Despite being one of the most advanced nations in the World, the number of people served by hunger-relief services continues to increase.  In 2005, 3.5% of all U.S. households accessed emergency food from a food pantry one or more times.   In a period when food stamp and welfare caseloads dropped at rates far exceeding the decline in poverty, government statistics have shown almost no change in the number of people who are hungry or at risk of hunger.  According to the census in 2000, of the total population of 1,808,344 West Virginians, 272,101 (15.6%) live in poverty.

For families enrolled in the food stamp program, 83.9% report that their food stamps last for three weeks or less.  For a period of time each month, hunger is a part of their daily lives.  The underemployed people have jobs that are minimum wage pay and/or part-time.  These people struggle to keep a roof over their heads and utilities paid.  They depend on the help from local pantries and soup kitchens to provide food.  The elderly often find themselves needing food due to high medical expenses and limited incomes.  Food is also provided to people in the event of disasters and/or emergencies.  People living in shelters or on the streets are also in need of food, and they often find themselves in need of the services provided by soup kitchens and pantries.

*Statistics made available through:  AMERICA’S SECOND HARVEST’S  'Hunger and Poverty Statistics'.

THE SOLUTION:

Since 1981 Mountaineer Food Bank has been a leader in the fight to alleviate hunger in West Virginia.  We receive donations of foods and other products from national companies throughout the United States. Much of this perfectly wholesome food is manufactured in this country cannot be sold. Reasons include overproduction, mislabeling and minor damage. The Food Bank taps into these otherwise wasted resources.  Companies, manufacturers, wholesalers, farmers, retailers and distributors located in West Virginia donate food, clothing and personal care items.  These resources combined with local food drives help Mountaineer Food Bank deliver more than 5.6 million pounds each year to 460 feeding programs in the 48 counties we serve.

America’s Second Harvest is a national organization committed to feeding hungry people. Being one of over 180 certified affiliate members of the Second Harvest network Mountaineer Food Bank is linked to national donors of foods and other products. Annually the Food Bank receives product donations from an average of 40 different national donors and an average of 12 different local donors within West Virginia. These donations are inventoried, stored and distributed to member agencies in 48 counties of West Virginia who in turn feed needy people. The member agencies are shelters, churches, soup kitchens, day cares and food pantries.

Other sources providing foods and other products are Feed the Children, Operation Blessing, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Hunters Helping the Hungry. The state contracts the Food Bank to handle the distribution of foods provided through the 1988 Hunger Act known as the Soup Kitchen/Food Bank Program and The Emergency Food Assistance Program. The Food Bank also receives food donations from several annual food drives. The combination of all these different sources furnishes a variety for the member agencies to choose from.