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Female narrator: EVERY DAY, MORE THAN 9 MILLION PEOPLE
AGE 50 AND OVER LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES
ARE AT RISK OF HUNGER.
IN NORTH CAROLINA, ONE OUT OF EVERY 10 OLDER ADULTS
ARE FOOD-INSECURE, WHICH MEANS
THEY GO HUNGRY ON A REGULAR BASIS.
UP NEXT ON UNC-TV, WE FOCUS ON HUNGER IN NORTH CAROLINA.
Male announcer: "FOCUS ON HUNGER IN NORTH CAROLINA"
IS A PRODUCTION OF UNC-TV,
IN ASSOCIATION WITH AARP NORTH CAROLINA.
Female announcer: THIS PROGRAM IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH
THE FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF VIEWERS LIKE YOU,
WHO INVITE YOU TO JOIN THEM IN SUPPORTING UNC-TV.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY
THE AARP FOUNDATION.
GOOD EVENING. WELCOME TO
"FOCUS ON HUNGER IN NORTH CAROLINA."
I AM HEATHER BURGISS.
IN THIS SHOW, WE WILL TURN OUR ATTENTION TO
THE GROWING EPIDEMIC OF HUNGER AMONG OLDER ADULTS.
WITH A SLUGGISH ECONOMY AND HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT,
WE'VE SEEN THE REALITY OF HUNGER EXPLODE IN THE UNITED STATES,
AS WELL AS IN OUR STATE.
ON TODAY'S PROGRAM, WE'LL FOCUS ON HUNGER AMONG NORTH CAROLINA'S
50-AND-OVER POPULATION.
ACCORDING TO THE AARP FOUNDATION,
NEARLY 9 MILLION PEOPLE AGE 50 AND OVER IN THE U.S.
ARE AT RISK OF HUNGER EVERY DAY,
WHICH IS A 79% INCREASE IN JUST 10 YEARS.
IN NORTH CAROLINA, ONE OUT OF EVERY 10 PEOPLE
OVER THE AGE OF 50 SUFFER FROM FOOD INSECURITY,
WHICH MEANS THEY OFTEN DON'T KNOW
WHERE THEIR NEXT MEAL ISOMG OM
NORTH CAROLINA RANKS SEVENTH IN THE NATION
FOR THE NUMBER OF OLDER ADULTS WHO ARE FOOD-INSECURE.
TO HELP US SHED LIGHT ON THE ISSUE SURROUNDING
OUR GROWING HUNGER PROBLEM, AS WELL AS TO SHARE RESOURCES
THAT CAN HELP PROVIDE ASSISTANCE, WE HAVE WITH US
MICHAEL CALOPIETRO, THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR FOR
THE AARP FOUNDATION'S HUNGER IMPACT AREA;
DEAN SIMPSON, THE CHIEF OF ECONOMIC AND FAMILY SERVICES
WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES;
SUZANNE LaFOLLETTE-BLACK, THE AARP ASSOCIATE STATE DIRECTOR
FOR COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN NORTH CAROLINA;
AND ALAN BRIGGS, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NORTH CAROLINA
ASSOCIATION OF FEEDING AMERICA FOOD BANKS.
WELCOME, EVERYONE, TO THE SHOW.
All: THANK YOU.
NOW, FOR A NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON HUNGER,
WE HEAR THAT STATISTIC-- 79% INCREASE IN ADULT HUNGER
IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
MICHAEL, WHAT IS CAUSING THIS INCREASE AMONG OUR OLDER ADULTS?
SURE. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US
AND THANK YOU FOR DOING THIS PROGRAM ON OLDER-ADULT HUNGER.
IT'S SUCH AN IMPORTANT TOPIC.
I THINK THE TREMENDOUS GROWTH IN OLDER-ADULT FOOD INSECURITY
IN AMERICA IS HAPPENING BECAUSE OF TWO REASONS.
