According to the 2000 US Census, 39,714 people in the 14 counties of west central Wisconsin that we serve live in poverty. 23,828 of them are children or elderly.

It's difficult to imagine that hunger exists in America's Heartland, the breadbasket of the world. However, thousands of our Wisconsin neighbors and community members are food insecure - meaning they don't know where or when they'll have their next meal, or hungry, meaning there is no next meal.

A 2004 UW Extension survey of household food needs conducted at the Eau Claire Area School District's three lowest income elementary schools (Lakeshore, Longfellow, Lincoln) indicated that 25% of families responding were food insecure and 13% experienced hunger in the past year.

The Wisconsin Food Security Project provides up-to-date county and state level information about food security, economic well being, and the availability and use of public and private programs to increase access to affordable and nutritious foods. Customized food security profiles can be obtained for any Wisconsin county at www.uwex.edu/ces/flp/cfs/index.cfm.

Based on information collected in Minnesota and western Wisconsin for the America's Second Harvest Hunger Study 2006 Hungry and food insecure people are:

Families trying to make ends meet working for poverty level wages.

• Approximately 47% of households using food pantries report that the family's major source of income is paid employment.

Children whose cognitive, emotional and physical development depends on access to wholesome foods and good nutrition.

• 50% of the households served by member agencies have children younger than 18.

Fixed-income seniors who have little discretionary income to accommodate rising healthcare expenses or cost of living increases.

• Two out of five seniors will fall below the poverty line
  (an annual individual income of $9,570 or less) between
  the ages of 60 and 90).