Kathryn Baer, author of
Poverty & Policy, is a consultant in policy communications. Her blog is "an effort to share information, foster dialogue and promote action to improve policies that affect homeless and other disadvantaged people."
Baer recently summarized the U.S. Conference of Mayor's annual report Hunger and Homelessness Survey: A Status Report on Hunger and Homelessness in America’s Cities, A 29-City Survey (PDF). Baer has given me permission to share her blog post here.
DC Reports 72 Percent of Emergency Food Needs Unmet
The headlined figure is erroneous and other D.C. figures doubtful. Brief explanation in the update at the end.
For the first time in at least four years, the District of Columbia is represented in the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ annual report on hunger and homelessness in America’s cities.
We learn some interesting — and disturbing — things about hunger in the District. We’ve already gotten more detailed (and more accurate) information on local homelessness.*
So here’s about hunger, with some prefatory remarks to put the figures in perspective.
About the Survey
The reported figures reflect the District’s responses to a survey that the Conference distributes to all cities represented on its hunger and homelessness task force.
This year, 29 cities responded — some very large, some quite small. And some very large cities, e.g., Miami and New York City, absent.
I mention this because, as the report acknowledges, the survey results aren’t necessarily representative of conditions nationwide — not even those in the Conference’s 1,139 members.
They do, however, provide some context for what the District reported about needs for emergency food assistance, i.e., requests for take-home foods at local pantries and meals at dining rooms for low-income residents.
These are how the survey measures hunger — another reason we should be cautious about conclusions.
Key Figures
Between September 1, 2010 and August 31, 2011:
- Requests for emergency food assistance in the District increased 24%.