FIRST, THERE'S JUST A SIGNIFICANTLY LARGE NUMBER
OF PEOPLE ENTERING OLDER ADULTHOOD AT THE SAME TIME.
NEVER BEFORE IN OUR HISTORY HAVE THIS MANY PEOPLE
GROWN INTO THAT DEMOGRAPHIC ALL AT ONCE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THEY'RE DOING SO AT A TIME OF
GREAT ECONOMIC INSECURITY.
HALF OF THAT 79% HAS HAPPENED SINCE 2007,
WHEN THE RECESSION STARTED.
AND THAT RECESSION, IN TERMS OF THE SORT OF
SLOW GROWTH IN JOB RECOVERY, HAS IMPACTED OLDER ADULTS
MORE SEVERELY THAN ANY OTHER AGE GROUP.
THEY'RE MORE LIKELY TO LOSE THEIR JOBS THAN YOUNGER PEOPLE.
OLDER ADULTS 50 TO 60 ARE MORE LIKELY
TO STAY UNEMPLOYED LONGER.
A YOUNGER PERSON IS FINDING A NEW JOB IN ABOUT 6 MONTHS.
AN OLDER ADULT, 50 TO 60-- IT'S TAKING OVER 9 MONTHS.
IF YOU ARE OVER 60, IT CAN TAKE UP TO
18 MONTHS TO FIND A NEW JOB.
AND IF YOU'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND A NEW JOB, YOUR HOURLY WAGE
IS ABOUT 20% LOWER THAN IT WAS IN THE JOB THAT YOU JUST LOST.
SO I THINK THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION HAS JUST PROVEN DIFFICULT
AND PUT MANY OLDER ADULTS AT RISK FOR FOOD INSECURITY.
NOW, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
AND THEN WE LOOK AT NORTH CAROLINA--
AND I KNOW VISITING FOOD BANKS--WE NOTICED
HERE AT UNC-TV THAT MANY OF THE SHELVES
THAT ARE NORMALLY STOCKED AND RESTOCKED DAILY WERE EMPTY.
HOW HAS THIS GROWING PROBLEM WITH OLDER-ADULT HUNGER
AFFECTED NORTH CAROLINA'S FOOD BANKS?
WELL, HEATHER, IT'S INTERESTING THAT YOU'VE NOTED THAT BECAUSE,
AS MICHAEL SAID, THE DEMAND IS INCREASING.
NORTH CAROLINA, I BELIEVE, IS STILL THE SECOND IN THE NATION,
WITH THE HIGHEST UNEMPLOYMENT RATES IN THE COUNTRY.
WE HAVE FOOD INSECURITY RATES IN THE TOP 10%,
REGARDLESS OF YOUR DEMOGRAPHIC SLICE, BE IT
OLD, YOUNG, ALL OF US.
SO THESE ARE THE KIND OF RANKINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE
FOR YOUR BASKETBALL TEAMS, BUT NORTH CAROLINA, UNFORTUNATELY,
IS ONE OF THE WORST-HIT STATES IN THE COUNTRY ECONOMICALLY,
AND THE DEMAND FOR FOOD NATURALLY HAS RISEN ACCORDINGLY,
THOSE IN NEED.
WE CERTAINLY HAVE A LOT OF GREAT DONORS.
NORTH CAROLINIANS ARE VERY GENEROUS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF GREAT CORPORATE PARTNERS.
BUT EVEN THOUGH OUR DONATIONS HAVE INCREASED,
THE DEMAND IS OUTSTRIPPING IT.
WE'RE SEEING THE INCREASE IN DEMAND SIMPLY OUTSTRIPPING
THE DONATIONS AND OUR ABILITY TO ADEQUATELY PURCHASE FOOD
TO PROVIDE ALL THOSE IN NEED.
AND AS YOU NOTED, THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT TIME,
GOING INTO THE FALL.
