Section 12.2.1

12.2.1 - Frequency of Stretching Food Resources

Agencies were asked if their programs ever had to ration or limit food in order to provide some food to all clients and, if so, how often. Table 12.2.1 shows the varying degrees of frequency with which the food programs stretched food resources.

Table 12.2.1

FREQUENCY OF STRETCHING FOOD RESOURCES

During 2000, How Often the Program Had to Reduce Meal Portions or Reduce the Quantity of Food in Food Packages Because of a Lack of Food	Pantry Programs	Kitchen Programs	Shelter Programs
Never	47.5%	66.5%	76.3%
Rarely	39.0%	25.5%	18.6%
SUBTOTAL	86.5%	92.1%	94.9%

Sometimes	12.6%	7.4%	4.9%
Always	0.9%	0.5%	0.3%
SUBTOTAL	13.5%	7.9%	5.1%
TOTAL	100%	100%	100%
SAMPLE SIZE (N)	12,468	2,853	2,131

Source
This table was constructed based on usable responses to Question 13 of the agency survey.

Notes
The percentages presented in this table are based only on usable responses, excluding missing, don't know, and refusal responses. All usable responses were weighted as described in Chapter 3 and in the Technical Appendix volume to represent all emergency food programs of the A2H network. The sample sizes (N) also include missing data.

Missing, don't know, and refusal responses combined are 4.7% for pantry programs, 13.3% for kitchen programs, and 14.9% for shelter programs.

During the year 2000, 47.5% of pantries, 66.5% of kitchens, and 76.3% of shelters never experienced the need to stretch food resources (reduce meal portions or reduce the quantity of food in food packages) because of a shortage of food available to be distributed.

Nevertheless, 13.5% of the pantries, 7.9% of the kitchens, and 5.1% of the shelters indicated that they sometimes or always had to stretch food resources.