programs School Breakfast Program National School Lunch Program Summer Nutrition Participation Food Stamp Program

Federal Programs Special Nutrition Program for women, infants and children (WIC) Child and Adult Care Food Program The Emergency Food Assistance Program

Reason for Not Participating Do not know they are eligible Pride Afraid (illegal immigrants) Eligibility requirements (Red Tape)

Non-Governmental Food Programs America’s Second Harvest Churches Pantries Local Food Drives

Lord’s Diner

How do you become a Lord's Diner volunteer? Call The Lord's Diner and check available volunteer positions Obtain a food handlers card Free classes on the 1 st and 3 rd Mondays and Saturdays of each month are available at the Wichita Health Department ( ) or visit their website:

How You Can Help Volunteer Donate to Food Drives locally Awareness VOTE

From the USDA;