NOW, I KNOW, SUZANNE LaFOLLETTE-BLACK,
WHEN WE TALK TO SENIORS AND WE TALK TO OLDER ADULTS,
AND THEY TELL US THAT THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO THEM,
THEY'VE NEVER HAD THE PROBLEM OF WHETHER OR NOT TO BUY GROCERIES
OR TO BUY THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS, WHAT ARE WE SEEING AMONG
THE 50-AND-OVER POPULATION?
WHAT KINDS OF STRUGGLES ARE WE SEEING?
WELL, HEATHER, WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS ARE
REALLY FEELING EMBARRASSED THAT SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED.
"WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME.
"I'VE NEVER ASKED FOR HELP BEFORE BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS
"HELPED OTHERS.
"SO HOW DO I ACCESS TO GET ASSISTANCE,
TO HELP MY SITUATION AND MY FAMILY?"
SO WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO IN THIS STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
IS TO PARTNER AND COLLABORATE TO FIND THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE
FOR PEOPLE FOR FOOD ASSISTANCE AND HOW TO REMOVE THE STIGMA OF
HOW SOMEONE COULD ASK FOR HELP.
DEAN SIMPSON, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
THE NUMBERS AND THE AREAS OF NORTH CAROLINA
THAT ARE AFFECTED MOST BY OLDER-ADULT HUNGER.
WELL, THAT THE NUMBERS OF INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE REALLY
IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE, OF COURSE,
HAVE INCREASED SINCE THE RECESSION.
WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE EVEN WORKING FAMILIES,
THOSE HAVE BECOME UNEMPLOYED.
IT'S NOT JUST THE 50-AND-OLDER; IT'S ALL OF THE AGE GROUPS,
BUT ESPECIALLY AMONG OUR ELDERLY POPULATION.
AS MENTIONED BEFORE WITH SOME OF THE OTHERS, IT'S THAT THERE'S
A "WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?"
AND "I'VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF MYSELF, MY FAMILY."
AND SO IT IS REALLY A GROWING EPIDEMIC ACROSS THE STATE,
AS FAR AS FOOD INSECURITY.
WITH THE NUMBERS AND THE INCREASE, OF COURSE,
WE'RE ALWAYS LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY LOOK FOR IS
FOR THE COUNTIES THEMSELVES, WITHIN THE COMMUNITY
TO STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND TO REALLY HELP SERVE THAT POPULATION.
NOW, I KNOW WE HEARD THE TERM "FOOD INSECURITY."
MICHAEL, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS.
WE HEAR THAT A LOT, BUT MANY PEOPLE, I DON'T THINK,
REALIZE WHAT THAT MEANS.
SURE. MAYBE THE BEST WAY TO EXPLAIN THAT
IS TO SAY WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FOOD-SECURE.
TO BE FOOD-SECURE MEANS THAT YOU
AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD HAVE ACCESS TO
HEALTHY, NUTRITIOUS FOOD AT ALL TIMES
AND THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THAT FOOD WITHOUT GOING TO
EXTRAORDINARY MEANS LIKE FOOD BANKS,
THROUGH SCAVENGING, THROUGH STEALING.
TO BE FOOD-INSECURE IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT.
IT'S TO HAVE LIMITED OR UNCERTAIN ACCESS TO FOOD,
OR TO HAVE LIMITED OR UNCERTAIN ABILITY TO ACQUIRE IT
WITHOUT GOING TO THESE EXTRAORDINARY MEASURES.
HUNGER, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS A FORM OF FOOD INSECURITY,
BUT IT'S A MUCH MORE SEVERE FORM OF FOOD INSECURITY.
TO BE HUNGRY MEANS THAT YOU'RE CHRONICALLY LIVING IN A STATE OF
LIMITED OR UNCERTAIN FOOD NEEDED FOR A HEALTHY AND ACTIVE LIFE.
