Harvest for the Hungry campaign faces challenging times

SHAWNEE TOWNSHIP - The tough economy means more people are likely to go hungry. That makes this year's Harvest for the Hungry campaign even more important.

Shawnee United Methodist Church held its 14th Annual Harvest for the Hungry Celebration on Sunday. The church will donate the offerings from its services Sunday as well as donations from program sponsors and donors.

"We get cash and food donations, and Arby's proceeds [Sunday] from the Shawnee location will go to the food bank," said West Ohio Food Bank Asstistant Director Tommie Thompson.

Thompson said the food bank is seeing a 103 percent increase in clients served over this time last year. The same economic forces that create more people in need of food are hampering contributions.

"Donations are down some, because of the economy, I believe. People are less able to give than in the past," she said.

She wants people to know that even if one can't give much, one can help.

"Any amount helps us tremendously; $1 can buy 25 pounds of food," she said.

The local challenge is being repeated statewide.

Using U.S. Census Bureau data from 2000 to 2007, the Food and Research Action Center found that almost 1.5 million Ohioans, or about 13.1 percent, live in poverty. Ohio ranks 19th among states (from highest to lowest) in poverty levels. More than a half-million Ohio children, or about 18.5 percent, are living in poverty.

Under a three-year review of data from 2005 to 2007, 561,000 Ohio households (12.2 percent) reported they are "food insecure." Even more troubling, an additional 208,000 households are at "very low food secure" levels - the state's hungriest households characterized by having food insecurity and also living with hunger. Comparatively, 11.1 percent of American households were food insecure, putting Ohio above the national average.

"These are real-life Ohio families living with hunger each and every day, and those who are teetering on the brink of hunger," said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. "Our economy is struggling, and Ohio families are suffering."

Hamler-Fugitt said although the new data are cause for concern, what is even more alarming is that the data predate the current recession, which already is causing dramatic increases in demand at the state's hunger relief organizations.

"Without question, the current economy is causing unprecedented strain on the emergency food network," she said. "Our food banks, food pantries and other hunger-relief providers are in crisis. High prices for food, utilities, fuel and medicines, combined with wage stagnation and rapidly growing unemployment, have resulted in longer lines at our organizations and threaten the long-term viability of our network."