Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Agency Network Sees Increase In Services From Mid-year ’08 to ‘09

The Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s network of member agencies have reported a dramatic increase in the number of households and individual people seeking food assistance from mid-year 2008 to mid-year 2009. According to submitted monthly reports from our member agencies, food pantries have experienced an increase of 19% in the number of households they are serving. In addition, the total number of men, women and children living in households receiving food assistance has increased by 24%. This increase may be a direct result of the current economic downtown. According to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, Ohio’s unemployment rate was 6.4% in June 2008. By June 2009, the unemployment rate had risen to 11.1%

As a response to the increase in demand for food assistance, the Foodbank has been able to increase the amount of food distributed to our network by 19%. In June 2008, the Foodbank had distributed over 6 million pounds of food year to date, compared to the 7.5 million pounds so far this year.