ALL RIGHT. SUZANNE LaFOLLETTE-BLACK,
WHEN YOU SEE OLDER ADULTS
SUFFERING OR AT RISK OF HUNGER,
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE OBSTACLES THAT ARE CAUSING THAT,
MAYBE WHETHER IT'S MOBILITY OR TECHNOLOGY?
WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT A LITTLE BIT.
WELL, TECHNOLOGY CAN BE ONE.
IT CAN BE, ALSO, ACCESS TO TRANSPORTATION
TO TRY TO GET THE SERVICE.
BUT IT'S ALSO NOT KNOWING WHAT RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE,
AND HOW TO ACCESS AND NAVIGATE THOSE SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE.
WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH INFORMATION ABOUT WHAT THOSE RESOURCES MAY BE.
AND I KNOW WE'LL BE TALKING ABOUT THAT LATER
WHEN WE GET INTO HUNGER SOLUTIONS,
BUT WE'RE SEEING THAT A LOT OF OLDER ADULTS ARE TRYING TO
BALANCE FAMILY, THEIR INCOME,
AND ALSO HOW THEY MIGHT MAKE IT FOR THE NEXT DAY, AND SO, AGAIN,
IT'S GETTING TO ACCESS AND NAVIGATION.
WHEN WE LOOK AT THE FOOD BANKS, MANY TIMES YOUR
PARTNERING AGENCIES ARE ON THE FRONT LINES EVERY DAY.
HOW ARE YOU BALANCING COVERING THE STATE AND BEING ABLE TO FEED
OLDER ADULTS THAT ARE HUNGRY?
THAT'S A DIFFICULT CHALLENGE.
ONE OF THE WONDERS OF NORTH CAROLINA IS THE GREAT DIVERSITY.
AND HONESTLY, DESPITE THE DEMAND, IN AREAS LIKE CHARLOTTE
AND HERE IN THE TRIANGLE, WE HAVE STRONG BUSINESSES,
CORPORATE SUPPORT, A POPULATION BETTER ABLE TO SUPPORT US.
SO, REALLY, WHERE WE'RE FEELING IT IS IN THE FAR NORTHEAST
THROUGH THE BACK OF THE ALBEMARLE, WHICH COVERS
THE ELIZABETH CITY AREA, MANNA FOODBANK IN THE ASHEVILLE AREA,
COVERING THE MOUNTAINS; SOME OF THE AREAS IN
THE SOUTHEASTERN PART OF THE STATE SIMPLY JUST HAVE
FEWER RESOURCES TO TURN TO TO BE ABLE, THEN, TO DISTRIBUTE OUT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DO THROUGH OUR ASSOCIATION IS SHARING.
WE HAVE APPLES FROM THE WEST WE TRADE FOR
SWEET POTATOES IN THE EAST, AND DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO MAKE SURE
THAT EVERYONE GETS SOMETHING.
BUT IT IS A CONSTANT STRUGGLE, TRYING TO SHARE THOSE RESOURCES,
TAKE ADVANTAGE WHERE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE,
AND SHARE THEM WITH EACH OTHER.
NOW, DEAN SIMPSON, I BELIEVE WE COULD TAKE A LOOK AT
SOME OF THE HIGHEST-HIT COUNTIES IN NORTH CAROLINA
WHEN IT COMES TO ADULT HUNGER.
AND THE NUMBER-ONE COUNTY-- TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
SOME OF THOSE AREAS IMPACTED.
Simpson: WELL, SOME OF THE AREAS THAT ARE IMPACTED--ESPECIALLY IN
EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA AROUND ROBESON COUNTY, SCOTLAND, GREEN,
WARREN, WASHINGTON, VANCE, AND RICHMOND--THOSE ARE SOME THAT
WERE MENTIONED IN A STUDY THAT'S BEEN DONE,
AND SO THEY ARE VERY HIGH IN POVERTY IN THOSE AREAS.
