Poverty and, thus, the risk of hunger is a reality for more than a quarter of a million people living in the communities served by Tarrant Area Food Bank. Children account for more than one-third (37%) of these individuals who are living at or below 100% of poverty as defined by National Poverty thresholds used by the U.S. Census Bureau. (State of Poverty).CLICK HERE

Malnourished children do not fully develop physically, mentally or emotionally. Numerous studies have documented that hunger and malnutrition contribute to behavioral problems and interfere with a child’s ability to concentrate in the classroom.

Others going hungry are:

• Senior citizens on fixed incomes
• Single parents earning minimum wage
• Chronically ill or severely disabled individuals
• Unemployed workers
• Homeless families and individuals
• Residents of suburbs and rural areas as well as the inner city;
  35% of those receiving assistance through Tarrant Area Food Bank's network of agencies live in rural areas and in bedroom communities adjacent to Fort Worth.

The faces of hunger are Caucasian, Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Native American. They may be your neighbors. He or she may be the child in school sitting next to your son or daughter. The great majority (94%) of those receiving food assistance are U.S. citizens.

The majority of people seeking food assistance are not receiving government benefits. Only 18% of the households seen by area agencies are receiving Food Stamps. Government welfare, or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), was the main source of income for less than 1% of households in 2000.

Among all households served by the Tarrant Area Food Bank network:

• Most do not have great numbers of children --- 74% of households have three or fewer members and many households consist of one elderly person;
• 68% have annual incomes at or below 100% of the federal poverty level;
• 59% have a total annual income of less than $10,000, whether from employment, pensions, or some form of Social Security;
• 47% are having to choose whether to buy food or pay for utilities;
• 35% are forced to choose between paying for medicine/medical care and buying groceries.