Katrina & Rita Aftermath: The Impact on Emergency Food Distribution and Clients
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A new study released by America's Second Harvest – The
Nation’s Food Bank Network reports that demands for emergency food assistance in
the Gulf Coast states tripled immediately following Hurricane Katrina.
Demands remain 50
percent higher than before the disaster made landfall on Aug. 29, 2005.
Additionally, of the 6.4 million Americans who requested emergency food
assistance from an America's Second Harvest Network agency in the impacted
states following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, 4.6 million (72%) of them were
seeking food assistance for the first time.
Moreover, food banks in the impacted states reported increasing food distribution by up to 100 percent to meet increased demands, and many are still operating at more than 50 percent of their average monthly food distribution.
Low-income families and African Americans were disproportionately impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Households seeking emergency food assistance had median incomes of $26,000 compared to $42,000 for the total area; and 21 percent report having an income less than $10,000, which is more than twice the percentage found throughout the area. Nearly 40 percent of the households requesting emergency food assistance were African American.
Many agencies that distribute food from America's Second Harvest Network food banks were wiped out by the hurricanes. Food banks in the primary markets reported more than 85 percent of the agencies they are currently serving are temporary disaster-relief program. Moreover, of the people receiving food assistance prior to Katrina, 41 percent reported that the agency where they received assistance is no longer in operation.
In response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, the America's Second Harvest Network provided more than 2,000 truckloads carrying 62 million pounds of food providing approximately 48 million meals valued at an estimated $84 million to the Gulf Coast states.