YOU HAVE DIVERSE GROUPS THAT ARE THERE, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
NATIVE AMERICANS, AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT ARE THERE,
AND SO THERE'S A HIGH POPULATION, A HIGH GROUP
AND A HIGH NUMBER IN THAT AREA THAT HAVE HIGH POVERTY LEVELS
AND SO, OF COURSE, THEY'RE IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT PROVIDING ASSISTANCE IN THESE AREAS,
DO YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT STRATEGY THAN YOU WOULD, SAY,
IN ANOTHER AREA, MAYBE MORE--
WELL, TO TACK ON TO-- SOMETHING THAT ALAN MENTIONED
WAS THAT, ESPECIALLY IN THE WESTERN PART OF THE STATE, WE PARTNER WITH THE FOOD BANKS
TO HAVE STAFF THAT ARE LOCATED THERE TO LOOK AT
TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR FOOD NUTRITION SERVICES,
TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT ALL OF THE SERVICES AND PROGRAMS
THAT OUR AGENCY HAS TO OFFER.
AND SO WHAT WE DO IS WE PARTNER WITH THEM AND HAVE ACTUAL STAFF
LOCATED WITHIN THOSE FACILITIES.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUTREACH, AND I KNOW THAT
OUTREACH IS SO IMPORTANT IN BEING ABLE TO DO SHORT-TERM
SOLUTIONS AS WELL AS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS, WHICH ONE--MICHAEL,
WHICH AT A NATIONAL LEVEL, WHICH DO YOU SEE MORE PEOPLE
GETTING INVOLVED IN IN THE MEANTIME?
Calopietro: I THINK, FOR ME, IT'S IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT
THE RISK PROFILE FOR OLDER-ADULT HUNGER,
AND THAT'S TRUE NATIONALLY AND IT'S ALSO TRUE
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
IT'S CERTAINLY THE POOR AND THE NEAR POOR,
BUT WE ALSO SEE FOOD INSECURITY
HAPPENING AMONGST THE WORKING CLASS,
PEOPLE WHO ARE EARNING UP TO $35,000 TO $40,000 A YEAR
AND THE OLDER-ADULT POPULATION, AND THAT'S SOMETHING OF
A NEW FACE OF HUNGER AMONGST THE OLDER ADULTS.
SO, CERTAINLY, OUTREACH CAN'T JUST BE LIMITED
TO THE POOR AND NEAR POOR.
IT ALSO HAS TO TARGET THOSE WHO ARE WORKING,
PERHAPS WHO ARE EMPLOYED BUT UNDEREMPLOYED.
I THINK OUTREACH ALSO HAS TO TARGET
THOSE WHO ARE ISOLATED IN SOME WAY.
WE KNOW THAT BEING DIVORCED, WIDOWED, NEVER MARRIED,
LIVING ALONE IN YOUR OLD AGE IS A HIGH-RISK CATEGORY
FOR FOOD INSECURITY, AND SO THOSE EFFORTS NEED TO TARGET
THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE, PERHAPS, DISABLED AND WHO LIVE ALONE,
AND SO TACTICS NEED TO TARGET THEM SPECIFICALLY.
WE ALSO KNOW THAT GRANDPARENTS WHO ARE CARING FOR THEIR GRANDCHILDREN--
PERHAPS THEY LIVE IN THE HOME, THEY'RE ON FIXED INCOMES,
BUT THEY'RE SPENDING SOME OF THAT INCOME ON CARE,
ON FOOD CARE FOR THE CHILD, STRETCHING THAT FOOD DOLLAR
TO THE POINT WHERE THEY NOW BECOME FOOD-INSECURE
AS A RISK PROFILE.
SO WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT THOSE TYPES OF FAMILIES,
WHAT WE CALL GRANDFAMILIES IN OUR USUAL LANGUAGE.
AND LASTLY, I THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT PEOPLE WHO
ARE RACIAL OR ETHNIC MINORITIES, AS WAS ALREADY BEEN POINTED OUT.
IN TALKING ABOUT THAT STRUGGLE AND THE STRUGGLE TO
KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND, NOW WE'LL TAKE A LOOK AT
THE CHALLENGES FACING ONE NORTH CAROLINA FOOD BANK,
AS WELL AS THE ORGANIZATIONS ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE.
Narrator: ESTABLISHED IN 1980 AS THE FIRST COMMUNITY FOOD BANK
IN NORTH CAROLINA, THE FOOD BANK OF
CENTRAL & EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA
HAS GROWN TO BECOME A MAJOR RESOURCE
IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE HUNGRY.
THERE ARE CURRENTLY OVER 560,000 INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
AT OR BELOW THE POVERTY LINE, AT RISK OF HUNGER.
AND THE FOOD BANK AND OUR RESOURCES, OUR PARTNER AGENCIES
HAVE BEEN PROVIDING CRITICAL SERVICES,
PARTICULARLY THE LAST 3 TO 4 YEARS DURING THIS RECESSION.
THE FOOD BANK'S INCREASED ITS SUPPLY OF FOOD RECOVERY
AND DISTRIBUTION IN THE LAST 3 OR 4 YEARS BY ABOUT 16%.
WE'VE ADDED ABOUT 6 TO 7 MILLION POUNDS FROM WHERE WE WERE
JUST 3 TO 4 YEARS AGO; IN FACT,
JUST COMPLETED OUR LAST FISCAL YEAR OF A RECORD YEAR
OF ALMOST 45 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD.
Narrator: ONE OF THE FACTORS THAT LED TO THE FOOD INCREASE
AT THE FOOD BANK IS THE GROWING NUMBER OF OLDER ADULTS
NEEDING FOOD ASSISTANCE.
CERTAINLY, WITH OUR SENIORS, WE HAVE SEEN
AN INCREASE IN NUMBERS AND, QUITE HONESTLY, EXPECT TO SEE
THAT INCREASE MAYBE DOUBLE IN THE NEXT 5 TO 10 YEARS.
Narrator: ONE OF THE WAYS THE FOOD BANK IS TRYING TO REDUCE
THE HUNGER NUMBERS AMONG ADULTS 50 AND OVER
IS USING AND SUPPLYING FOOD TO PARTNER AGENCIES
WHO SERVE THE HUNGRY.
Werbick: OUR PARTNER AGENCY'S VERY MUCH A VOLUNTEER BASE,
AND JUST TO BE IN THE ROOMS WITH OUR PARTNER AGENCIES,
TO HEAR THE STORIES, THEY'RE REALLY ON THE FRONT LINE
WITH THE CLIENTS WHO WE SERVE.
Narrator: MIKE, THE OWNER OF GOD'S HELPING HAND PANTRY,
RELIES HEAVILY ON THE FOOD BANK TO SUPPLY AND FEED
THE GROWING FOOD NEEDS OF THE OLDER ADULTS
LIVING IN RURAL COUNTIES.
WE'VE HAD A MAJOR INFLUX OF SENIOR CITIZENS.
WE HAD ONE THIS PAST SATURDAY COME IN,
SAID THAT HE'S 79 YEARS OLD, HE NEEDS HELP.
AND, OF COURSE, WE DIDN'T HESITATE TO SIGN HIM UP,
BUT THAT'S THE TYPE OF STUFF WE COME THROUGH ALL THE TIME.
IF OUR FOOD PANTRY WASN'T LOCATED WHERE IT'S AT NOW,
THE PEOPLE WOULD DEFINITELY GO HUNGRY,
ESPECIALLY OUR SENIOR CITIZENS.
THEY WOULD DEFINITELY HAVE NOT THE FOOD AVAILABLE TO THEM
BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM, THEY CAN'T DRIVE TO THE FOOD STORES
WHERE THEY GO TO, AND THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY BECAUSE OF
THEIR MEDICATION AND STUFF COSTS SO MUCH.
SO WE SEE THE NEED AND WE SEE JUST THE DRIVE
TO IMPACT THE FOOD BANKS.
ALAN BRIGGS, TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT
WHAT WE WERE SEEING HERE.
IS THIS A NORMAL DISTRIBUTION FOR THOSE PARTNER AGENCIES?
IT IS, BUT WE ARE SEEING TOO OFTEN IN RECENT MONTHS WHERE,
PARTICULARLY SOME OF THE SMALLER AGENCIES, AS WE SAW HERE,
SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ADEQUATE FOOD.
THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO KEEP UP WITH THE DEMAND,
AND THE GENTLEMAN MADE TWO POINTS THAT I THINK
ARE WORTH REINFORCING.
ONE IS THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING THE FOOD TO OUR OLDER CITIZENS.
OFTENTIMES, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR OWN VEHICLE,
THEY HAVE PHYSICAL OR OTHER LIMITATIONS THAT MAKE IT
DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO COME TO THE SITES,
SO WE'RE ALSO INCREASING THE NUMBER OF MOBILE PANTRIES.
WE WILL LITERALLY OUTFIT TRUCKS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE FOOD
INTO COMMUNITIES, MAKE IT A LITTLE MORE ACCESSIBLE.
BUT AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, THAT IS AN INCREASED COST FOR STAFF
AND FUEL THAT MAKE IT DIFFICULT AND MORE EXPENSIVE
TO GET IT OUT.
AND HE ALSO MADE A GREAT POINT OF SO MANY OF OUR SENIORS
ARE BECOMING EXPERT JUGGLERS.
EVERY MONTH, IT'S "DO I GET MY PRESCRIPTION FILLED?
"DO I PAY OFF THE AIR CONDITIONING BILL
"FROM THE HOT JULY WE HAD?
"OR DO I JUST HAVE ANOTHER CAN OF TOMATO SOUP TONIGHT
BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD IT ALL?"
Calopietro: AND TO ALAN'S POINT, I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT
ALL OF THE HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURES THAT AN OLDER ADULT HAS--
RENT OR MORTGAGE, MEDICATION, UTILITIES--
THE ONE THAT'S THE MOST ELASTIC OR THE MOST KIND OF DISPOSABLE,
IF YOU WILL, IS FOOD.
AND SO, WHEN THEY CHOOSE BETWEEN WHERE TO SPEND THE MONEY,
THE ONE THAT THEY LET GO OF THE EASIEST IS THEIR FOOD BUDGET.
AND SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT.
DEAN SIMPSON, DO YOU SEE THIS IN YOUR WORK?
YES, AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT
THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EXPENSES THAT AREHERE THAT--
WHEN I WAS TALKING EARLIER ABOUT THE PARTNERSHIP WITH FOOD BANKS
AND WITH ANY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION, THAT THERE ALSO
ARE NUMEROUS RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE, AND PROGRAMS WITHIN
THEIR LOCAL DEPARTME OF SOCIAL SERVICES,
TO HELP WITH THINGS LIKE THEIR LIGHT BILL.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE ENERGY PROGRAMS WITH MEDICAID
TO BE ABLE TO APPLY AND TO ENSURE THAT
THEY KEEP THEIR MEDICAID.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FIND IS THAT BECAUSE
THEY'RE--THE OLDER ADULT THAT WE HAVE AN ISSUE WITH THEM
JUST LETTING THINGS--AT RECERTIFICATION TIME,
THEY JUST LET IT GO AND DON'T TURN BACK IN
ANY RECERTIFICATION PACKET.
THEY SAY, "I'M NOT GOING TO MESS WITH IT.
IT'S TOO MUCH TROUBLE, TOO MUCH PAPERWORK."
AND SO, AGAIN, THAT'S WHY COMMUNITY PARTNERS ARE SO VITAL